Electronics > Mechanical & Automation Engineering

good twist lock connectors?

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coppercone2:
I was looking at twist lock connectors, to unconvert my TIG machine from 110V to 220V.

I thought this one looked good, while expensive, I did order it. Hypertherm does this type of thing with their plasma cutters, but they just use regular connectors, that are face to face mating. That way you can easily change voltages.

https://origin.hubbell.com/hubbell/en/Products/Electrical-Electronic/Wiring-Devices/Watertight-Devices/Locking/Watertight-Devices-Twist-Lock-Connector-30A-250V-AC-2-Pole-3-Wire-Thermoplastic-elastomer-NEMA-L6-30R-Yellow/p/2328660

I like it because it has like a shroud that the other connector fits into. Sometimes I noticed I can kick into wire or something laying on the floor my shop, and it feels like that wire could easily get into a face-mating twist lock connector, and that collar/shroud will protect it some, and also keep dust out of the junction. Its a bit expensive though.. but it is a fairly serious circuit.

I thought about neutrik connectors but I am not sure if they are appropriate.

Does anyone have any favorites?

Gyro:

--- Quote from: coppercone2 on June 15, 2023, 06:25:48 am ---...
I thought about neutrik connectors but I am not sure if they are appropriate.

Does anyone have any favorites?

--- End quote ---

Neutrik do the powerCON range, specifically for mains use. This includes a rugged 32A version. I don't have personal experience of these but I'm a fan of the Neutrik twist lock connectors in general, good value for money and rating.... https://www.neutrik.com/en/products/audio/powercon

TimFox:
I'm very familiar with the heavy-duty Hubbell twist-lock connectors, which are common in the US but apparently unknown in the UK and EU.
The only thing to watch for is that the twist-locking is very secure, and if an accident exerts excessive force on the cable against the mated pair, it can pull free from the connector before the connector fails.
If that leaves a live wire, you have a problem.

coppercone2:
hmm I did not think of that possibility.

Well 90% of the time it should be up against a wall under a table. I guess for field use, if that ever happens, I should put together a little 'shelter' to throw over the junction out of ply wood, that looks like a little hardened aircraft shelter.

Do you know how the powercon does with dust? Because here is the usual situation for the tools:

1) polishing machine, sander, bench grinder, angle grinder, brush may be used near the connector
2) tons of dust and shit accumulates on top the wires

Since they keep talking about audio, I thought maybe they were not anticipating tons of dust in the design. But given the last clean up, I wanted components sourced from say... desert military equipment.

It might be a bit better now since hopefully there will be not as much cleaning of O/A welds (kinda filthy), and I am looking into experimenting with electro cleaning metals (brush), and using maybe the plasma cutter more with some templates etc.

The much bigger looking hubble connector looks like its easier to blow out with contact cleaner IMO. The powercon looks like it might be a PITA if it gets contaminated with polishing wheel residue (wool+gritZ+wax).

coppercone2:
I finally got that hubble connector. Its really big.  For some reason I just did not think it was quite this big. But it looks well built.. will wire it up soon

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