4mm Stackable Banana plugs (prefer goldplated) leads - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 04:20:56 am
content: where o where can i find these?Everywhere i look it's either the butt-ugly, super stiff pomona or ez-hook crap (where the spring falls out after a few months).I want plugs or ready made cables like what multi-contact is making (LK410) see picture below. The ones with the torsioned spring. prefer gold plated , but not necessarily.*** ABSOLUTELY NO SAFETY SHROUD! ***I want the bare banana pin. There is not a single piece of lab equipment that can handle banana with safety shrouds. Who ever invented that stupid shroud idea should be drawn, quartered, shot ,hanged ,tarred and feathered,drowned, eaten by rats and then burned at the stake. that's all fine if you are mucking about with high voltage. Most lab equipment with banana jacks(apart from multimeters) can't cope with those.Problem is multicontact only sells packs of 10 ... i'd have to buy 240 cables... and they are like 6 or 7 $ a piece ...Any idea ? i want at least 6 or 7 colors. and different lengths (25cm , 50cm, 1m 1.5m)

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 04:56:10 am
content: Would something like this work? Not gold plated. The wire is soft silicone insulated. There are only 5 colours available though. Length can be customised.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 05:07:56 am
content: that looks reasonable. i see you have an ebay storethis one lokks better :http://www.ebay.com/itm/4mm-Stackable-Banana-Plugs-1-Pair-Red-Black-/171062979200?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27d425ea80but i need more than red and black ... if i could get like 2 or 3 more colors( yellow, blue, green or white) i;'d be happy.i found one guy in uk selling exactly the same and he has 6 colors.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Banana-Plugs-Test-Lead-Lantern-type-stackable-solderable-plug-/121078022434?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&var=&hash=item1c30d00122these are nice too :http://www.ebay.com/itm/50pcs-High-Quality-Mueller-Radioshack-Stackable-4mm-Banana-Plug-5-Colors-/181175829108?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a2eebc274do you have silicone (or other very flexible wire) wire available ?

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 05:19:42 am
content: Those are available in 5 colours (red black yellow blue green) from my supplier, but I only keep the red and black ones in stock. A fellow forum member had a look at them in one of his videos (at around 2:30):These come from a different supplier than my other leads though, they mainly only sell connectors alone, so I'm not sure if I can custom made the leads with them as well. If you're interested I can inquire about it.Quote from: free_electron on August 07, 2013, 05:07:56 am

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 06:55:43 am
content: I have a bunch of HCK brand leads - silicon stackable 4mm - 1m long - had them for over 15 years and they are still perfect. Here's a picture of what they look like.http://www.wiltronics.com.au/catalogue/296/test-equipment_tools/test-leads-4mm-banana-type-silicon/Not sure where you'd get them from in the US

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 07:18:16 am
content: HCK is part of multicontact.problem is nobody stocks these things ... and multicontact only sells 10-packs...

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 07:24:12 am
content: Trythese

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 07:31:13 am
content: And as vincent alluded to, they are bloody expensive.

author: Neganur
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 08:03:09 am
content: There are great quality Hirschmann-brand bananas fromwww.reichelt.dehttp://www.reichelt.de/Laborleitungen/2//index.html?ACTION=2&GROUPID=5922&SHOW=1&START=0&OFFSET=16&LANGUAGE=ENdifferent colors, PVC material (they have silicone ones too, but only 1 mm^2) : (incl. VAT)-1.00 mm^2 :0.25 m - 2.79 €0.50 m - 2.95 €1 m - 3.30 €2 m - 4.15 €-2.5 mm^2 :0.25 m - 2.85 €0.50 m - 3.15 €1 m - 3.60 €1.50 m - 3.70 €2.00 m - 4.80-gold plated 2.5 mm^2 :0.25 m - 4.95 €0.50 m - 5.25 €1 m - 5.75 €2 m - 6.75 €I Could probably arrange shipping for you, if it's up to 5 kg. They seem to offer to ship to the most remote places, but I did not find the USA in the shipping selection.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 08:07:38 am
content: They look like the same ones I bought from Farnell here in the UK, I'd be surprised if they're not available from at least one major distributor in the US.

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 08:42:46 am
content: another one for the hirschmans they have gold plated version the contact inside the houseing is welded so you cant tear it up or gets oxidized, farnell/elelent 14/newark sells themhttp://www.sks-kontakt.de/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_sks_all.tpl&product_id=633&category_id=27&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=127&lang=en

author: quarks
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 03:22:53 pm
content: I do not know if you can buy from Buerklin in the US, but there you can get what you want.https://www.buerklin.com/default.asp?l=e&ch=92328Also you can buy only the parts to make your own cables.I have LS425-AM for example and they are very good (even for the low emf tests I made)https://www.buerklin.com/default.asp?event=ShowSE%28%29&search=LS425-AM&suggestion=LS425-AM&l=e&ch=15935and KT425-A insulating sleevehttps://www.buerklin.com/default.asp?event=ShowSE%28%29&search=KT425-A&suggestion=LS425-AM&l=e&ch=12214

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 04:32:45 pm
content: the LS425 is indeed the connectors from multicontact.they even have those tellurium doped copper connectors....i'm going to call them and see if i can just buy the banana jacks...

