Batt & Power Connectors - Reference

[Jumpy07]

This is a list of the more common battery and power connectors.

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JST Connector
This is a small power plug rated for up to 5 amps of continuous load. It is used on smaller battery packs (usually under 1500 mAh) for powering small park fliers and micro electric helis, or for powering on board electronics (receiver, servos, gyros, governors, etc.) in higher end models with dedicated RX packs.


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Deans Ultra Battery Connector Deans Ultra Connectors
These are a very popular connector type and are coming standard on many battery packs. They are rated for up to 50 amps of continuous load, 100 amps surge.  They weigh  around 4.7 grams per pair. The Deans Ultra Plugs are light, yet capable plugs and are commonly found on a variety of battery packs and chargers. This plug requires the wire to be solder (not crimped) to the plug.

The quality of deans connectors varies quite a bit. Some users have found cheap deans connectors sourced from ebay are very slack with a tendency to come unplugged far too easily. More expensive deans connectors are often textured to make them easier to grip and require more force to unplug which is reassuring when your multirotor relies on them to stay in the air. Also deans connectors - especially the cheap ones - can tend to spark on disconnect. Over time this can lead to corrosion of the contacts which could lead to reduced performance.


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Deans Micro Plugs
Presented as a light weight alternative to the Ultra series, this 2-pin connector is designed for lower power, lighter weight applications. The connectors are gold planted, polarized connections that require soldering. These can handle currents up to about 15amps and a pair of these connectors weight under 1 gram.


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EC3 Battery Connector EC3 Connectors
EC3';s are becoming very popular as they use true "bullet style" connection pins and are rated for up to 60 amps of continuous load. Most will agree bullet pins make for the best possible connection when dealing with high current applications due to a larger surface contact area.


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EC5 Battery Connector EC5 Connectors
These are a longer version of the EC3 and because the bullet pins are longer and have an even greater surface area for contact, the EC5';s are rated for up to 120 amps of continuous load.


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Schulze PP35 Battery Connector Graupner or Schulze PP35 Connectors
These look similar to the EC3 in design, size, and current rating (60 amps), but they are not compatible. They too use bullet pins and are fairly easy to grip, just not very common.


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Tamiya Connectors
These are lower amperage connectors once very popular, especially with the electric RC car, truck, and boat crowd, but since high amp LiPo';s have entered the scene, Tamiya plugs are used less and less. You still will find them used for powering smaller models and some types of nitro starting systems.


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Traxxas Connectors
As the name suggests, Traxxas battery connectors are used exclusively on electric Traxxas RC vehicles/boats but can be fit to any high current application up to about 100 amps. These are a nice connector that many say are one of the nicest to plug and unplug.


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Anderson Powerpole
This line of connectors come in a variety of shapes and sizes supporting everything from 18 gauge all the way down to 0 gauge wire. The size varies depending on the wire gauge, and the max current rating for these products vary from 15 amps all the way up to 180 amps. These can be soldered or crimped depending on the size.


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4MM HXT
These use  "bullet style" connection pins and are rated for up to 93 amps of continuous load. They are sized so its impossible to plug in wrong way round. Most will agree bullet pins make for the best possible connection when dealing with high current applications due to a larger surface contact area. These are commonly found on Turnigy Lipo batteries.



XT60
The product consists of molded nylon male and female housings with circular gold-plated, spring-loaded contacts and is similar in looks and execution to the E-flite EC3. The manufacturer claims a continuous current rating of over 60A with a heat rating not to exceed 80 degrees C. Resistance is higher than that of the Deans connector at .58 megohms at 10A through 14g wire as compared to .35 megohms under the same test conditions

Compared to the Deans connectors XT60s require more force to disconnect and seem less prone to sparking which is reassuring. They are easier than most connectors to grip and have the advantage of the wires going into easy to solder ';cups'; which the heatshrink fits nicely over, and the contacts are partially enclosed even on the male connector.



