[geeks] power connector suggestion?

[N. Miller]

Hopefully some of you folks with electronics building experience make  
a suggestion to me.

I'm trying to building something that needs a "universal power  
connector."  Most of what I am doing I've figured out, but I am not  
familiar enough with various power connectors to really even search  
for what I need.

What I need is something similar to the wall-wart "universal"  
connector they have at RatShack, where you swap out the head of the  
plug for different DC devices.  But, rather than just swapping the  
head, I want to swap a whole cable, as I think this is "safer" to  
prevent potential loss of the cable (vs. a dinky part on the head).

I can find all the plugs to go into devices, but I'm stumped as to  
what to use for the connector at the other end where I am regulating  
power.  The power runs at <=5V, and <=2A.   The connector needs to be:

* snug (pref with a locking tab so as to prevent it vibrating out)
* small (<= .5" ideally)
* connector on the power regulation side inside the project box
* dead obvious (e.g. not look like the DC plug going into the device)
* rugged (bare pins are out)

Writing this, I'm just realized RJ11 or RJ45 might be potentials-- 
anyone know what power levels they can handle? Most of the stuff I've  
looked at on line are either huge (3.2"/>20A monsters) or plain old  
DC power jacks/plugs.  Maybe some variety of 2-pin molex plug if I  
can find one that can be mounted in such a way as to put the stress  
on the enclosure rather than the circuit board.

Thanks for any advice--
=Nadine=