TCSM2 power supply¶

The minimal functional TCSM2 system configuration consists of one TC1C chassis and one ET1TC chassis. Each of these two chassis needs to be fed with -48VDC power, the traditional telco kind.

The connectors for -48VDC power input on the exterior back faces of TC1C and ET1TC backplanes can be seen here (TC1C) and here (ET1TC). A Digi-Key support engineer very helpfully identified the black power input connector on TC1C as this one ; the white connector on ET1TC has a slightly different plastic shape, but it takes the same mating plugs.

The two -48VDC power input connectors on TC1C are wired in parallel (the original wiring in Nokia's official rack is not very clear to me, but I didn't focus much on it), but on ET1TC the situation is different: each white power input connector feeds one half of the chassis. If a minimal system is being put together with only one TC1C chassis and only one ET module, there is effectively only one power input connector on ET1TC that is relevant.

Power supply wiring at Themyscira HQ¶

Taking advantage of the two identical -48VDC power connectors that are wired in parallel on TC1C backplane, I (falconia) went for this power supply arrangement:

1. One two-wire cable feeds power from the lab -48VDC "rectifier" unit to TC1C;
2. Another such cable feeds power from TC1C to ET1TC.

For each cable, I used two 14AWG THHN wires (red and black) sourced from the local hardware store, terminated with TE 350919-3 crimp-type female contacts. (The required crimping tool was the most expensive part in this venture.) These terminated wire ends were then inserted into plug housings that were identified by following the "Mating Products" link from the original PCB-mounted part linked above.

In a minor flight of fancy, I got these plug housings in 3 different colors: black, red and white. On the cable going from the lab "rectifier" to TC1C, I used a black plug, matching the black connectors on TC1C; on the cable going from TC1C to ET1TC, I used a white plug for the ET1TC end (matching the white connectors on that backplane) and a red plug for the TC1C end. (Why red? Cuz it's pretty!)