Coaxial power connector

A coaxial power connector is an electrical power connector used for attaching extra-low voltage devices such as consumer electronics to external electricity. Also known as barrel connectors, concentric barrel connectors or tip connectors, these small cylindrical connectors come in an enormous variety of sizes.

Barrel plug connectors are commonly used to interface the secondary side of a power supply with the device. Some of these jacks contain a normally closed switch; the switch can disconnect internal batteries whenever the external power supply is connected.

The connector pairs for barrel connectors are defined in terms of 'plugs' and 'receptacles'; receptacles are more commonly called 'sockets' (UK) or 'jacks' (US). Receptacles may be panel-mounted or circuit board-mounted. Plugs are on cables. Some 'in-line' receptacles are also cable-mounted.

There is a long history in electrical engineering of referring to such power plugs--that is to say, plugs with holes instead of prongs--as female, particularly regarding coaxial transmission of electricity. Type N connectors, and all EC_60320#Appliance_couplers IEC 60320 "appliance coupler" plugs are examples of this. That said, while IEC 60320 provides gender-based standards for higher-voltage plugs (such as the cable plugged into a standard computer power supply), they have not yet defined gender-based standards for low-voltage coaxial power connectors such as those discussed herein; I.E., which component is "male" and which "female." As a result, there are varying opinions in this regard. Many industrial suppliers avoid gender terminology but many do not. Similarly, some people view the corded plug as female and some perceive it as male. Some, after consideration and surveys, found that user perception of which was male and which female was evenly split.

Power is generally supplied by a plug to a receptacle. Cables are available with one in-line receptacle fanning out to a number of plugs, so that many devices may be supplied by one supply. As the use of a plug implies a cable, even a short stub, some power supplies carry panel-mounted receptacles instead to avoid this cable, i.e. the normal convention of power from plug to receptacle is reversed. Cables for such cases are available with a plug at each end, although cables or adapters with two receptacles are not widely available.

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