RV Tip of the Day

Anderson PowerPoles: One RVer’s 12-volt Connection of Choice

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I have been looking for some time for a suitable 12 volt power plug. Something less bulky than the cigarette lighter style plug but with good current handling.

I have used the two-pin flat connectors but quality plugs with 12 or 10 gauge wire can be expensive and hard to find locally. The big disadvantage is If you just want to connect a 12 volt air compressor or, as I did, a macerator pump to an existing power source you wind up not using half of the connector pair.

Typical two-wire flat connector.

They also require splicing the plug’s pigtail to the project’s wiring. That’s okay but not particularly elegant.

I found out about Anderson Powerpoles connectors by accident when watching a YouTube video. After I ran a Google search, did a little reading and watched a few more videos, I decided to order some and give them a try.

Anderson Powerpole Connectors

My only use, so far, has been the connection of a macerator pump to a 12v power supply (read more about that here) and they were easy to install and connect and they work great.

Cut-away view of Anderson Powerpole connector

I did not purchase the expensive “professional” crimper that many users recommend. Instead I decided to to try using the terminal crimper I already had. My crimper worked okay but it is not a pretty crimp.

Other users have had success with a less expensive crimper that seems like it works better than mine I so may purchase one before I try again. I guess if I was going to use the Powerpoles connectors a lot and money wasn’t an issue that pro crimper would be nice to have.

There are many videos about Anderson Powerpoles on YouTube, I think the ones below will give you a good idea of what they are and how they can be used.

2MIN – For 12 Volt devices: Anderson PowerPoles

Anderson PowerPoles: The 12-volt Connection of Choice

Review of Anderson Powerpole Connectors

 

 
 
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