Recommendations for IEC plug

[ginetto61]

Hi !

I would like to build some power cords for my power amp
I need above all some suggestion for suitable IEC female plug (see picture below)



My sensation is that the plug could be even more important than the cable itself
I live in Europe (Norway)
Thank you for any kind suggestion
Regards,
gino

[indianajo]

Every time the power supply for my desktop computer blows up, I get another power cord with an IEC plug on the end. They come with the power supply. I have about a dozen 18 ga. What are you using to access the internet, a cell phone? Visit a charity resale shop, they probably have about a dozen for E1 each.
The only reason to build or buy one would be for a 1.5 KW PA amp, that requires a 14 ga power cord. Those you do not find surplus. You may buy parts with a debit card from the website of your local farnell.com distributor, who probably stocks more cord sets then they do plugs which could be hand assembled. I believe mouser.com also operates a warehouse in Scandinavia.

[xjr100]

Originally Posted by ginetto61

Hi !

I would like to build some power cords for my power amp
I need above all some suggestion for suitable IEC female plug (see picture below)



My sensation is that the plug could be even more important than the cable itself
I live in Europe (Norway)
Thank you for any kind suggestion
Regards,
gino

Are Wattgates good enough for you?

WattGate 320i IEC (clear) Power Connector - Fidelity Components Shop

[ginetto61]

Originally Posted by indianajo

Every time the power supply for my desktop computer blows up, I get another power cord with an IEC plug on the end. They come with the power supply. I have about a dozen 18 ga. What are you using to access the internet, a cell phone? Visit a charity resale shop, they probably have about a dozen for E1 each.
The only reason to build or buy one would be for a 1.5 KW PA amp, that requires a 14 ga power cord. Those you do not find surplus. You may buy parts with a debit card from the website of your local farnell.com distributor, who probably stocks more cord sets then they do plugs which could be hand assembled. I believe mouser.com also operates a warehouse in Scandinavia.

Good evening !
If I understand well your point is that are all of the same quality ?
My amp draws 6-700 VA at maximum (never used at this level anyway).
I am particularly worry about the quality of the contact of IEC part
I heard good think of Volex complete cable by the way.
Maybe as you say it could be more than enough.
Regards,
gino

[ginetto61]

Originally Posted by xjr100

Are Wattgates good enough for you?

WattGate 320i IEC (clear) Power Connector - Fidelity Components Shop

Really nice ! Thank you for the suggestion
As I am doing some experiments do you think that a shield in the cable is needed ? I want to use it only for a power amp not line level component or digital equipment.
Thanks again and regards,
gino

[indianajo]

None of my hifi equipment has shielded AC cords. Inside the steel box, may be different. Many of my amps have twisted pair for AC power inside, or confine the AC to it's own steel compartment inside the grounded main steel enclosure.
700 VA amps could use an 16 ga cable. Most UL/CE/VDE rated cordsets will have a paper ring listing the watts it is suitable for. This should be on the specification table of the mail order vendor.
I've never had a bad IEC socket, even on these cheap ******se 18 ga cordsets. In the US, Carol cable has 90% of the resale AC cordset market. Their quality is adequate, but you get the watts rating you pay for. 14 ga cordsets are impossible to find in local stock.

[Enzo]

It depends on if you are looking for good quality relaible power connections or if you are looking for some special audiophile qualities. There are people who will spend $250 for a cord liike that, then the rest of us find nothing wrong with a generic cord.

Shielding? What do you want to shield from what? Shielded power cords in computer and other digital equipment is more about preventing noise from radiating OUT from the cord. COnsider that noise in your local environment is many magnitudes smaller than the 120v or 240v of your mains. Not only that, but the impedance of your mains wiring is not very sensitive to picking up fields unless your power cord runs through an MRI machine on its way by.

If you mains wiring is anything like mine, it starts at a step down transformer on a power pole near my home. From there, unshielded wires run from pole to my house, through my electric service panel, then through the unshielded wires in my house walls. Just my opinion, but i am not sure what shielding the last few feet of all that would do for me.


