I am trying to find a source for some plastic nut adapters for 3. 5mm/sma male connectors. It's a plastic thing about as big around as a nickle that slips over the nut on the connectors to make finger tightening easier in tight spots.
Thanks
Have you considered using sculpey or femo? They're modeling clays that you can buy at any arts and crafts store. If you take a chunk of it and push it over the fitting and carefully pull it back off, it will retain the shape and you just throw it in the oven for a few minutes. They get pretty hard and are fairly durable. They should definitely do the trick for finger-tightening. As for the tight spot aspect, make it as long as you want, it is clay after all. . .
IF possible you should tighten 3.5 connectors with the proper torque wrench, especially above 18 GHz. SMA's less of a problem since they are only rated for 12.4 GHz vs the 26.5 GHz for 3.5 mm.
I never mix the 2, however, I never use a torque wrench anyway. I only finger tighten even with 2.4's. I would use a torque wrench if I am planning on leaving the cable connected permently. Repeated torque on 3.5 & 2.4 connectors will eventually wear the connectors out in my expirence. That's my 2 cents.
Good points on the torque & mixing but what I am looking for is an aid to finger tightening, it's a thing thats about as big around as your average N connector and allows for fat fingers to turn the nuts when connecting. I'll see if I can get a picure taken of one and post it shortly.
It might be better to get a consistent value using the torque wrench and replace the connector every few years than to have inconsistent toque (inconsistent readings) or over-torque and damage the connector. We've been seeing 3. 5 and 2. 4s for a number of years now and haven't noted an issue from using a torgue wrench.
That being said, the one I have in my hand has stamped 'Wiltron Company' on it. No PN, though. we got it many many years ago, and I'm not sure if it's still made, or wasn't just a freebie someone got.
Quote from: lab_mgr on 10-30-2007 -- 14:28:03
It might be better to get a consistent value using the torque wrench and replace the connector every few years than to have inconsistent toque (inconsistent readings) or over-torque and damage the connector. We've been seeing 3. 5 and 2. 4s for a number of years now and haven't noted an issue from using a torgue wrench.
That being said, the one I have in my hand has stamped 'Wiltron Company' on it. No PN, though. we got it many many years ago, and I'm not sure if it's still made, or wasn't just a freebie someone got.
I have never had repeatability issues with finger tight, but to each his own.
If anybody else was looking for these I belive Agilent has them under part 8710-1749 and they describe it as a wrench. $3.76 ea.
Quote from: Bryan on 02-01-2008 -- 12:58:12
If anybody else was looking for these I belive Agilent has them under part 8710-1749 and they describe it as a wrench. $3.76 ea.
Glad you found it and thanks for finding it.
I've got one of these dodads that has proven invaluable on connectors....
anritsu website (http://configure.us.anritsu.com/catalog/itemView.jsp?siId=01-204)
The little circular disc is handy dandy....but is $12 a pop, but it does SMA, 3.5, and 2.4