Photos of socapex ground ring ??

[journeymanjohn]

My 12/14 SOOW arrived today, and I am soon to solder it up (soldered my breakouts over the holiday weekend). I am unsure about the best method for creating the grounding ring between the inner circle. I am thinking a peice of 12 or 14 solid, inserted like a snapring, inside the connectors. I would love to see a photo or hear suggestions on the best way to install one.

Thanks!!

John Bennett

 

[STEVETERRY]

My 12/14 SOOW arrived today, and I am soon to solder it up (soldered my breakouts over the holiday weekend). I am unsure about the best method for creating the grounding ring between the inner circle. I am thinking a peice of 12 or 14 solid, inserted like a snapring, inside the connectors. I would love to see a photo or hear suggestions on the best way to install one.

Thanks!!

John Bennett

TMB makes a gold-plated ring device for just this purpose. Give them a call.

ST

 

[JD]

My 12/14 SOOW arrived today, and I am soon to solder it up (soldered my breakouts over the holiday weekend). I am unsure about the best method for creating the grounding ring between the inner circle. I am thinking a peice of 12 or 14 solid, inserted like a snapring, inside the connectors. I would love to see a photo or hear suggestions on the best way to install one.

Thanks!!

John Bennett

Just in case this is your first, be aware that cable has polarity, meaning that one end will have better conductor placement for a female connectors, and the other will have better placement for male connectors.

 

[derekleffew]

What brand are your Socapex-compatible connectors?

ITT Interconnect Solutions: Cannon, VEAM & BIW Connectors


Jansen Your Specialist Professional Audio and Lighting Shop

Just in case this is your first, be aware that cable has polarity, meaning that one end will have better conductor placement for a female connectors, and the other will have better placement for male connectors.

The MALE on the CAPITAL end; the FEMALE on the PERIOD end. (Hopefully, no explanation of how to remember that is required.) Of course, there are always exceptions.

TMB makes a gold-plated ring device for just this purpose.

How many karats? Is gold-plating really necessary? Would platinum or sterling silver work just as well?

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Was going to direct journeymanjohn's attention to this thread: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting-electrics/16489-proper-socapex-wiring.html , but I see it was he who started it. Still, this post, appears to contain valuable (or invaluable?) information.

 

[jstandfast]

Take the word of someone who, over time, has built a metric boatload of 19 pin multi. You WANT those rings!! There are a couple of variants, all I've
seen seem to work well. All other ways are work.

 

[ship]

I'm a big fan of molded Soco plugs.

 

[mrb]

the molded soco connectors I have seen are just regular soco connectors overmolded. Whats different than the grounding? Do you have a picture of one of the ones you are talking about before molding?

 

[ship]

the molded soco connectors I have seen are just regular soco connectors overmolded. Whats different than the grounding? Do you have a picture of one of the ones you are talking about before molding?

Consider a molded Edison plug. Don’t fail that much as opposed to plugs installed that can vary in installation problems by way of those that installed them. More specifically, imagine all pins including the grounding ring injection molded within a body of the plug. Nowhere to move other than flexing some with use.

Yep, the same head, but the body of the plug is no longer free space, everything is captured within the molded plug. Cables assuming proper bonding to the cable will no longer telephone cord, grounding rings are captured and cannot expand, pins cannot short.

In my case the primary concern was with the aluminum Soco heads wearing out with use or dinging and being stuck with a molded end I would have to chop off to replace. Yep, still have that problem but given I went Stainless Steel soco heads a few years ago, the ability of TMB and Lex to do so in a molded plug sold me. No grounding ring issues, cable twist problems or cord grip issues - it’s a molded plug.

Yea, if some idiot disconnects a live Soco, or there is a voltage spike issue, I might have to cut off the molded plug in replacing it. On the other hand it now is safer in all conductors now much more isolated. I’ll probably loose like 4 more inches per cable on such a repair than before. On the other hand I won’t have to deal with spun inserts within the head - impossible now, given stainless heads will less have to replace them etc. Grounding ring problems are solved within a molded plug.

Costs more of course and in all economic or use situations it won’t be the best solution. If going injection molded Soco do the stainless head for it for more money but well worth it in lasting longer.

Also of note is that Lex and TMB can do this injection molding on your existing cable. Yep the cable becomes a few inches shorter, but by pallets full of it you get savings on not having to buy new cable. Injection molded Soco plugs I’m a big fan of. Yea, they don’t take gaff tape as well and will have to refine some in the coming years but a good thing still.

This is a new technology that does solve a multitude of problems including the grounding ring for 12/14.