What connectors do you use on your batteries?

Kashkai

My 3 planes all came fitted with EC3 type connectors to connect the battery to the ESC. However the cheap batteries from the likes of HobbyKing (less than half the price of batteries in Europe) either come with XT60 connectors or none at all.

What connectors do you use on your batteries, i.e. EC3 or should I think about using the XT60 connectors on my ESC to cut down on soldering new EC3 plugs onto all these new batteries?

coolwings

4mm bananas are the only self cleaning design.
The "bananas" scrape greases off the inside of the female while assembling/disconnecting.

T-Maxx

Deans on my older nimh packs and XT60 on my newer lipo packs

Bruthal

Had deans on everything but changes to EC3`s for the trex 450 and cularis, and EC5 for the trex 600 because found one or 2 deans ones had not too great a connection at times.

The EC3 and EC5 are actually the banana plugs coolwings has up in the pic, EC3 are 3mm ones and EC5 are 5mm, but with the blue plastic holders. The 3mm bare banana plugs are used for ESC to motor connections with heat shrink on them.

coolwings

Independent unbiased information is hard to get, especially with connectors. I regularly see lies published as fact on US based websites, I guess some manufacturers are happy to do that, or pay people to do it for them. The same make connectors always seem to be at the top of those incredible lists!

Here is the results of independent tests on the different connectors available.
You can choose by price, convenient design, weight, or ability to carry high power with low losses (which also = lowest resistence).

http://www.microsofttranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=IE8Activity&a=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elektromodellflug.de%2Fhochstromst%2Fhochstromstecker.htm

Bruthal

I was reading that link wrong there at first, the resistance`s are in mili ohms, i thought it was saying the xt60`s were 0.45 ohms:).
They would be destroyed in a very short time (seconds) carrying 50 amps if that was the case. 0.45 mili-ohms it is.

At 0.45 ohms 50 amps they would give off over a KW of heat, destroyed in seconds. Although with the 0.45 ohms in the circuit the current would be lower, but the same result.

Slaacer

I'm not techy but after trying a few I have settle for Deans and I have set it as THE plug to be used by all RC skippers in the IOM association as it the one that provides the best connectivity with the least amount of loss.

Easy to solder on, though for RC cars if you use 14G or 12G you want to be used to soldering as it could be tricky.

The T shape of the connectors ensures that you won't connect the wrong way round.

Don't go for cheap imitations. I've tried it and the red ish plastic tends to melt with the heat of the soldering iron whereas the real ones don't.

Having all of us using the single plug ensures that if someone runs out of battery any of the other skippers can lend one of their battery pack.

The only criticism is that they can be hard to disconnect. However I found that by actually melting very gently the red resin it gives better grip to unplug and works fine.

Bruthal

Slaacer wrote: »

I'm not techy but after trying a few I have settle for Deans and I have set it as THE plug to be used by all RC skippers in the IOM association as it the one that provides the best connectivity with the least amount of loss.

Easy to solder on, though for RC cars if you use 14G or 12G you want to be used to soldering as it could be tricky.

The T shape of the connectors ensures that you won't connect the wrong way round.

Don't go for cheap imitations. I've tried it and the red ish plastic tends to melt with the heat of the soldering iron whereas the real ones don't.

Having all of us using the single plug ensures that if someone runs out of battery any of the other skippers can lend one of their battery pack.

The only criticism is that they can be hard to disconnect. However I found that by actually melting very gently the red resin it gives better grip to unplug and works fine.

I had one or 2 problematic ones on a t-rex 600 so changed to the EC5`s instead. I would say they were cheap ones myself causing the problems, but no problems so far on the EC5 connectors.

Any connectors would have to be low loss. Its not in run time it will be noticed, its burnt out connectors is what we will see if they were not extremely low loss.

fallaci

Well I'm using 4mm bananas on my cars. Used to be deans, but as said above they were tricky to solder and hard to disconnect. Bananas are perfect.

Mickb

Soldering connections.

Get one of these: http://www.cmldistribution.co.uk/cml_product.php?productId=0000005331




I've one, made it a breeze for Deans plugs as well as 4mm plugs.

