BNC hardwired 12v (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Aug 26, 2003
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Location
Beaumont, Texas
Website
www.marklowimagery.com
I saw where Cristo used the coin holders in the center console to mount BNC connectors for 12v supply. Where can I get plastic blanke for those spots in the console or would I have to just cut and file some to fit? Is there a part number that I could take to Toyota dealer for the replacements? Also, what did Cristo ues for the mounting of the BNC's back in the rear ashtray?

In addition to those suggested voltage source points, I guess I could mount the BNC's just about anywhere, like perhaps down on either side of the forward center console, below the shifters like where CruiserDan has his mic clip mounted. Nut I like the idea of using the coin holders as well especailly since I have never used them for anything.
 
Personally, I'd rather not have BNC's mounted in a horizontal (or near horizontal) position, just becuase it makes it possible to inadvertently get/put something in there that would short it. All sorts of crud will likely get in them too. There are places on the dash I'd be more inclined to put them.

I know it would take a little doing for this to happen, but with my luck, I'd just drop a small screwdriver in there and short everything out... :eek:

That being said, it's a better thing than those horrible coin holders. What a waste of plastic! :flipoff2:
 
I would imagine that radio stores would probably have cabinet mounts for BNCs that could be used (ie drill out the hold and have mounting bracket on outside or inside).

I tend to agree that there could be a shorting issue, depending on how they are mounted. What do you think the amp rating is for these? Given that you are a radio guy :), have you considered Anderson Powerpoles? They have some nice cabinet mounts that could be used all over (this is what I'm planning on using for 12V items in the truck) for radios, lights, laptops, GPSs, PDAs, etc

IIRC the plug in (busses) are rated to 30A, fused with automotive fuses, and (importantly for radios) have built-in noise reduction, etc.

Cheers, Hugh
 
Hedn't really thought of the shorting, but I would probably keep the unused ones covered with rubber caps. I figured that I would only use them for small sources such as radar, gps, cell etc. The power poles sounds like a better choice though since I would want to possibly run other equipment through them. Not sure how the BNC's are rated at DC since they are designed for VHF and up. The dielectric is pretty soft and thin so if they carried much current in an already hot environment, they could melt and shore. In that case, the old PL-252's might work better but the BNC in a nicer looking connector and smaller. Where do you find the Anderson Power poles? That would be nice since I would want to possibly power the HF tranceiver from that location as well. I just want it to look nice and clean. I hate having wires running all over the place.

But for those other more demanding power sources, I would need to do the dual battery install and run one power bus line from the aux battery into the cabin and then build some sort of central power distribution block.

Let me know where I can find the Anderson stuff possibly online...

Thanks guys
 
Hugh,

Those power strips look very nice and extremely high Q. I wonder where you would want to mount those in the cruiser? I think it would be good to have one in the back, say mounted to the side panel and one up front but I can't think of a good location in the front that would not get in the way. That is a perfect solution to powering up the mobil HF rig for temporary use. For the smaller stuff like the GPS, cell and the like, it would be overkill. It looks like the power cables are molded together, pos/neg and they could be zip tied together to make for a clean install, but in the back I would be concerned about the dogs getting into everything. I guess I could mount the strip inside the little storage compartment in the right side pannel, then just run the wires down and under the carpet. I don't know exactly what I would run in the back other that a 12v cooler and a couple fans etc....oh and some lights, but with that power strip back there, my options would be endless.

Thanks for the sources... They seem very reasonably pricedas well. I may go ahead and get a couple of the 4005's and start figuring out where I want to install them. I wonder if they have a simple voltage step down resistor to go inline in order to power those things which require 6v or 3v power sources at 500mA. A simple resistor would work but they probably have disigned something to work with their equipment.
 
how about 2 or 3 or 4 pin DIN plugs like the mic connectors on uniden 27Mhz sets. They would be a cheap and reliable solution. And would provide a large enough contact area for higher currents.
 
Image:

I would probably only use the 4005 for radios (their intended purpose). As you suggested, I intend to use the small storage bin in the US PS rear. For running other stuff up front, I would use the simpler and cheaper cabinet mount that powerwerx sells. You could mount these all over the place (glove box, in the center console, under dash, in dash blank, middle console in frnt of shifter, etc

The connectors can be attached together or not - it's up to you.

Cheers, Hugh
 
Hugh,
I haven't seen these type of connectors. I looked over the site and tried to find out more about them. I see they are color coded but genderless. Why they are genderless? It seems to be a "desired" feature of this type of connector. However, being able to plug them in wrong (e.g. in the cargo area at night trying to hook up a light or something...) seems like a problem.

Am I missing something?

-B-
 
[quote author=s79bj40 link=board=2;threadid=5285;start=msg41675#msg41675 date=1063710385]
how about 2 or 3 or 4 pin DIN plugs like the mic connectors on uniden 27Mhz sets. They would be a cheap and reliable solution. And would provide a large enough contact area for higher currents.
[/quote]

I've used a 4 pin DIN plug in my MQ for years and years - very reliable and since you screw it together it doesn't fall out on rough roads. I run a 24V system, and the DIN is wired for that - I've used a 200W handheld spotlight through that plug and it can definitely carry the current. I used 2 pins for ground and 2 pins for +24V. I now use the same outlet to run a 24->Laptop converter for moving maps etc.

