Plug and socket suggestion needed

I read in sci.electronics.design that Peter A Forbes wrote (in ) about 'Plug and socket suggestion needed', on Sat, 9 Apr 2005:

They are NOT rated as mains connectors DO NOT USE XLRs for mains!

It (the XLR-LNE) doesn't meet current safety requirements.

The IEC 60320 outlet socket and cable-mounting plug are made specifically for what the OP wants to do, and meet all known safety requirements. Why search for inferior, maybe dangerous, substitutes?

--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
There are two sides to every question, except
'What is a Moebius strip?'
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk

Why do you have 120 VAC at the RJ-45 plug?

Thanks, Rich

I don't know why my newsreader isn't threading these things right, but a couple posts back (or maybe in a different thread if you've posted the same question twice), I suggested Jones connectors. About two bucks, and there's not a chance of plugging anything else into them:

Have Fun! Rich

On Sat, 9 Apr 2005 13:02:08 +1200, "Ken Taylor" wroth:

A couple of surface mounted resistors blew up, but no fire resulted.

Jim

On Sat, 9 Apr 2005 11:10:53 +1000, "John G" wroth:

Oh really? Take a look at:

Current rating 1.5 Amps, voltage rating 125 VRMS AC.

Jim

On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 02:11:24 +0100, Pooh Bear wroth:

I

Yes. You could also stick the other end in your mouth. It may hurt, but I doubt you'd catch on fire.

Jim

I read in sci.electronics.design that Peter A Forbes wrote (in ) about 'Plug and socket suggestion needed', on Sat, 9 Apr 2005:

I didn't mean you, I meant the OP, if he hasn't got tired and gone away.

They are, but you need to understand what they mean, and what they don't mean. The clearance and creepage distances for mains connectors have to take into account that voltage spikes occur, up to 10 times the supply voltage quite often, and occasionally up to 30 times.

--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
There are two sides to every question, except
'What is a Moebius strip?'
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk

I read in sci.electronics.design that Spehro Pefhany wrote (in ) about 'Plug and socket suggestion needed', on Sat, 9 Apr 2005:

That's why I persuaded IEC to make IEC 61984 a standard, not a report. It gives safety requirements for connectors not covered by another specific standard, as, for example, the IEC 60320 connectors are.

--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
There are two sides to every question, except
'What is a Moebius strip?'
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk

I read in sci.electronics.design that James Meyer wrote (in ) about 'Plug and socket suggestion needed', on Sat, 9 Apr 2005:

'Rated' at 125 V and 'safe on 120 V mains' are not the same thing. 120 V mains gets voltage spikes of at least 1 kV on it and the clearance and creepage distances have to take that into account.

--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
There are two sides to every question, except
'What is a Moebius strip?'
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk

Well, here's the original post:

I don't see any reference to "current limited". The cable/switch contraption sounds like it's supposed to back up a set of relay contacts that, for all I (or you) know, will be switching mains power.

Safety issues aside, RJ45 jacks are generally pc mount affairs. I don't know how the OP has his parts wired together, though I suspect it'd be a pain in the ass to panel mount an RJ45 jack.

On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 09:47:33 +1000, "John G" wroth:

The original question was for a cheap connector solution for a one-off application where current limited 120 Volts AC was being switched. Not for something that could be plugged directly into the "mains".

The RJ-45 connector is rated for 125 Volts and category 5 cable is rated for 300 Volts. The combination is cheap and will meet the original poster's requirements.

Stick *that* up your mains.

Jim

Thanks John,

Thats what I wanted to say too.

And Is cat5 cable rated for mains use? NO.

--
John G

Wot's Your Real Problem?

wroth:

for

poster's

Odd. You state the rating of the cable and the connector which shows conclusively that they will not do the job Then you state they will.

Any reason why?

On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 22:50:02 -0500, Eric Inazaki wroth:

There are plenty of panel mounted RJ-45 connectors available. A typical office setting has them on the wall. No PC board required. The wires come right off the back of the receptical. Most of them use IDC type connections so even soldering is eliminated.

Jim

On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 12:42:45 +0100, "R.Lewis" wroth:

I'll be willing to bet dollars to donuts that the ratings of the connector/cable combination I specified at least equals the rating of the switch used at the end of the cable.

Failure of the cable/connector part, however likely or unlikely, is exactly equivalent to either opening or closing the switch. Why analy overdesign any single part of a series connected system without overdesigning

*all* of the parts?

Jim

wroth:

conclusively

switch

overdesigning

That just about sums it up. If you don't know what you are doing with one thing - best make sure you know nothing about the lot. Saves you from worrying I suppose.

Being the OP I thought I would interject here. The switch at the other end of the cable is rated at 10A 125VAC and something else at 250VAC. When turned on the switch will deliver 120VAC mains line to a solenoid valve on a 1/2 HP hydraulic power unit. And as another poster suggested this switch is back up for a relay, which is why I want to be able to unplug it. Thanks for the many suggestions. Most I couldn't find at a price I wanted to to pay. I will probably go with a Mouser P/N

161-R30200 and 161-R331. I would have preferred the similar connectors that had the prongs perpendicular to what those have since that is more unlike anything else that plugs into the wall. The "old style" connectors that someone suggested are way too crude looking for my tastes. As for the RJ45 connector, it has several problems, other than not handling mains like some say, the cable won't hold up very well on the end of a control box, and having the RJ45 jack in my control box might lead someone to think that the thing is network enabled and try to hook it up to the network.

--
Chris W

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