Topic: Cover up plug sockets not in use to keep them clean ?

[stevetoney]

My thoughts when I responded with the questions above were more along the lines that just putting your M10 inside something like a baggie or something similar when it's in storage would help keep it in tip-top condish, as well as keep stuff out of the sockets.  By far, the biggest issues I have with gear are dings in my gear bag because of incidental contact with other gear.  I keep dust out of the sockets by blowing the dust out if they get dusty.     You're right though, I certainly wouldn't begrudge someone's use of these socket plugs unless anyone ever tried to claim that they're a necessity or that someone isn't caring properly for their gear if they don't use them.

[kirk97132]

Tonedeaf is spot on.  No one will begrudge you trying to take care of your gear.  But I ran a  number D6's including two until they wouldn't work anymore.  Ran them in the rain and in the dirt and even at the beach for concerts a few times, just threw them in a backpack with no care to the 1/8" jacks at all.  All this while I lived on an Island and even used them as a walkman to listen to tapes in a very salty environment.  Over the 14 years I used them I never had any issues with the contacts. 

After being the manager of an audio electronic store the only "bug" we ever had to deal with crawling into any gear was cockroaches but that was home electronics gear.  If you have bugs crawling in your gear I'd suggest checking your underwear too since I think you will have a problem there.  Since the plugs look to be flush on the outside I can't see any harm in using them.  But if it is something that protrudes and offers a way to exert leverage on a relatively fragile PCB board mount soldered connection I would not use it.  But that's just me and what I have experienced YMMV or you may be more paranoid than me

[tbger]

There you go.  These nice little things are made from rubber which let them fit smoothly into the sockets.

First thought that comes to my mind is why manufacturers don't release their products along with these covers.  Very little investment gives for a very efficient solution.  That's definitely a matter of personal attitude.  Hence some would say it's important while others would think it's totally pointless in the first place.  Cheers

[FrozenSounds]

There you go.  These nice little things are made from rubber which let them fit smoothly into the sockets.

I must try to get some of those RJ45 covers.
I've covered all my other sockets.
The black ones are officially for BNC connectors and the red ones are for SMA RF connectors.

[tbger]

FrozenSounds, can these black covers also fit with an RCA jack ?

Thanks

[FrozenSounds]

FrozenSounds, can these black covers also fit with an RCA jack ?

Thanks

The black BNC caps fit quite well on RCA/phono plugs.
The smaller red SMA caps however are a bit too loose to stay on RCA/phono sockets if shaken.

[tbger]

That's nice, I haven't found anything to cover RCA jacks yet.  Could you tell me where to get these ?

[FrozenSounds]

They are surplus from work : I'm an RF design engineer, so get lots of N/BNC/SMA caps in with new bits of test equipment and adapters.

I will have a look to see if there are any slightly smaller ones, and find who manufactures them.

[tbger]

Thank you.