Best plugs?
 

Hello,

I'm upgrading from two 2S Lipos (puffed) to a single 5S pack, and as I was ready to solder the plug (was using Traxxas as it was more convenient in the past), I realize that the big 8awg wires of the 5S lipo won't even fit inside the smallish Traxxas plug.

What are you guys using?

Thanks

Loa

5.5 mm Polymax bullet connectors. I used EC style connectors and Deans before and then went to bullets and never looked back. Some like to use even bigger bullets like 6 or 6.5 mm.

Thx mistercrash.

How do you keep the bullets from touching each other (+ and - I mean)?

Loa

i just use my 80w soldering iron and extra flux to get 8awg onto deans plugs. the flux makes it so much easier.

I use 5.5mm bullets on everything. But I will be upgrading to 6.5mm on a project car.

I use all females on the motor side of the bullets, and all males on the ESC.

As far as batteries, I run the positive(+) side of the battery with females and the negative(-) side of the battery with males. Then on the ESC positive(+) battery lead i run a male and on the negative (-) I run a female. I have yet to have a problem with anything yet.

+1 I'm using Neu 6mm bullets now on my batteries and escs

Hello,

What I meant with keeping the bullets apart is this: bullets are kind of naked or exposed. The battery runs a great risk of shorting itself if all you have on the end of the wires are bullets.

Do you simply use shrink tubing up the the end of the bullets?

Loa

Honestly, I haven't found anything better than Deans. I'll grant anything over 10 gauge might not be easy to solder, but i have never wore our any that i have used. They get a little black spot on them, I use an abrasive ink eraser to clean them

Use shrink tubing but also stagger your wires by about an inch

Thx! Will do!

Loa

I just used my "bonus bucks" there to buy 20 sets of EC5's. Converted everything over last night from Deans. 4 esc's, 8 lipo's, and the charger. REALLY easy, and I'd have to say they should be capable of the same amperage as Deans, if not better. Not sure how they compare to bullet connectors for amp flow.

EC5s is what I use, can be a pain to take apart if you ever need to though.

Went with 6.5mm bullets from Castle I had lying around, separated by shrink tubing and glorious duct tape!

:-D

Loa

Duct tape is not the material to use here as it does actually contain some metal. Use electrical tape

I know: the duct tape separates the wires and is not on the bullets themselves (which are covered by shrink wrap anyway).

Loa

They actually do, I have it on two of my 4S 5A 30C packs. It's a pita to solder though. Yesterday I started converting to EC5 .. wil continue today.

Using EC5. Just like a 5.5mm bullet, but with housing. Perfect for me.

Why in the hell am I having such a hard time getting the ec5's to sit in the housing on the battery side? I got the esc side no problem.

Do you do the battery side the same way or do you run the housing over the wire then solder the bullet and pull it on? I've tried both ways and can't get it to work for me. Can't believe there's not one video of someone doing ec5's, ec3's all day but they are somewhat different.

HELP!!! :neutral:

I use 8AWG wires on my traxxas plugs, you just gotta get them in there right.

can't help with the EC5s, never seen them, should just snap in right? Might have to pull pretty hard, make sure no solder is overlapping a snap point.

A bit off-topic, but with increased popularity of 1/8 electric I'm surprised Dean's hasn't come out with a new larger connector. I like the Dean's design, I'd love to see them come out with the same connector about 1.5X larger, Dean's Ultra XL. Maybe add some ridges like on the knock-off ones.

Was just thinking the same thing. I finally got the battery side ec5 plugs on. The brand I got required me to put the housing over the wire then solder the bullet then pull the housing on. Problem now is they won't plug all the way in to each other, so I ordered from Castle enough 8mm bullets to do my Baja and make two charge adapters for it. Wish I didn't waste all that time with those ec5's.

Is there any reason that Deans Ultra should not be used in this application? 4-5s is that to much for them?

I'm using Deans Ultra on everything and have no problem with them once soldered.

Thanks,
Nick

It's not so much the voltage, but the current. The power loss due to resistance is I^2*R. By switching to a connector with lower resistance you can reduce those power losses. Same thing goes for switching to thicker wire and/or shorter lengths of it. Dean's work fine, but there are connectors available that have lower resistance. It really comes down to how concerned you are with efficiency. Any losses at the connector are being taken away from driving the vehicle.

In terms of voltage, a higher voltage setup is actually better for reducing connector power losses (compared to a lower voltage setup producing the same power e.g. geared for same speed). It's the same I^2*R equation, this time reducing current instead of resistance.

My gut told me to stick with Dean's, should have listened.

I much prefer the EC3's over Deans - much easier to assemble, and easier to plug and unplug....

ProMatch sells EC5 connectors for $2/pair or $1 for either female or male. The females are all the same but the ProMatch males are sping type bullets like the Castle's and are much better than the HK ones. Owning both, I use the HK makes only for the chargers and the ProMatch males on my ESCs where the current can get really high.

Admitedly the ProMatch are about twice the cost of the HK part, but considering how many you are likely to need, I think the additional dollar is well worth it.

I have used deans on just about everything (couple of traxxas plugs but I really do not care for them) I have and have not had any issues with them.

That beaing said we do need a better connector for high amp draws. The boat guys use bullets, and they draw big. Something like an ec 6 or ec8 would be nice.

I found EC5s to be incredibly easy to solder and assemble- first the bullet goes onto the wire ( with a big fat iron- I use a 75watt weller ), then the bullet pushes into the rear of the blue housing ( female bullet in the larger housing & goes on the battery ) and clicks/ snaps in place = job done. They are much easier to solder than deans for me, and easier to pull apart wiht my stubby fingers...

after have much problems using deans and small bananas ...... I use the polymax 5.5mm bananas ........... the best connectors I used ......

I use deans, EC3, EC5 and bullets.

Deans + EC3 smaller cars.
EC5 for my 1/8 cars.
4mm bullets for my small motors. 6mm and 6.5mm for my hot motors.
Bullets and EC5 for my fast Ebike.
EC3 for my slow Ebike.