If you feel better with industrial style connectors, whenever they come from audiophile sources they cost a lot more than they should. If you have electricians in your area wiring houses and such work, then you have electrical supply companies there too, selling the electricians their parts. You can find good and premium quality connectors at places like that. No audiophile markup and no shipping cost. Look into "Hospital Grade" connectors and power cords if you are interested. They may call it something else in Norway, but such power connectors have "better" specs on reliability and strength of connection. It isn't so much about electrical qualities as it is things like how easy it is to pull it out of the outlet or how likely it is the hot parts can be exposed

http://www.ul.com/global/documents/o...eceptacles.pdf

[ginetto61]

Originally Posted by indianajo

None of my hifi equipment has shielded AC cords. Inside the steel box, may be different. Many of my amps have twisted pair for AC power inside, or confine the AC to it's own steel compartment inside the grounded main steel enclosure.
700 VA amps could use an 16 ga cable. Most UL/CE/VDE rated cordsets will have a paper ring listing the watts it is suitable for. This should be on the specification table of the mail order vendor.
I've never had a bad IEC socket, even on these cheap ******se 18 ga cordsets. In the US, Carol cable has 90% of the resale AC cordset market. Their quality is adequate, but you get the watts rating you pay for. 14 ga cordsets are impossible to find in local stock.

Thank you very much again for the valuable advice
This re-sizes the problem. I understand that the average quality of cable is more than enough and the shield is not needed
I confess I was a little intrigued by those nice high-end cables.
Now much less.
Regards,
gino

[ginetto61]

Originally Posted by Enzo

It depends on if you are looking for good quality relaible power connections or if you are looking for some special audiophile qualities.
There are people who will spend $250 for a cord liike that, then the rest of us find nothing wrong with a generic cord.

Hi ! actually even more. I have a friend who has spent a fortune on a power bar audiophile approved
I think he has influenced me a little

Shielding? What do you want to shield from what? Shielded power cords in computer and other digital equipment is more about preventing noise from radiating OUT from the cord. COnsider that noise in your local environment is many magnitudes smaller than the 120v or 240v of your mains. Not only that, but the impedance of your mains wiring is not very sensitive to picking up fields unless your power cord runs through an MRI machine on its way by.
If you mains wiring is anything like mine, it starts at a step down transformer on a power pole near my home. From there, unshielded wires run from pole to my house, through my electric service panel, then through the unshielded wires in my house walls. Just my opinion, but i am not sure what shielding the last few feet of all that would do for me.

I understand. No shield required then. I looked at the electrical plant and it seems robust. There are electrical heater everywhere here

If you feel better with industrial style connectors, whenever they come from audiophile sources they cost a lot more than they should. If you have electricians in your area wiring houses and such work, then you have electrical supply companies there too, selling the electricians their parts. You can find good and premium quality connectors at places like that. No audiophile markup and no shipping cost. Look into "Hospital Grade" connectors and power cords if you are interested. They may call it something else in Norway, but such power connectors have "better" specs on reliability and strength of connection. It isn't so much about electrical qualities as it is things like how easy it is to pull it out of the outlet or how likely it is the hot parts can be exposed
http://www.ul.com/global/documents/o...eceptacles.pdf

Thank you very much for the advice. I will try to find a local vendor of these hospital grade products and I guess they will be just fine
Unfortunately I do not have a good knowledge in electronics.
And so I am sometime victim of the marketing
Kind regards,
gino

[xjr100]

Originally Posted by ginetto61

...do you think that a shield in the cable is needed ?

I have both cables - DH-Labs RedWave and PowerPlus. PowerPlus is without shield and RedWave is shielded. I've tried PowerPlus with digital source: it really gives something in sound. It wokrs like mains filter - I've measured +5V power output on Dune HD Base 3.0 media player with scope. There was some noise canceling with PowerPlus.