  SPORT • GLOW • ELECTRICS • AEROBATICS • SCALE • TRAINERS • HELIS |
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| CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLUGS FOR YOUR ELECTRIC AIRPLANES—pg. 1 | return to the sample articles list |
CONNECTORS CONNECTION by Jef Raskin
 ith electric-powered models we have to get the battery, the receiver, the motor controller, and the motor connected electrically. We could just solder them all together, but that’s slow and limits flexibility. The better solution is to use electrical connectors.
But which ones are best? Will any connector work? We are all familiar with connectors. We use them every time we plug in an appliance, but the connectors we use around the home are too big and heavy for use in model planes. Instead, we use many smaller connectors from the electronics industry or that are specially developed for us.More and more frequently, systems come completely wired, which means that you have to neither choose nor attach connectors. But when you need to make up a new battery pack, adapt a new speed controller to your existing equipment, or replace a worn unit, you may find yourself choosing connectors. THE RIGHT CONNECTORS FOR YOU What makes a particular connector right for you? Here are some important points that you might want to consider. —Size: Will it fit in your model? —Weight: Is it too heavy for your model? —Number of contacts: Servos require three wires, brushed motors two, brushless motors three, and so on. The connector you choose has to have at least as many contacts (sometimes called “pins”) that you need. —Connection force: Is it so tight that you risk damaging the model in pulling it apart, or will you have trouble making the connection inside your model? Is it so loose that it might come apart in the air? —Polarization: Can you accidentally plug it in the wrong way, perhaps ruining components? —Safety: Can it accidentally cause a short-circuit if its pins touch something? —Current capacity: How much current can it safely carry. Current is measured in amps (A) or thousandths of an amp (milliamps or mA).
—Ease of attaching wires: Some connectors are easy to wire up, others require more skill and time. —Availability: A great connector that you can’t find isn’t much help. —Durability: Will it fail after a few dozen flights or is it good for as long as you fly the model (this can be decades)? —Mechanical strength: Is the connector likely to break in normal use? —Special features: Is the connector designed to be mounted on the model so that you don’t have to get inside to connect to it? Can you stack them to make custom arrangements? —Price. Let’s look at each of these considerations in more detail. Size. Always consider how long the pair of connectors will be after they are mated. Make sure that you have room for the pair, and that you can get to them. Weight. For the smallest models–those weighing under about three ounces (85 grams)–a connector that weighs 7.5 grams (0.26 oz.) is a significant portion of the payload. The Astro Zero Loss connector pair weighs that much. It is one of the best products on the market for large models but it was not designed for and it is not appropriate for a really small model. On the other hand, a Deans connector, also gold-plated and of high quality, weighs a barely noticable 0.6 g (0.02 oz.) — and the various JST (aka GWS-style) connectors are even lighter. Remember that wire itself is relatively heavy, being made of metal. Keep your wiring short and direct, but not taut because that puts a strain on the wire and connections that can cause failure. |
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On the right is an optional tool that assists in placement of pins in the connector housings as well as their removal. Weight (two pair): 6.8 g; Current Max: 60 amps; Part No. LXD175; price—$ 3.50 (2 pair)
