Anderson Powerpole 15/30/45 Colors

[Florida Native]

I am planning to add a 19VDC power supply to my vehicle to power one or two LG TVs/monitors (12VDC to 19VDC transformer). I’d like to use a different color APP connector (other than red) to differentiate these connectors from the 12VDC supplied connectors I am currently using elsewhere.

I can’t find a standard color chart for the smaller APP connectors, just one for the larger connectors.

Should I make these orange (to match the larger standard color for 18V)? Does it matter since I can’t find a standard for the smaller ones and red doesn’t match the larger connector standard anyway? I would prefer a color more visually different from red than orange (such as yellow?) so as to be less likely to confuse the two. I am planning to keep the negative/ground side black.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Herbie]

You're free to use whatever is convenient. If you're truly worried about someone getting in there with an inappropriate connector, you can either add a label, or take advantage of the APP interlocking ability to turn one or both terminals 90° so that it's more unlikely they'll find a way to interface to it.

 

[DaveInDenver]

There's various standards that might apply or not, which you could use for convenience. For your use it makes no difference.

I'd suggest being aware that usually white, grey and green have meaning. For example green often represents a conductor that is safety ground, meaning it doesn't carry current normally unless there's a fault. But that's only because the NEC uses it that way (like for your house).

For DC most people know that red means an always hot positive and black the current return for that. But car manufacturers often make white the return/negative. That's also a NEC thing since white is neutral conductor. Which means it's carrying current back to the source but is ground connected. But NEC calls black your primary hot side, so it's confusing to think of it that way.

Then Toyota uses green extensively for switched circuits, so there's really no absolutes. They use white or white with a black stripe to indicate the negative/neutral/ground.

So FWIW, my convention is to use red for the main positive always hot, which is +12V from my alternator or battery. Anything with a red PowerPole can tolerate 9V to 16V because that is a typical range for vehicles or various power supplies.

I use black for the return to that DC source. That's only because it's convention that someone decided a long time ago for ham radio and I see no reason to buck that since it makes sense.

Then I selected purple for +5V, like things that will run from USB-type power. Just easy for me to see the difference in red and purple at a glance.

I settled on yellow for the positive side of solar panels. That's because the Sun is yellow, right? Also it's a visual indication that while it's nominally a 12V (sorta red) system that particular circuit could exceed 16V so damage to something colored red is a possibility.

I'll use white or grey as interchangeable with black for the purposes of a return. I personally avoid using green for anything if I can. That leaves blue, pink, orange that I'll use for whatever I need. My first choice for another common supply, like your +19V, would be blue. That's because blue is the third phase of a three-phase circuit in the NEC, so it's just easy to remember.

 

[WanderingBison]

There's various standards that might apply or not, which you could use for convenience. For your use it makes no difference.

I settled on yellow for the positive side of solar panels. That's because the Sun is yellow, right? Also it's a visual indication that while it's nominally a 12V (sorta red) system that particular circuit could exceed 16V so damage to something colored red is a possibility.

Great ideas and conventions in here Dave

Just a comment that yellow is often used as the DC negative colour (instead of black) in the marine world to avoid confusion with the black hot wire when AC systems are also present. This is the recommended practice by the ABYC Code.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Florida Native]

Really appreciate the responses, especially @DaveInDenver ‘s thorough response. Some really good reasons for eliminating some of the color options. I do like the idea of stacking them as well to completely prevent a mistake, and I think they should still fit in the panel mounts in that orientation.

Thanks,
Mike