MiCk B. :-)

Bruthal

Yea i normally hold plugs in a small vice, any way of holding them helps a lot

syl77

long noise pliers with a rubber band to keep it closed on connector works also.

T-Maxx

Yeah I suppose if you do a lot of connector soldering it'll be worth it, but in my case it'll just be a £30 paper weight.

coolwings

If you use an artery forceps it is self locking, and the serrations of the jaws mean there is reduced metal to metal contact to take heat away from the job. Forceps are handy with small size connectors, like eg 2mm, but less useful with bigger ones.

However if you are soldering banana connectors, no clamp is required. Simply lay them flat on a piece of wood, the soldering iron can be used to hold the connector down while soldering.
Here is a video clip showing how the iron itself holds the connector steady while soldering:
Soldering Tutorial for cables and connector plugs without complications

There is a good reason for doing the job on wood: apart from using as a support to lay the stuff on, and it's cheap and disposable, it is an insulating material, and the heat stays in the connectors while soldering making for a faster cleaner job.

Other suggestions:
A chisel head iron works in the same way as the hammerhead iron shown in the clip, but the chisel head should not be too small and thin as this has a reduced heat reservoir.
Don't waste your time trying to do it without flux, and that silly solder wire with micro amount of flux inside the middle doesn't count as flux! Adequate flux makes it a thousand times better and easier.

Whizzzz

This link might be of interest / use to you for battery connector types and descriptions


EDIT BY MOD
Link removed: Please refer to Charter thread before posting on Boards

6. This is not a for sale board, so don't post threads selling stuff here, instead, post it on adverts.ie's FS General board. You may link to it in a thread here if you want to attract attention from the community that wouldn't generally read the FS board.

.

Whizzzz

Eh ... it was a link to an information page on battery connectors which I thought would be helpful to the first poster ?

Kashkai

1...Soldering iron bought

2...non lead solder bought

3...bag of ec3 connectors bought

4...numerous "How to solder" vids watched on youtube

5...about to solder

6...What is flux??????????

Just when I thought I had it figured out, what is flux as it was not mentioned in any of the vids I watched on the youtube. Perhaps it was included in the solder they were using and thus they felt no need to mention it. I have a stock of 6 batteries and two new escs to solder connectors to but I want to do it right instead of rushing it. Can someone please give me a step by step way of soldering, materials required etc.

Bruthal

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

1...Soldering iron bought

2...non lead solder bought

3...bag of ec3 connectors bought

4...numerous "How to solder" vids watched on youtube

5...about to solder

6...What is flux??????????

Just when I thought I had it figured out, what is flux as it was not mentioned in any of the vids I watched on the youtube. Perhaps it was included in the solder they were using and thus they felt no need to mention it. I have a stock of 6 batteries and two new escs to solder connectors to but I want to do it right instead of rushing it. Can someone please give me a step by step way of soldering, materials required etc.

Flux is an anti oxidant used in the soldering process. Its included inside the solder itself usually, which is what causes the smoke when you melt the solder, but is available seperately.

I use some which is in a white paste form, but for soldering connectors i dont usually use it unless they are the heavier wires for the likes of the EC5`s i used on the t-rex 600, The flux does help though to both clean the metal surfaces of oxides and to prevent them forming which is more rapid at soldering temperatures. It also helps the liquid solder flow better.

Kashkai

Any idea where I'd buy some flux in the Dublin area Robbie? I don't mind paying a little extra for flux if it gets the job done right. I don't want dodgy battery connectors that could lead to a sudden power outage and a large pile of foam that was once a plane scattered around the park.

Btw, I bought a Me109 for my xmas pressie to bring my little fleet of planes up to 4 now, i.e. Radian, Supercub, Trojan and 109. I've moved on a bit since you gave me my first flying lesson last February. You've created a monster:D

coolwings

There might be some flux at Greenhobby, usually is, but right after xmas I wouldn't know.
Failing that try McQuillans. They're good on those kind of things too.
Failing that another electrical (trades) supplier.
Possibly B&Q or Woodies do flux, but I never looked before since I always have a tin.

My stuff is like an amber creamy gel not unlike a tin of vaseline in appearance.

Don't bother soldering without flux, it makes the whole process 50 times easier.

