Coaxial Power Connector - Comprehensive Listing of DC Coaxial Connectors

Comprehensive Listing of DC Coaxial Connectors

This list attempts to show all known sizes, and is annotated with some manufacturers producing selected types (based on those found in the Mouser, Digi-Key, Newark, Allied, EVG and other online catalogs), since each manufacturer makes its own unique subset of the known types. Note that the example part numbers given may have different connector barrel (sleeve) lengths, and are not necessarily exact equivalents. There are many more design variants than can be listed in this table, so only a small sampling of part numbers is given.

By convention, connector size is often listed in the format A.AA x B.BB x C.CC, where A.AA is the Outside Diameter (OD), B.BB is the Inside Diameter (ID), and C.CC is the Length of the connector barrel, all measured in millimeters (mm). However, some manufacturers arbitrarily reverse the A and B dimensions, sometimes within the same page of their catalog. It appears that the most common barrel length is 9.50 mm, but shorter and longer connector barrels are in use.

A further distinction is made between the Inside Diameter (ID) and the Center Pin Diameter (CPD) for certain larger coaxial power plugs equipped with a male pin, which are often used for higher power applications such as portable computers. Some equipment manufacturers (e.g. Apple Computer, before it switched to its even more proprietary MagSafe connector) use designs that are incompatible in subtle aspects. Connectors for these applications must be specified carefully to avoid severe equipment damage or even fire, due to the higher power carried by these designs.

An alternate connector size convention uses the format W.WW x X.XX x Y.YY x Z.ZZ, where the dimensions are arranged in an ascending size order. In this labeling scheme, W.WW is the Center Pin Diameter (CPD) of an optional male center pin, X.XX is the Inside Diameter (ID), Y.YY is the Outside Diameter (OD), and Z.ZZ is the Length of the connector barrel, all measured in millimeters (mm).

It is apparent that there are many partially overlapping standards in this product category. There are ad hoc minor variations in specs, and illogical inconsistencies in part numbers, even among the offerings of a single manufacturer. Confusion and irregularity are widespread, requiring a close reading of the specifications or testing of physical prototypes, or both, to insure connector compatibility. This table is provided primarily for convenience in comparing information from a wide range of possible sources, and may contain errors; it is recommended to double-check before relying upon the specs listed.

There are a number of sizes listed below that appear to be quite similar, and while the tolerances of these connectors are typically indicated as ±0.05 or ±0.03 mm by the manufacturers, there is still ambiguity as to whether two sizes differing by only 0.05 mm (or where the specification is only given to the nearest 0.10 mm) warrants listing them separately here. Also, there are minor tolerancing and measuring variations and discrepancies in the dimensions given; further work should be done to determine the original specifications for size, and then to list the similar sizes that are intended to be compatible.