30 May
2007
30 May
'07
9:48 a.m.
Hi
Having just increased my collection with a VAX 4000-300 I have hit
on a minor problem.
The mains connector into the H7874 PSU is a normal IEC connector with
one exception.
Directly below the middle pin is a rib or ridge that would require a
groove or slot in the
mating free connector.
Before I start hacking up cables does anybody recognise this plug.
Rod Smallwood
30 May
30 May
3:28 p.m.
On 30/5/07 17:48, "Rod Smallwood" <RodSmallwood at
mail.ediconsulting.co.uk>
wrote:
The mains connector into the H7874 PSU is a normal IEC
connector with
one exception.
Directly below the middle pin is a rib or ridge that would require a
groove or slot in the
mating free connector.
Yep, it's a right-angle kettle lead; if you've got one that'll work nicely.
From what I can see amongst my VAXen it was only the
QBUS machines that
warranted that sort of power cable; the whole thing was
interlocked so that
if there was a power cable in there you couldn't do anything other than
disconnect. Even when you wanted to remove the PSU you had to make sure
there was nothing in the way of the interlocks.....
--
Adrian/Witchy
Binary Dinosaurs creator/curator
Www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the UK's biggest private home computer
collection?
5:01 p.m.
Adrian/Witchy wrote:
On 30/5/07 17:48, "Rod Smallwood"
<RodSmallwood at mail.ediconsulting.co.uk>
wrote:
If he is talking about the type connector I think he is, it is notched to
prevent plugging a normal cord in. This is due to it pulling more amps than
most computer cords are rated at. I'm not sure if this is the same thing
you're talking about, but I think you're talking about something different.
IIRC, I've seen a couple Compaq or HP servers that use these as well.
Zane
The mains connector into the H7874 PSU is a
normal IEC connector with
one exception.
Directly below the middle pin is a rib or ridge that would require a
groove or slot in the
mating free connector.
Yep, it's a right-angle kettle lead; if you've got one that'll work nicely.
From what I can see amongst my VAXen it was only
the QBUS machines that
warranted that sort of power cable; the whole thing was
interlocked so that
if there was a power cable in there you couldn't do anything other than
disconnect. Even when you wanted to remove the PSU you had to make sure
there was nothing in the way of the interlocks..... 
11:55 p.m.
On May 30, 2007, at 8:01 PM, Zane H. Healy wrote:
If he is talking about the type connector I think he
is, it is
notched to
prevent plugging a normal cord in. This is due to it pulling more
amps than
most computer cords are rated at. I'm not sure if this is the same
thing
you're talking about, but I think you're talking about something
different.
IIRC, I've seen a couple Compaq or HP servers that use these as well.
It's a pretty standard connector. I have an HP C-size VXI chassis
that uses that type of connector as well. The next size "up" from
that one in the series is the big square one that is used on some SGI
machines (Origin 2000, etc) and larger Cisco routers (7513) and Cisco
Ethernet switches (Catalyst 5513).
It's fortunate that other stuff used them as well, as that makes
them a bit easier to find.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
3:55 p.m.
On May 30, 2007, at 12:48 PM, Rod Smallwood wrote:
Having just increased my collection with a VAX
4000-300 I have hit
on a minor problem.
The mains connector into the H7874 PSU is a normal IEC connector with
one exception.
Directly below the middle pin is a rib or ridge that would require a
groove or slot in the
mating free connector.
Before I start hacking up cables does anybody recognise this plug.
It's one of the three standard IEC power connectors; I don't
recall the IEC number for that one offhand. Over the years I've
developed a reasonable stash of them, but in a pinch I've taken a
knife to a standard IEC power cable and made the appropriate
notch...that trick works fine.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
4:07 p.m.
Directly below
the middle pin is a rib or ridge
that would require a
groove or slot in the
mating free connector.
Before I start hacking up cables does anybody
recognise this plug.
I've taken a
knife to a standard IEC power cable and made the
appropriate
notch...that trick works fine.
Yeah, I've done the same thing - I was under the
impression that the "notched" cables were supposed to
be for 20A connection, but I've never had problems
simply cutting a groove into a decent grade standard
power cable and using that. (I would avoid the cheapie
thin power cables that come with modern stuff for this
purpose)
-Ian
11:52 p.m.
On May 30, 2007, at 7:00 PM, <arcarlini at iee.org> wrote:
It's worth noting that a VAX 4000-300 (or pretty much any other
machine in that chassis) would be a real trick to load up to the
point where it draws anywhere near that much current. I've got a
4000-500 here with two hard drives, a tape drive, and a few extra
boards that pulls maybe 2.5A.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
Before I start
hacking up cables does anybody recognise this plug.
Yes. It's rated for 15A rather than 13A (or some such, I forget the
exact numbers). 
4:10 p.m.
Having just increased my collection with a VAX
4000-300 I have hit on a
minor problem. The mains connector into the H7874 PSU is a normal IEC
connector with one exception. Directly below the middle pin is a rib or
ridge that would require a groove or slot in the mating free connector.
It's defined by the IEC-320 spec. The C15 type goes on the cord, the
C16 is the back panel of the appliance.
See e.g.:
http://www.bulgin.co.uk/Products/IEC_Connectors/IEC_Inlets-Connectors.html
The principal difference between the C15 and the more common C13 appears
to be rated operating temperature.
De
4:28 p.m.
Hi
Having just increased my collection with a VAX 4000-300 I have hit
on a minor problem.=20
The mains connector into the H7874 PSU is a normal IEC connector with
one exception.
Directly below the middle pin is a rib or ridge that would require a
groove or slot in the=20
mating free connector.
=20
Before I start hacking up cables does anybody recognise this plug.
Sounds like a 'hot condition' IEC connector. It was originally used on
kettles, and the like, and was designed (a) to withstand higher
temperaturs than the normal on, and (b) it's rated at 10A (IIRC), the
normal one being originally rated at 6A. It's the latter that's important
here.
Any dectnet electronics shop in the UK would stock it.
-tony
8:08 p.m.
Rod Smallwood wrote:
Hi
Having just increased my collection with a VAX 4000-300 I have hit
on a minor problem.
The mains connector into the H7874 PSU is a normal IEC connector with
one exception.
Directly below the middle pin is a rib or ridge that would require a
groove or slot in the
mating free connector.
Before I start hacking up cables does anybody recognise this plug.
IEC C15/C16. Same wattage, but higher temperature, if memory serves.
Peace... Sridhar
6420
days inactive
6421
days old
10 comments
9 participants
participants (9)
-
arcarlini＠iee.org -
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
drb＠msu.edu -
healyzh＠aracnet.com -
ian_primus＠yahoo.com -
mcguire＠neurotica.com -
ploopster＠gmail.com -
RodSmallwood＠mail.ediconsulting.co.uk -
witchy＠binarydinosaurs.co.uk