Kashkai

How do I use the flux, i.e. do I coat it on the battery/esc wires and then on the connectors prior to adding the solder? Like I said, the youtube vids had no mention of flux so I'm completly in the dark here.

Thanks

Bruthal

I do a lot of soldering and dont bother with the seperate flux myself most of the time, just tin the connectors and the wire ends, the tricky bit is then getting both in contact with the iron and both up to temperature, particularly with the bullet connectors. The odd time i do use flux is when a connector wont tin properly, but they nearly always do. Or i use it on heavy connections.

Even on the youtube videos you dont see them using flux much. If someone always uses flux that does not mean it has to be used to do the job right. I always found deans connectors and bullet ones easy to tin with solder, and once they are tinned easily then they are soldering easy enough.

Getting good heat transfer between the iron and the connection is helped by having a little bit of fresh solder on the iron when going to heat up the tinned wire end and connector.

Bruthal

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

How do I use the flux, i.e. do I coat it on the battery/esc wires and then on the connectors prior to adding the solder? Like I said, the youtube vids had no mention of flux so I'm completly in the dark here.

Thanks

Thats because they dont use seperate flux on soldering them connections. If i am using it i dip the solder wire into the flux and just solder as normal with it then. Sometimes i might transfer a little of the flux into the hollow of the bullet connector by using the wire solder i have dipped into the flux. This might help you as you have not soldered much before. But i find the deans or bullet connectors tin very easily without flux. To tin means to coat with a thin layer of solder. The flux within the solder is generally good enough to do this. Once they are tinned they are then easy to join by heating the joint while the tinned wire end is in contact with the connector. In the case of the EC3 ones, make sure you have the wire right down inside the hollow. They are not as easy to solder them EC3/bullets as the deans are. If your using the blue plastic part you dont need heat shrink.

Bruthal

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Any idea where I'd buy some flux in the Dublin area Robbie?

The places coolwings mentioned should have some alright id say. Maplin have it in a tube as well in blanch i think. Its a tub i have of it. A tub would last years. A lifetime maybe.

Btw, I bought a Me109 for my xmas pressie to bring my little fleet of planes up to 4 now, i.e. Radian, Supercub, Trojan and 109. I've moved on a bit since you gave me my first flying lesson last February. You've created a monster:D

The monster was already there, i just assisted in unleashing him:D

coolwings

You can see the difference if you take a 6" - 12" piece of household 30A cable like from a lamp, old kettle or whatever.
Trim the cover at each end and expose the copper, then take a drop of solder onto the soldering iron tip.

Lay the iron on it's stand with the power wire away from you to avoid bumping it. Arrange so it's easy to take the job to the resting iron, doing it the other way can come later.
Now all is ready.

Dip one end in the flux, so it just picks up a smear of flux.
Leave the other end untreated.

Take the untreated cable and place it into the wet solder, wait, and lift.
There is usually a bit of solder stuck to the copper, the copper is clearly visible as copper coloured strands. The strands are separate with some solder on. This is hard to make joins with.

Add some more solder to the tip of the iron.

Take the fluxed cable and hold it in the wet solder. There is a fizzle sound as the flux boils and evaporates, as the flux steams off the copper dries, and the solder actually flows into the place where the boiling flux was. Lift off.
The solder has climbed up between the copper strands, the copper is tinned and looks silver in colour, and looks like silver wires soming out of the cover in a welded bar of strands.

When you want to solder that cable the tinned one will join with another pre-tinned part with the application of heat from a wetted (with solder) iron, and the join will be good and strong.

Have a go and mind your fingers! :-)

Bruthal

All true, no one is arguing with that, but when you actually melt the solder from the solder wire into the copper strands which are in contact with the iron, the flux within the melting solder works well enough on the smaller size wires. With experience its easy to get the solder into tha multi strand wire ends. So i dont bother with the seperate flux myself except on the larger wires for the heli batteries. Or if soldering metal parts together or the 7 strand wires used for electrical work then the flux is a huge help.

For someone beginning it will also be a big help. Most of the problems in soldering are not getting enough heat into the joint.
Its not hard to solder anyway, but not as easy as it looks either.

Kashkai

Think I understand all that. Thanks for the advice guys.