Alternative for Banana Plugs For Custom Power Supply Cables - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: cwerther
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 15, 2018, 04:50:19 pm
content: My new (to me) power supply is coming in and one thing I'd like to do is to be able to make my own cables to hook stuff up to it. I already have alligator clip cables, but I'd like to make my own as well with different connects (DC power jack, for example). I looked into buying banana plugs in bulk to have a stash for when there are needed but they are much more expensive than I thought they would be. Does anyone have any suggestions for other connection methods? Or links to cheaper banana plugs? I was thinking on buying 100 or so but $80 seems a little expensive for plugs.

author: TimNJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2018, 05:39:47 pm
content: I’m not sure I fully understand. Presumably you want to keep the banana jacks on your new power supply(?) But you want to be able to connect to your circuit with different types of connectors?I find myself using banana to Pomona Minigrabber patch cables. For your example you could wire up DC barrel jack with short wires and then connect the Minigrabber clips to those wires.I don’t think it is worth it to have a dedicated banana to “x” cable for every possible scenario. I think it makes more sense to have general purpose cables and if the need arises for a special connection, you can quickly whip up some sort of adapter. Just my 2c.

author: TheUnnamedNewbie
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2018, 05:44:11 pm
content: What I have done is make a few Banana-to-crimp-connector (I got thousands of these circular crimp connectors in an auction lot) leads. Since I have a looott of the crimp connectors, I use those to make "custom" leads that I can use if I need them.I also have some cheap screw-type banana connectors (aimed at audio speaker connections) that I use to make on-the-spot banana-to-x leads. Just trim cable, screw into banana lead, and done.

author: iainwhite
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 15, 2018, 06:35:21 pm
content: Possibly Anderson powerpole connectors that are popular with the Amateur Radio guys? (and R/C guys). Not sure they are much cheaper tho...

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2018, 06:44:39 pm
content: Search Aliexpress for "wire connector" and have funhttps://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=AS_20180114002521&SearchText=wire+connectorI used Wago for my PSU so I can just use wire. They are like shark's teeth, very strong grip and easy to release.

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2018, 06:50:28 pm
content: A while back I got a bag of 20 pairs of gold-plated banana plugs that have worked out well for me, and were very cheap. The bag of 20 was around $2-3. They screw onto the wire but they can also be soldered.One caveat.. they swivel, which I kind of don't like so I have just been putting a dab of solder on them which seems so far to have stopped the swivelingThe center pin is mildly magnetic. I don't know what they are made of but there is some iron or steel in the center pin.Also, they are not shrouded banana plugs.