XT90
Big brother to XT60, but rated at 90amps

[Gaza07]

Excellent post Craig well done   

[benchmark]

Nice writeup, i have recently converted all my Lipo and their corresponding units to Xt60  connectors.

[Ross]

Solves a lot of questions for modellers.  Great.

[KK1W]

Nice!

And you even included my Andersons  - how cool is that?

[Carapau]

Andersons- quite simply the mutts nuts. I have the 45amps on everything from my 450 Mini Protos heli, through my Fusion 50, Rush 750 and Skyjib 8 HL. No issues and no adaptors required on my charger!

[QuadBod]

One note on the HXTs (or other symmetrical connector) is that it';s possible to connect two batteries back-to-back, with imaginable consequences!

A friend throught he was swapping what battery was connected to a charger, and instead swapped what the battery was connected to! 

Needless to say, the replacement batteries have been fitted with XT60s, and the replacement house is coming along nicely. 

[sagaboy65]

As a Newbie I';m more than a little confused  :frantic:about the vast array of connectors used in RC, for example; the red JST connectors shown in the excellent post by Jumpy07 do not look anything like the white connectors on my Hubsan X4 LiPos which are also called, I believe, JST connectors.
What';s it all about ??
Merv.

[orfordness]

This may help a bit more:


1 & 2 Deans Ultra female - a battery power plug. Suitable for up to 60amps.
3 & 4 JST ';BEC'; red battery power plug. Suitable for about 5amps (JST make a wide variety of plugs)
5 & 6 JST EH series. 2.5mm pitch - http://www.jst-mfg.com/product/detail_e.php?series=58. good for 3 Amps.
7 & 8 JST-XH balance plug. This example has four pins but they exist in a variety of lengths. Pin spacing is 0.1 inch. Used by Turnigy but Align use opposite wiring.
9 & 10
11 & 12
13 & 14 Molex KK Interconnection system - 5051 series. See molex.com and search for 0022011032 for associated products. Good for 3 Amps
15 & 16 Tamiya power connector. Suitable for about 10amps when new but ages quickly as the female pins open out.
17 & 18 Bullet connectors, for power.

http://www.eflightwiki.com/eflightwiki/index.php?title=LiPo_Balance_Plugs

[sagaboy65]

Thanks for that, Orfordness, no standardisation then!

Unfortunately I do not see the small white connectors that are on my Hubsan X4 and batteries, would you know if they are particular to Hubsan and would they interchange with , say, the JST. BEC connectors?

The main reason I ask is that I have 4 batteries and I would like to get a multiple charger, but apart from the dinky USB single charger leads there is not a lot of choice about.

Thanks again,

Merv.

[orfordness]

Is this an option?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hubsan-X4-Micro-Losi-T-female-to-JST-PH-2-pin-male-MCPX-charge-adapter-cable-/151222450741?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item23358f7a35

[sagaboy65]

That';s a line of enquiry worth pursuing.
Thanks.
Let you know.
Merv.

[sagaboy65]

I';ve had a fresh look at the situation and I have bought a couple of those small 2 battery chargers which can be fed via USB connectors from a computer or a suitable wall adapter. It gives me the capability of charging 4 batteries at once. Nothing sophisticated!

It';s probably sufficient for my newbie needs at the moment, I would have preferred a more future proof charger as I will upgrade. But, hey ho!

I have learned that the Hubsan X4 battery terminals are Losi Micro-T items.

Thanks for your help, Orfordness.

Merv.

[Gens-Tattu]

  Good post. Hope to see more.
BTW, If you guys have question about battery, Gens ace will be glad to help.

[rytenuff]

Another to add to the list for us Noobs with the toy quads, X5C-1, Hubsan X4 etc.
  Losi-Micro-T (Part No.LOSB0860)

[Ynot6]

there is a new(ish) kid on the block, XT30, sorry haven';t got a link, but they';re tiny, and aimed at 250 and 180 sized quads.

[davethepitch]

I replaced the JST connectors with XT30 connectors on my Blade 200 QX quad and they are a much better connector in my opinion.