I've been looking at various safety disconnect features we sometimes see at the tailcap of a host - usually in the form of key locks or power connectors like the 5.5mm/2.1mm male to female connectors often used on power supplies for various small appliances. When the male connector is pulled out - no more power and thus safe from accidental activation of the laser. Most of these power connectors have a 5A/30VDC rating which I assume is good enough for a laser pointer.
Anyway, the tailcap spring is electrically isolated. Then, a wire is soldered to the spring on one end and down to one of the terminals of the female power connector which is screwed to the tailcap of the host. I assume another wire is soldered to another terminal of the female power connector and looped around and soldered to a washer or nut for ground. In this setup, 2 terminals are used on the female connector. Is this right?
1) Here is my question: Some female connectors have 3 terminals rather than 2 - the center pin terminal, the sleeve terminal, and the shunt terminal. What do we do with the extra terminal?
2) Are these power connectors easy to defeat? Without access to the proper male power connector, can 'they' stick a slim screwdriver down the female connector hole and still complete the circuit and turn the laser on?
Anyway, the tailcap spring is electrically isolated. Then, a wire is soldered to the spring on one end and down to one of the terminals of the female power connector which is screwed to the tailcap of the host. I assume another wire is soldered to another terminal of the female power connector and looped around and soldered to a washer or nut for ground. In this setup, 2 terminals are used on the female connector. Is this right?
1) Here is my question: Some female connectors have 3 terminals rather than 2 - the center pin terminal, the sleeve terminal, and the shunt terminal. What do we do with the extra terminal?
2) Are these power connectors easy to defeat? Without access to the proper male power connector, can 'they' stick a slim screwdriver down the female connector hole and still complete the circuit and turn the laser on?
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