Wall wart eliminator

[majex45]

I am fed up with the proliferation of wall wart power supplies I am accumulating for driving the various hifi I possess.
I am going to make a multi-PSU. I have a 19" rack enclosure.
It will contain several power supplies in one box, perhaps with switches on the front to select which one/two/three work.
I come the problem of which connectors to use. Particularly the chassis mount type.
These must be available at a modest price, rewireable and polarised. I am undecided whether they should be different for the different voltages.
My first thought was the round type on the wall warts, I have a few plugs but no chassis connectors. I am OK with USB A for 5V DC but I will have a couple of AC voltages as well as 12V DC and possibly 18V DC.
Then I thought of DIN speaker plugs and/or DIN 4/5 way plugs (after all they are good enough for NAIM). Anyone know what they are like for low voltage DC/50Hz use?
Any other suggestions?
It would be best if they would fit into a round hole as I have drills and a couple of punches.

[G6Tanuki]

You want to use outlets that are not grounded va the mounting-bush to the panel they are fitted into - this rules-out quite a few of the 'jack-plug/laptop-style-power-connector' options.

I would suggest using Anderson "Power Pole" connectors - they're non-grounded to the panel, engage positively, are polarised so you won't destroy things by inadvertently connecting negative to positive and vice-versa, and can easily handle 15 Amps.

https://www.andersonpower.com/us/en/...urcesPage.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderson_Powerpole

Be aware though that there are plenty of 'fakes' of these out there! Invariably worse quality than the real thing.

[Lucien Nunes]

Depending on your definition of 'modest price' and how much room you have, I would consider 4-pin XLR. Unlike 3- and 5-pin types which are predominantly used for signal, XLR4 is mainly used for DC power in professional equipment, especially 12V with pin 1 -ve, pin 4 +ve. Keeping pin 1 as -ve, you have the option to put the positive of different voltages on either pin 2 or 3 to prevent accidental cross-connection. Unlike 12V there is no standard for these pinouts.

If you want a higher packing density and are prepared to forego mutual incompatibility of different supplies, and you can cut a long rectangular slot in the back panel and mount the headers to a piece of strip-board on standoffs being the slot, then the conventional approach used on professional installed AV equipment would be pluggable PCB terminal block (aka Euro connectors aka 'Phoenix terminals' named for the leading manufacturer.)

E.g. these stacked end to end peeping through the slot
https://cpc.farnell.com/camdenboss/c...ole/dp/CN11615

with these plugged into them:
https://cpc.farnell.com/camdenboss/c...p-5/dp/CN20989

[Beobloke]

Originally Posted by majex45

Then I thought of DIN speaker plugs and/or DIN 4/5 way plugs (after all they are good enough for NAIM). Anyone know what they are like for low voltage DC/50Hz use?

The use of any signal connector for power use is very poor practice. All to easy to connect a signal plug into a power socket with noisy and/or sparky consequences!

Stick to a decent and dedicated power connector.

[Refugee]

The problem I see is that if all the items have the same plugs on them it would be all too easy to plug something into the wrong voltage. This could easily be followed by tears.
I would be tempted to use outlets with enough pins to have all voltages available on pairs of pins.
The powered items can then have hard wired cables with there wires on the pins that output the correct voltage for the item.
You would then be able to just connect it all up in the dark space behind the equipment without the risk of tears.

[knobtwiddler]

GX16 'aviation' connectors come in 2,3,4,5,6,7-pin flavours. They are tough as old boots, affordable and easy to find (although maybe not all pin configs are as easy to find as some, i.e. 5-pin is popular).

CPC have them. Loads of firms make them.

e.g. https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/p...n%20connectors

[stevehertz]

Are you going to use linear or SMPS power supplies? Great idea and even better if you go linear. Best of luck with the project.

[G6ONEDave]

I would label all the cables so that you can confirm which voltages are on them, perhaps even printing the equipment item on each, hopefully avoiding any accidents. I do like the general idea though.

