For months I have been looking for a swiveling power receptical or plug for a project I have been considering. The device can be rotated so I need some way to keep the power cord from getting knotted up.
I mentioned it to SHMBO and she promptly exhibited here hair drier and her iron. Both had swivels on their power cords. Why can't us guys get swivels on our tools?
did you actually put the swivels thru some revolutions? somehow i don't believe this. swivel less than 360 degress? maybe, with the right kind of cord/conductor/geometry. the only requirement from UL would be that it failed safely.
otherwise you are talking about some kind of commercial product that has the normal (expensive) brushes and concentric contacts. --Loren
It seems to be a standard feature on Sasoon hair driers. Full rotation, very smooth action, handles 1400 watts. There can't be much in it because the whole hair drier only cost $40.
I did find a separate 3 conductor swivel connector from Mercotac for a mear $86! No slip rings or brushes. I think it must be concentric ball races. Kind of overkill though. Handles 30 amp up to 1200 RPM and 100 Mhz. All I need is 12 amps at 1 rev per hour and 60 Hz.
Hey Glenn,
I've got some flat-laying types that swivel a full 360. But certainly they don't look like they are made to take a constant motion for very long. Rather, and like the ones you mention, they allow you to "point" the cord in a given direction at initial time of use. Nothing like the ones in an overhead reel.
Take care.
Brian Laws>For months I have been looking for a swiveling power receptical or plug
The Mercotac brand "slip rings" I'm familiar with have mercury wetted contacts. I didn't see any mention of mercury on their web site (they do say, "the electrical conduction path is a liquid metal which is molecularly bonded to the contacts"), so perhaps they've come up with another material, or are just touchy about mentioning mercury.
Ned Simmons
ISTR that there is an indium gallium eutectic alloy which is liquid at room temperature. Maybe this is the politically correct form of mercury.
Mark Rand RTFM
IIRC 17C or so melting point.
Is there a minimum temperature specified?
Heh, if there isn't, it could be that they figured that if you get bad contacts, the heat would melt it anyway... kind of resettable 1-time NTC (rotate while frozen to reset)... ;-)
Tim
-- "That's for the courts to decide." - Homer Simpson Website @
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required