Component on a Compressor Question

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fifty60

fifty60

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I have a compressor that has 3 bolts protruding out of it that a electrical connector connects to to supply power to the compressor.

I am having a hard time figuring out the correct terminology for these components. The "bolts" protrude from the compressor, and the mating connector is a female. The mating connector looks like a big plug...but it is female...more like a hood...

Anyone know what the correct terms are for these? There are other compressors I have seen that have 6 of the connector bolts sticking out of it, and the mating hood has 6 insertion points...

If the mating connector was a male, then it would be a straight forward plug and receptacle...for this the male parts are on the receptacle...
 
fifty60 said:
I have a compressor that has 3 bolts protruding out of it that a electrical connector connects to to supply power to the compressor.

I am having a hard time figuring out the correct terminology for these components. The "bolts" protrude from the compressor, and the mating connector is a female. The mating connector looks like a big plug...but it is female...more like a hood...

Anyone know what the correct terms are for these? There are other compressors I have seen that have 6 of the connector bolts sticking out of it, and the mating hood has 6 insertion points...

If the mating connector was a male, then it would be a straight forward plug and receptacle...for this the male parts are on the receptacle...
Click to expand...

Whether it is a plug or a receptacle does not depend on whether it is mounted on a fixed location or at the end of a cord.
In general male connectors are plugs and female connectors are receptacles.

The male is on the compressor in this case because it is not electrified when disconnected. The cord end is a female receptacle because its contacts may be live when it is disconnected and exposes them.
 
That is interesting...you would still call it a "plug" even though it is not on the cord end...but is fixed...it makes sense but it is a little strange to me.
 
... confusion can be caused by the term "jack", which is used for both female and male connectors and typically refers to the fixed (panel) side of a connector pair. IEEE STD 100, IEEE-315-1975 and IEEE 200-1975 (replaced by ASME Y14.44-2008) define "Plug" and "Jack" by location or mobility, rather than gender.

...

To summarize, it is considered best practice to use "male" and "female" for connector gender, and "plug" and "jack" for connector function or mobility.
Click to expand...
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_of_connectors_and_fasteners
 
So according to that article, the stationary male section at the compressor would be called a "male-jack", and the female receptacle which is movable on a cord would be called a "female-plug"
 
Thanks for the help, I will begin to refer to them as such, and will let you know if anyone looks at me funny! Seriously though, thank you, it definitely makes sense.
 
When I was a youngun, people used to refer to 120v receptacles as 'wall jacks'.

Then, the phone company started putting in phones with plugs, and they kind of took over the term, and by the time I was in my teens, a 'wall jack' meant a phone jack, and people started referring to receptacles as the 'wall plugs', or 'the plug in the wall', or just 'the wall'. For instance, "Does your radio need batteries, or does it plug into the wall?'
 
Those are called fusite pin connectors. They put the "plug" into the compressor hat. The operator places by hand into a 1960's era machine that welds it into place. This allows the overall compressor seal to remain intact. The factory where these were built was in Tecumseh MI and has been converted into a parking lot.
 
What kind of compressor an AC compressor? If so a tin can sealed hermetic or a semi Hermetic which looks kinda like a car engine. Or an air compressor. Could be a cylinder electric unloader solenoid
 
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