Wild_Bill wrote in message
...
Using a 90 degree (right-angle) plug is much more resilient and suffers
less
from abusive treatment, IMO.
The external connectors provided with many types of compact portable
equipment are inline/straight types, which makes little sense in terms of
reliability.. straight plugs generally exert more stress on the cable ends
near the back of the plug, and also the internal sockets of the equipment,
in addition to making the footprint of said compact equipment much larger
when accessories are connected.

Some equipment users routinely jamb equipment up against other surfaces,
oblivious to the strain being placed on the cables, especially cables with
straight plugs.
Trouble is, there are too many fragile connectors used on consumer grade
equipment for the sake of making the equipment compact.

A connector needs to be installed on a cable in a way to minimize movement
of the soldered connections. Soldered stranded wire will break easily if
allowed to move.
When the cable jacket is secured in the metal tabs of the connector, there
should be some slack in both conductors.. not a taut straight line to the
cable, but a loose wavy length.

I try to implement shrink tubing to act as a strain relief, in addition to
the strain relief of the connector cover.
It's important to securely clamp the cable sheath/jacket with the metal
tabs
on the connector.. just pinching them with pliers is by far inferior to
firmly crimping the tabs around the jacket with a hex die crimper. Hex
dies
deform the metal in such a way as to make a secure, compressed restraint
that lasts.

Additionally, the extra length of shrink tubing I add will be long enough
to
enclose/grip the metal crimp fully, and extend along the cable to provide
more structural strength to the cable.

Trying to implement numerous improvements in modern connectors isn't
always
easy since there is rarely any wasted space in many connector bodies.

DigiKey, Mouser and numerous other suppliers have power cables with molded
connectors mounted on them.
Even that RS store chain in the USA has several right-angle connectors in
some limited styles.. typically 2.5mm and 3.2mm signal cable plugs.

--
Cheers,
WB
.............


"Jens Herrmann" wrote in message
...
Hello,
the power supply of a friends Acer netbook has the problem that the
cable
breaks just at the coaxial power connector. This happens frequently and
takes just a couple of weeks after a repair. I have tried to find the
coaxial power connector (5,5x2,5) as a replacement part, but all I could
find was a plug like the one at the right side of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ho...se_5,5x2,5.jpg
This plug lacks the spring of the original plug which prevents the
connection coming loose at the slightest movement.
What do you do in a situation like that? Do you know a source where I
could purchase the original coaxial power connector?

Thanks in advance
Jens Herrmann


Its a swings and roundabouts thing with elbow connectors, like on guitar
leads.
Someone trips or catches the lead and a whole cabinet falls over with
breakage or personal injury, compared to the lead just pulling out. Same
with a laptop, lead pulls out , if straight connector or almost certain
fatal breakabe with a laptop , if someone trips over an elbowed power lead.
I would go with straight in both circumstances , just reinforce with hotmely
glue around the connector , heatchrink around, and excess squeexed out blue,
fared-off.