Dave

[majex45]

Hi G6Tanuki,
Probably a bit too big for me. I expect the maximum current to be well under 1 amp.
Thanks for helping out though.

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

You want to use outlets that are not grounded va the mounting-bush to the panel they are fitted into - this rules-out quite a few of the 'jack-plug/laptop-style-power-connector' options.

I would suggest using Anderson "Power Pole" connectors - they're non-grounded to the panel, engage positively, are polarised so you won't destroy things by inadvertently connecting negative to positive and vice-versa, and can easily handle 15 Amps.

https://www.andersonpower.com/us/en/...urcesPage.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderson_Powerpole

Be aware though that there are plenty of 'fakes' of these out there! Invariably worse quality than the real thing.

[majex45]

Hi Lucien,
Thanks for looking that up. I don't really like these connectors (I have some as the output from an amolifier) the wires arelikely to come adrift over time.
Thanks anyway.
PS I love your avatar.

Originally Posted by Lucien Nunes

Depending on your definition of 'modest price' and how much room you have, I would consider 4-pin XLR. Unlike 3- and 5-pin types which are predominantly used for signal, XLR4 is mainly used for DC power in professional equipment, especially 12V with pin 1 -ve, pin 4 +ve. Keeping pin 1 as -ve, you have the option to put the positive of different voltages on either pin 2 or 3 to prevent accidental cross-connection. Unlike 12V there is no standard for these pinouts.

If you want a higher packing density and are prepared to forego mutual incompatibility of different supplies, and you can cut a long rectangular slot in the back panel and mount the headers to a piece of strip-board on standoffs being the slot, then the conventional approach used on professional installed AV equipment would be pluggable PCB terminal block (aka Euro connectors aka 'Phoenix terminals' named for the leading manufacturer.)

E.g. these stacked end to end peeping through the slot
https://cpc.farnell.com/camdenboss/c...ole/dp/CN11615

with these plugged into them:
https://cpc.farnell.com/camdenboss/c...p-5/dp/CN20989

[majex45]

Hi Beobloke,
I don't use DIN connectors anywhere in my hi-fi. (I don't have any NAIM or B&O).
I have been told the 4 pin DIN was designed for power supply but I don't know.
I'll think about it.

Originally Posted by Beobloke

The use of any signal connector for power use is very poor practice. All to easy to connect a signal plug into a power socket with noisy and/or sparky consequences!

Stick to a decent and dedicated power connector.

[majex45]

Hi Refugee,
Not the solution I am considering. I don't want to hard wire all my accessories (DACs, Phono amps etc).
But thanks for considering my problem.

Originally Posted by Refugee

The problem I see is that if all the items have the same plugs on them it would be all too easy to plug something into the wrong voltage. This could easily be followed by tears.
I would be tempted to use outlets with enough pins to have all voltages available on pairs of pins.
The powered items can then have hard wired cables with there wires on the pins that output the correct voltage for the item.
You would then be able to just connect it all up in the dark space behind the equipment without the risk of tears.

[majex45]

Hi Knobtwiddler,
I like the look of thos.
I'll follow this one up.
Peter

Originally Posted by knobtwiddler

GX16 'aviation' connectors come in 2,3,4,5,6,7-pin flavours. They are tough as old boots, affordable and easy to find (although maybe not all pin configs are as easy to find as some, i.e. 5-pin is popular).

CPC have them. Loads of firms make them.

e.g. https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/p...n%20connectors

[majex45]

Hi Stevehertz,
Some of each.
Best regards
Peter

Originally Posted by stevehertz

Are you going to use linear or SMPS power supplies? Great idea and even better if you go linear. Best of luck with the project.

[majex45]

Hi G6ONEDave,
I'll do that, it seems a sensible idea. Label one end with the device and the other with the volts and type.
Thanks
Peter

Originally Posted by G6ONEDave

I would label all the cables so that you can confirm which voltages are on them, perhaps even printing the equipment item on each, hopefully avoiding any accidents. I do like the general idea though.

