"Andy Evans" wrote in message
oups.com...
d) at least one connector must safely take 360Vdc (equals 250v AC
rating).

Morning Andy.
That's odd. Most connectors and relays have a much *lower*
rating at DC than AC.

I was just doing a standard calculation as for capacitors - usually
about 1.4 to 1. Why is it different with connectors?

Odd isn't it. perpelexing too is that the same connector has different
ratings for different uses (military, broadcast or domestic)

I'll look again at Amphenol and the above - they looked expensive in
the Farnell catalogue. 70 euros is quite a lot, 32 is better. The
Speakon 8 way comes in cheaper and is more available, plus Dave made
the excellent point it's shrouded and so no danger on the amplifier end
from B+ caps.

That still may not be enough. You may well find that you are required
to have no DC at all on the chassis connector pins when the cable
connector is removed.

Power amps with separate psu are quite unusual these days. I have a
feeling that the safety regs might well be the reason. Solutions that were
common place in the 60s and 70s, like for instance the octal connector
between psu, amp and preamp, are now strictly forbidden, as are fixed
mains cables, and any other mains connector except the IEC type (with
the possible exception of the Speakon, I am not sure)

You have to be very wary. If your neighbour's world champion, best of
breed Rottweiler bites through your DC cable, it could cost you a pile
of the elusive spondoolicks.

Iain