KVR Audio

Laguna Rising · Post by **Laguna Rising** » Sun May 27, 2012 3:08 pm

I have two different connectors, the different shape makes any difference in the quality/specs of the cable ?

Look at the one on the right

Thanks!

Laguna Rising · Post by **Laguna Rising** » Tue May 29, 2012 8:24 pm

Well, it should be 10A and 16A I finally figured it out, even though I'm not 100% sure....

dmills · Post by **dmills** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:55 am

The one on the right is a 'hot mode' IEC, rated to a higher temperature then the one on the left (120 degrees C vs 70).
You normally see these on kettles and the like.
Both variants are available in both 10A and 15A ratings.

Both are specified in IEC60320 as C13/C14 and C15/C16

No real quality difference apart from the higher temperature plastics.

Regards, Dan.

Laguna Rising · Post by **Laguna Rising** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:34 pm

Thanks so much ! and welcome to KVR

robogone · Post by **robogone** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:57 pm

The power rating of whatever is attached to the other end is ultimately what should determine wire gauge though.

Laguna Rising · Post by **Laguna Rising** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:31 pm

OK, Thanks!

prolapse · Post by **prolapse** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 10:12 pm

This is most probably a silly question but...

Would having a higher temperature rated plastic would always be preferable in any case?

dmills · Post by **dmills** » Sun Jul 01, 2012 1:11 am

Not really, some of the high temp plastics can be a bit brittle.

Only reason to use a hot mode one is if the connector temperature is expected to exceed 70 degrees C, otherwise you are just cutting down on your ability to grab the first mains lead that comes to hand.

A cold mode appliance inlet will take a hot mode cable, but the reverse is not true.

73 Dan.

MWSOS · Post by **MWSOS** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:56 pm

Fancy seeing you here Dan

Good advice as always though

Martin

Laguna Rising · Post by **Laguna Rising** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:23 am

dmills wrote:Only reason to use a hot mode one is if the connector temperature is expected to exceed 70 degrees C

Got it, thanks !

dmills · Post by **dmills** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:27 pm

Hi Martin, do they know you moonlight over here?

Regards, Dan.

prolapse · Post by **prolapse** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 1:22 am

dmills wrote:Not really, some of the high temp plastics can be a bit brittle.
Only reason to use a hot mode one is if the connector temperature is expected to exceed 70 degrees C, otherwise you are just cutting down on your ability to grab the first mains lead that comes to hand.
A cold mode appliance inlet will take a hot mode cable, but the reverse is not true.
73 Dan.

Ahh yes of course! I've found those brittle feeling plugs before (when digging for components at junk shops) and had just assumed it was an old bake-lite sort of plastic, rather than having a particular application.

Thanks for the tips! I shall now take more notice when wiring something up that will inevitably be plugged into the wall socket lol

dmills · Post by **dmills** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:22 pm

There is brittle crap available in both hot and cold mode connectors, but it is somewhat more common in hot mode ones. Me, I tend to favour bog standard IEC leads that come with all sorts of computer gear, almost everyone has a tangled box of these somewhere....

The tell is not the plastic, but the notch in the bottom of the connector, only hot mode have these.

Another reason to favour the cold mode ones is that you can get appliance inlet modules in cold mode (Connector, Fuse, Line filter, very convenient, old PC power supplies are sometimes a good place to salvage these), but I have never seen such in hot mode.

73 Dan.

Power cables