Add coaxial/barrel (DC) power connectors IEC 60130-10:1971 (Ports, Outlets)

[ypid]

NetBox version

v3.3.4

Feature type

Data model extension

Proposed functionality

Add support for coaxial/barrel (DC) power connectors that are widely used by IT equipment. 60130-10:1971 seems to most comprehensive standard of barrel connectors. I don’t have access to the document (costs 40 $). But from the linked wikipedia article I translated a definition ready for https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox/blob/develop/netbox/dcim/choices.py so that we already have some code to talk about:

        ('60130-10:1971', (
            (TYPE_IEC_DC5521, 'Type A (5.5 mm OD, 2.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_IEC_DC5525, 'Type A (5.5 mm OD, 2.5 mm)'),
            (TYPE_IEC_DC6021, 'Type B (6.0 mm OD, 2.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_IEC_DC6025, 'Type B (6.0 mm OD, 2.5 mm)'),
            (TYPE_IEC_DC3811, 'Type C (3.8 mm OD, 1.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_IEC_DC6331, 'Type D (6.3 mm OD, 3.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_IEC_DC3413, 'Type E (3.4 mm OD, 1.3 mm)'),
        )),

The only question remaining for me is where the DC5521 comes from. I went with this notation because I often see it on devices, manuals. It correlates with the sizes of the connector. If it is described in 60130-10:1971 that it would be ideal to use as internal identifier. I guess one should get and read 60130-10:1971 before implementing this feature.

Use case

https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox/issues/792#issuecomment-581996536

Cc: @brotherdust, @bluikko

Database changes

Yes

External dependencies

No

[jsenecal]

Thanks for your submission, but... Isn't that too specific ? I mean, here we are covering the cases of the IEC 60130-10 standard, but then some other user may complain that the EIAJ power connector and/or DIN 45323 connectors are not represented...

Would it make sense to you to represent those simply under "DC" and add something like Coaxial power connector in there ? Or maybe even only DC power connector to represent all types (Barrel/Coaxial, Tip/Sleeve, Deans, XT60, XT90, etc.)

One must also not forget the "Port" side too.

[jeremystretch]

Also note that these would be connected via a cable with a type no more descriptive than "power."

[ypid]

NetBox already supports other IEC standards in detail. Also various USB connectors. Coaxial power connector is also very common in IT equipment so I am not convinced that we should draw the line here.

I have not seen DIN 45323 (I live in Germany) nor EIAJ in the wild yet. Other people would need to jump in if they have a use case for this in NetBox. I only want to push for standards that I know are in use in the wild.

these would be connected via a cable with a type no more descriptive than "power."

Good point, I removed "connections" from the issue title.

[cpmills1975]

Modelling DC makes sense as a device can clearly be powered from an upstream DC rectifier but for me, those would always be just DC. For devices with DC barrel connectors, I look at the ports feeding the transformers - in the UK typically IEC C14, perhaps C6 or Type G as that determines the type of rack PDU I'm going to need to power it. I'm not going to start modelling small wall-warts or transformer blocks so specific barrel types isn't going to be interesting to me.

That said, if you do choose to model the transformers - perhaps as a device with a C14 input and a 2.5mm barrel output, and you need to replace one, then it would make sense to be able to record the type/connector size needed and it adds a small number of lines to an existing data structure that most people will likely ignore, but adds value to some so I see no good reason not to do this - although I'd perhaps move them all under the DC section and add a generic option (in my experience, this info is rarely published on data sheets):

('DC', (
            (TYPE_DC, 'DC Terminal'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC,'Coax/Barrel'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC5521, 'Coax/Barrel Type A (5.5 mm OD, 2.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC5525, 'Coax/Barrel Type A (5.5 mm OD, 2.5 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC6021, 'Coax/Barrel Type B (6.0 mm OD, 2.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC6025, 'Coax/Barrel Type B (6.0 mm OD, 2.5 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC3811, 'Coax/Barrel Type C (3.8 mm OD, 1.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC6331, 'Coax/Barrel Type D (6.3 mm OD, 3.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC3413, 'Coax/Barrel Type E (3.4 mm OD, 1.3 mm)'),
        )),

Related and perhaps more importantly a PowerPort could have an optional input_voltage field added to record whether it takes -48V, +12V or +24V, etc?

[ypid]

I would summaries my understanding of the discussion here as barrel connectors standards are not as viable on devices/manufactures. Also, there are multiple standards and I can confirm that IEC 60130-10:1971 does not cover all the devices I have in NetBox. So I withdraw this proposal and instead rethought the approach and opened #10838.

[ypid]

Connector types need to be defined in NetBox, that is the only way (https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox/wiki/Frequently-Asked-Questions#how-can-i-add-new-interface-types). Therefore I reopen.

[stovakor]

Up to you guys on implementing each individual 'type' of barrel plug, but it would be nice to at least have a generic option for barrel plug connector type.

Right now, the only available option under the 'DC' power type is 'DC Terminal', would be nice if we had at least a few more options 'Barrel Plug'

[jsenecal]

Modelling DC makes sense as a device can clearly be powered from an upstream DC rectifier but for me, those would always be just DC. For devices with DC barrel connectors, I look at the ports feeding the transformers - in the UK typically IEC C14, perhaps C6 or Type G as that determines the type of rack PDU I'm going to need to power it. I'm not going to start modelling small wall-warts or transformer blocks so specific barrel types isn't going to be interesting to me.

That said, if you do choose to model the transformers - perhaps as a device with a C14 input and a 2.5mm barrel output, and you need to replace one, then it would make sense to be able to record the type/connector size needed and it adds a small number of lines to an existing data structure that most people will likely ignore, but adds value to some so I see no good reason not to do this - although I'd perhaps move them all under the DC section and add a generic option (in my experience, this info is rarely published on data sheets):

('DC', (
            (TYPE_DC, 'DC Terminal'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC,'Coax/Barrel'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC5521, 'Coax/Barrel Type A (5.5 mm OD, 2.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC5525, 'Coax/Barrel Type A (5.5 mm OD, 2.5 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC6021, 'Coax/Barrel Type B (6.0 mm OD, 2.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC6025, 'Coax/Barrel Type B (6.0 mm OD, 2.5 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC3811, 'Coax/Barrel Type C (3.8 mm OD, 1.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC6331, 'Coax/Barrel Type D (6.3 mm OD, 3.1 mm)'),
            (TYPE_DC_IEC_DC3413, 'Coax/Barrel Type E (3.4 mm OD, 1.3 mm)'),
        )),

Related and perhaps more importantly a PowerPort could have an optional input_voltage field added to record whether it takes -48V, +12V or +24V, etc?

I think a Generic "Barrel Plug" would suffice most needs. You can be more specific in the DeviceType description if you want ?

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