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 04:53:20 pm
content: Tellurium is purely to make the copper more machinable as in (alloy C145). Oxygen free (alloy C101) or ETP (alloy C110) are slightly more conductive but machine like crap. Tellurium does not enhance the electrical performance at all. If you get something that just says copper it will be just as good if not better than tellurium copper. Parts that are die stamped like spade lugs do not need the Tellurium as stamping is a different cutting mechanism that turning and milling. FWIW

author: rstoer
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 05:27:21 pm
content: I have some from Probe Master. Their leads are limp as cooked spaghetti; their plugs are torsion spring and gold plated. Top notch stuff, and made in the USA. They have some stackable banana cables made up but by using their "Design your jumper leads" option you can get any length, color, and terminals you want for a price of $8.50 each (slightly more for lengths over 48"). I used this service and they still shipped the same day (not sure if I was just lucky or not though). I normally use their 9000 series modular leads - My Fluke leads now stay in the case.Here's a link:http://www.probemaster.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_35&products_id=293

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 07:20:12 pm
content: Here are some very cheap ones: $0.16 eachSorry, they are not gold platedhttps://www.taydaelectronics.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=stackableI bought some and found them to be OK.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 09:08:38 pm
content: Quote from: robrenz on August 07, 2013, 04:53:20 pmThe telluriums are low thermal EMF and typically used in calibration labs.@rstoer : i know the probemasters. the cable itself is fine. the bana jack is crap. It's the standard pomona junk with the blade spring.I really want the turret torsioned spring. loks like i'll have to go with the chinese stuff. that multicontact stuff is simply unobtainable without hassle...In europe my lab had hundreds of those cables. they were really great.ah well

author: nukie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 10:25:49 pm
content: Caltest, as far as I know, they make the best gold plated minigrabber that Peak electronics supplies with their test equipment. Their mini grabber plastic is strong and don't melt like those Chinese made.So I'm sure their bananas are top rated but not cheap.http://www.caltestelectronics.com/ctitem/101-plugs-banana-plug-test-leads/CT2131They also have this innovative safety shroud that retracts!!! as you plug in, how's that for innovation??!http://www.caltestelectronics.com/ctitem/101-plugs-banana-plug-test-leads/CT2148Unfortunately, they don't make gold plated banana plugs. I don't know why. Maybe look in the audiofools area they have gold plating everything.

author: rstoer
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 10:27:44 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on August 07, 2013, 09:08:38 pmOk, one of us is confused (and it may be me). Maybe I don't understand what you mean by turret torsioned spring. The photo shows one my Fluke leads (black) and a Probe Master (red). The Fluke is out of focus so its hard to see but its the sprayed end type, where the end is cross cut and spread (Disappointing considering how much their meters cost). I thought the Probe Master was the type you were looking for. If not, how does it differ? I have several Probe Master banana plugs (with and without the shroud) and they're all the type shown. Also the straight banana plugs with the retractable shroud do fit all of my equipment, even the older stuff.

author: Fsck
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 10:52:29 pm
content: @rstoer, the turret torsion spring is as free_electron showed, it's effectively a twisted springy mechanism that can spin around freely.similar to your probemaster, but with the spring twisted (thus the torsion part)

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2013, 01:31:20 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on August 07, 2013, 09:08:38 pmOnly because they are Copper instead of Brass The tellurium has nothing to do with the low thermal emf it is there for machinability only.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2013, 05:30:04 am
content: Quote from: robrenz on August 08, 2013, 01:31:20 amaha. ok . didn;t know that. i only know to look for tellurum as that indicates typically 'low emf for cal labs'. i don;t need those. brass is fine. i'm not a cal lab.i just want nice stackable banana plugs.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2013, 05:41:51 am
content: Quote from: robrenz on August 08, 2013, 01:31:20 amOk, thanks and good to know, this will save me lots of money.

author: MrAureliusR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 08, 2013, 06:17:36 am
content: RE the person who linked to tayda electronics:I can't attest to the quality of the product but (at least here in canada) the shipping, for whatever reason, seems to be MUCH faster than other Chinese/Shenzhen etc eBay stores. I got something ordered from them over a week before other things ordered on the same day (from other sellers in the same region). They also tend to package things well, not sure if that will differ when buying bulk.Just my two cents!

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2013, 03:25:43 pm
content: Quote from: MrAureliusR on August 08, 2013, 06:17:36 amThey are not Chinese. They ship orders in bulk from Thailand to Colorado, then the individual orders are mailed from there. It takes about a week.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2013, 05:09:35 pm
content: The ones from Tayda are the same style (and, from the small pictures, look to be the same quality) as the ones Franky keep. They're also available at Rapid:http://www.rapidonline.com/Cables-Connectors/4mm-StackableTest-Plug-83049I'll stick with the ones from Franky unless I'm making an order from Rapid, I know the quality is good.Funny how they're cropping up everywhere (I looked long and hard for sources other than Rapid a while back) since Franky started stocking them for me.