I would never use a BNC - the contacts are small, they are not rated for current and in general the ground connection is friction/contact based.

Christo's site shows DIN connectors - not BNC - FORGET BNC!!
 
Thanks George...I probably misread the instalation notes on Cristo's tech page. You are right, I thought that the BNC's were not rated for DC current. The DIN plugs might be the way to go for up front and mabe one of the small powerPole strips in the front for running radio's etc. I still am going to put an 8 pole strip in back just to have the power in back for whatever I may need. I have two 3v 500mW fans mounted on the cargo barrier to blow cool air on the dogs when they are riding. Wonder what would be the best way to wire them up to make 3v from 12v? I could use a cig lighter converter form Rat Shack, splice into two output wires and use the type "O" adapter plugs to go into the fans. the fans have a on/off switch but most of the time I would just lesve them in the ON position and just let the ignition turn them on and off. What are yall's thoughts about this?
 
[quote author=george_tlc link=board=2;threadid=5285;start=msg42130#msg42130 date=1063814300]
I would never use a BNC - the contacts are small, they are not rated for current and in general the ground connection is friction/contact based.

Christo's site shows DIN connectors - not BNC - FORGET BNC!!
[/quote]

I did once use a BNC. However that was just to hardmount a phone charger under the center console and only have the wire stick out. Not much current.
 
[quote author=Beowulf link=board=2;threadid=5285;start=msg41979#msg41979 date=1063774526]
Hugh,
I haven't seen these type of connectors. I looked over the site and tried to find out more about them. I see they are color coded but genderless. Why they are genderless? It seems to be a "desired" feature of this type of connector. However, being able to plug them in wrong (e.g. in the cargo area at night trying to hook up a light or something...) seems like a problem.
[/quote]

B:

Here is my understanding (I'm still trying to find a cheap Canadian source) of the powerpole connections (which are the national standard in the US for the Amateur Radio Emergency Service and many other emergency services):

- The purpose (for radio) is to standardize all equipment onto one power source = allows me to quickly move radio from truck to house to field, swap batteries, plug in my radio into emergency communication vehicle, power gps, etc
-Suitable for high current applications without a big connector (ie can run 30A radios, etc) - not a lot of 12V equipment needs this, but HF amateur radios absolutely do need this
- The are genderless (ie no male and female, black=black, red=red) = no need to carry different connectors/reduced parts in the fields/easier to connect things together (eg batteries, extension cables, etc) but...
-...they are polarized (there is a positive and negative) so you can't run negative to positive
- self cleaning contacts
- No exposed metal to short when disconnected
- etc.

vs. something like a molex connector = lower current rating, requires you have male and female parts, etc

The only downside I've heard is that while there is a positive connect (ie they don't vibrate off), it's not a complete 'locking' mechanism (ie like the 'locking' style cig plugs, screw in connectors, etc). You trade-off a bit of convenience.

I plan to standardise my 'stuff' to this standard (battery connectors, radios, GPS, 12V lights, etc

Cheers, Hugh
 
>> -...they are polarized (there is a positive and negative) <<
>> so you can't run negative to positive <<

I guess I need to see one in person then. From the pictures and drawings on that web site I could swear there was nothing to prevent plugging in a negative to a positive, other than color. They look very handy and one of my near-term projects is to "wire up" the truck with aux fuse panel, numerous 12v outlets, etc.

-B-
 
I'll do a quick post on one of the amateur radio boards to confirm - they are advertised as polarized and I had thought that this is mechanical (not just color). I know that this was one of the conditions (IIRC - genderless, high amp rating, low risk of shorting, polarized, easily accessible across the country, relatively cheap, etc) when they were trying to standardize, so it should be the case. I'll get back later this week.

Cheers, Hugh
 
Hugh,

As I think more about the design, it appears that if 2 connectors are pinned together R+B and the mating piece is pinned together the opposite way (B+R) then everything will be OK and the pair would be polarized when plugged in. Each individual plug could be plugged into another (i.e. no gender) but when you combine 2 or more they become polarized. An individual connector is not polarized but the pair is polarized.

Example:

.......... Recepticle
..........| |.......| |
..........| |.......| |
........ {+} = {-}

........ {+} = {-}
..........| |.......| |
..........| |.......| |
............. Plug

When you mate the above they cannot be plugged in the wrong way. You control the plug vs the receptical by the way you pin the two together. The = represents the connecting pin. The design of the plugs prohibits inserting the plug upside down. It will only go in one way.

Clear as mud?

-B-
 
[quote author=Beowulf link=board=2;threadid=5285;start=msg42684#msg42684 date=1063917952]

Hugh,

As I think more about the design, it appears that if 2 connectors are pinned together R+B and the mating piece is pinned together the opposite way (B+R) then everything will be OK and the pair would be polarized when plugged in.
[/quote]

B:

100% correct and how I was thinking it may work...

"If you build the usual assembly, two PowerPoles slid together side by side, then it can only connect one way to another such assembly. If you try to connect one pair to another pair backwards, the hoods get in the way.

Unfortunately, there are two ways to slide the two connectors together. The most widely used standard is the one used by California ARES and by West Mountain's RigRunner. If you connect one built to that standard to one built to the other standard, the connectors will happily mate and if you're lucky a fuse will blow somewhere." (from eham.net Emergency Communications forum)

Cheers, Hugh
 

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