XLR Connectors and Current

[ghurd]

I'm putting together a dual voltage PV system.  12V and 24V.  Two 75W PVs, 4.8A Isc, 4.34A Imp.  Maybe 8 months a year on 12V, and 4 months on 24V.

The plan.   A controller for 12V and another for 24V, each with a 4 pin XLR connector.  The PVs come in to a single 4 pin socket.  Plug the 12V controller in for 12V charging, or the 24V controller for 24V charging.  Idiot Proof.

I have seen 24V wheelchairs and scooters use XLR connectors for the battery chargers up to 10A, but these things look a bit light for 5A.  No pin will carry more than 5A.

Would be nice to know if they can stand 5A, and if there will be arcing issues.

Thoughts?

G-

[Flux]

Four pin XLR ( Neutrik at least) are rated for 10A per pin. In clean indoor conditions I think they will manage it but outdoors I have not found them foolproof at much lower levels.  I don't see why there should be arcing problems.

Flux

[fungus]

The 3 pin ones I got were rated at 15A - depends I guess . I'm using them for my 120w inverter- the max current it'll take is 10A and its never fully loaded ... I like them.

I'd happily put 5A through them but thats me..

[dinges]

Ghurd,

Back when I was flying gliders,  Neutrik XLR connectors were the standard connector of the battery packs that provided power to the radio/vario/etc. IIRC, the systems were usually fused at 5 A at the main panel and another 10 A fuse at the battery pack itself.

This was an 'official' standard (not something a 'handy member' of the club had installed), the batterypacks were delivered by the German manufacturer that way. It obeyed all the rules and regulations w.r.t. the glider's electrical system. (if not, it would NOT have been installed, I can tell you...)

An important reason for using these connectors was that they were locked yet could be quickly disconnected, taken out of the aircraft and be recharged.

The manufacturer should be able to put your mind even more at ease. I'm sure Neutrik or another manufacturer of these connectors provide the data you are looking for. Anyway I'd feel perfectly safe pushing 5A through these connectors.

I just checked and on their website you can find full technical info on the connectors, including current capability. I've noticed some are rated up to 16A.

http://www.neutrik.com/fl/en/neutrik_productline.aspx

Regards,

Peter.

[wooferhound]

I use these XLR connectors every day in the Sound and Lighting business.

 3 pin - for Audio inputs & outputs like Microphones and Mixers

 4 pin - for Automated color changers that fit theatrical lights

 5 pin - For the digital DMX control signal between console and Lighting

These connectors are very reliable, if there is a problem it is almost always something wrong with the wire or the solder connection, but not the connector. I never knew the amp capacity of the pin connections but the PDF I found on the Neutrik.com site that dinges posted has the following information...

 3 pin: 16 amp

 4 pin: 10 amp

 5-6 pin: 7.5 amp

The PDF also says that they are rated to Connect/Disconnect 1000 times. I would say that it is 3 to 5 times better than that. They would not last very long if you plugged them while under load. Arcs will pit them pretty bad. Microphones output millivolts, Sound or Lighting consoles output up to 10 volts, Color Changers output up to 24 volts. The amps on all these outputs is quite low, less than .1 amp. If you tried to disconnect a hot load of 10 amps it would eventually become unusable.

XLR connectors are great because they lock together and are easy to unlock to pull apart. Neutrik connectors are very easy to use but cost a little more. Switchcraft connectors are really a better connecter but are harder to solder and assemble.

[dinges]

Your remark w.r.t. arcing under load is a good one, I'd expect the same to happen, yet in the application I mentioned (glider batteries) those XLR connectors  were plugged in 5-6 times per week (and plugged out the same number of times) for years on end under load (no one ever used the master on/off switch on the instrument panel). I don't recall us ever having problems with the connectors. The batteries wore out faster

If Ghurd's application requires waterproof connectors, I personally like the Amphenol C16 connector very much. The 4-pin version is a standard over here in boating/yachting applications. A few more $ for the connector (I think I paid 8E (12$) last time I bought one) but still very cheap if a waterproof connector (IP67) is what he's looking for.

http://www.amphenol.com.au/catalogue/c16series1.pdf

Peter.

Hmm. Those XLR connectors click too...

[ghurd]

Thanks guys.

It's in a dry and clean environment.

I figure the arcing will occur at the ends of the terminals and shouldn't have any effect when fully seated.

Neutrik and Switchcraft is what was missing for a decent Google.  

Sorry to say these are silver, came in a plain brown plastic bags, obviously manufactured by the world famous name brand "PUSH", and that's all I know.

G-

Peter- They only click once.