Old HP test equipment power connectors...

[Paul Koning]

> On May 27, 2015, at 1:26 AM, tony duell <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> Right now, I'm cursing the guy who thought that the "cloverleaf" or
>> "mouseketeer" power receptacle was a good idea.  I'm sitting here
>> looking at an HP ScanJet wondering if it would be worth the effort to
>> replace it.
>> 
>> Fer heaven's sake, what was wrong with the IEC connector?
> 
> If you mean the one that a mad friend of mine calls the 'figure of 12' (on the grounds that the
> 2 pin one used on radios, etc, is often called a 'figure of 8') then I believe it _is_ an IEC
> connector, in the same standard as the more familiar 'kettle plug’.

The “figure 8” connector is certainly IEC, as is the “mouseketeer” one — which adds a ground pin offset from the middle.  The latter seems to be uncommon.  The argument for the figure 8 plug is that it’s substantially smaller and works well when no ground is needed (double insulated equipment) and current is modest.  I have some Dell laptop supplies that use that connector, and it makes sense there.

There are quite a number of IEC connectors.  The familiar 15 amp C13 model is just the most common, but there’s a 20 amp variant (horizontal blades), high temperature versions (with bumps in the inlet that prevent inserting a standard cord) and so on.

	paul