Dave

[snowman_al]

I've held back on answering for a while as there are lots of excellent suggestions.

BUT I have a feeling it will end in tears when you inadvertently plug the 12 volt lead into the 5 volt device or similar, not matter how carefully you label the leads and how you concentrate, its human nature.

You have to design it so you cannot plug the 5 volt lead into the 12 volt socket and so on.

I would go back to the DIN plug and socket. Good quality ones are reliable even as power leads, they can easily handle 25 volts at an Amp on each pin. (Spec is 100 volts AC). And there are many pin configurations that cannot be plugged into each other, so automatically 'interlock' incorrect use.
You also have the ability to use a standard 5 pin socket and blank off one of the holes, removing the respective pin from the plug so only that plug and socket match. (You can make several combinations that way.)

So I've had my say.
Alan

[stevehertz]

A good point you make there Alan.

[majex45]

Hi Alan,
Thank you for your suggestion.
What I was planning is to use something like 5 (or 6) way connectors.
I would use (say) pin 1 as common (earth, 0V) then pin 2 is 5V , pin 3 is 12 V, pin 4 is 15V DC, pin 5 is 12V AC, pin 6 is for future use).
That way it will not matter which plug/socket is used as only the right power reaches the other connector (which is always 2 way, round or USB).
Make sense?

Originally Posted by snowman_al

I've held back on answering for a while as there are lots of excellent suggestions.

BUT I have a feeling it will end in tears when you inadvertently plug the 12 volt lead into the 5 volt device or similar, not matter how carefully you label the leads and how you concentrate, its human nature.

You have to design it so you cannot plug the 5 volt lead into the 12 volt socket and so on.

I would go back to the DIN plug and socket. Good quality ones are reliable even as power leads, they can easily handle 25 volts at an Amp on each pin. (Spec is 100 volts AC). And there are many pin configurations that cannot be plugged into each other, so automatically 'interlock' incorrect use.
You also have the ability to use a standard 5 pin socket and blank off one of the holes, removing the respective pin from the plug so only that plug and socket match. (You can make several combinations that way.)

So I've had my say.
Alan

[Cruisin Marine]

Hi Alan,
Thank you for your suggestion.
What I was planning is to use something like 5 (or 6) way connectors.
I would use (say) pin 1 as common (earth, 0V) then pin 2 is 5V , pin 3 is 12 V, pin 4 is 15V DC, pin 5 is 12V AC, pin 6 is for future use).
That way it will not matter which plug/socket is used as only the right power reaches the other connector (which is always 2 way, round or USB).
Make sense?

Is it worth bothering, you could just hard wire, or just even use choc block connectors at the PSU end and colour code or mark the coaxial power connectors at the equipment end (or better BOTH ends of the leads).

It is still dangerous, mistakes could still easily happen in a rush, or after a few beers if in any way the plugs at the equipment end are in any way interchangeable, and bar changing the power connectors on all the equipment end(s) I cannot see how repetition (and thereby mistakes) can be avoided.

[jamesperrett]

Originally Posted by majex45

Hi Alan,
Thank you for your suggestion.
What I was planning is to use something like 5 (or 6) way connectors.
I would use (say) pin 1 as common (earth, 0V) then pin 2 is 5V , pin 3 is 12 V, pin 4 is 15V DC, pin 5 is 12V AC, pin 6 is for future use).
That way it will not matter which plug/socket is used as only the right power reaches the other connector (which is always 2 way, round or USB).
Make sense?

That's exactly the system that we used on Boaty McBoatface (Aka Autosub Long Range). In this case we needed to be able to power a variety of sensors from a bunch of standard connectors and to easily reconfigure if the sensors changed. We used Lemo connectors because reliability was more important than cost but there are plenty of alternatives.