Best RC LiPo battery connector types: Choosing and Soldering

[Snackers]

EC5 for 10 gauge for anything hitting 250 amps for short periods of time and can handle 120 amps continuous. I use this for 2-4s and EC8 monster size connector. Plus they are easiest to solder and all needed is a lighter. EC connector bullets work as little bowls when flipped upside down. Just flip them upside down and put pieces of solder in the bowl with enough to fill it 2/3 of the way full, keep turned upside down and heat with a lighter until it all melts down and quickly before it dries plunge the bare leads into the cup until they are in the solder up to the rubber cutoff points. Put little skirts on the leads to insulate that gap and then push them into the connector until it pops on. For me EC are so much easier because I suck with a solder gun but I can sure use a lighter and put a wire in liquid lead bath. Always use the same gauge from batteries to the esc and then to the motor. Don’t create bottleneck or bad ripple or fire by using different gauges for batteries or from ESC to motor etc. even if the gauges are big enough you never know for sure with electric

 

[slick2500]

EC5 for 10 gauge for anything hitting 250 amps for short periods of time and can handle 120 amps continuous. I use this for 2-4s and EC8 monster size connector. Plus they are easiest to solder and all needed is a lighter. EC connector bullets work as little bowls when flipped upside down. Just flip them upside down and put pieces of solder in the bowl with enough to fill it 2/3 of the way full, keep turned upside down and heat with a lighter until it all melts down and quickly before it dries plunge the bare leads into the cup until they are in the solder up to the rubber cutoff points. Put little skirts on the leads to insulate that gap and then push them into the connector until it pops on. For me EC are so much easier because I suck with a solder gun but I can sure use a lighter and put a wire in liquid lead bath. Always use the same gauge from batteries to the esc and then to the motor. Don’t create bottleneck or bad ripple or fire by using different gauges for batteries or from ESC to motor etc. even if the gauges are big enough you never know for sure with electric

You really should tin your wires first and use a butane torch instead of a lighter.

 

[Snackers]

You really should tin your wires first and use a butane torch instead of a lighter.

That’s already what I do. Butane torch is all i have

 

[FastMann40]

Do you change the plug from the rc, or the battery? Can you even change the connector from the battery? I have mostly Deans, but want to go to the IC5 connectors.

 

[rotauq]

Do you change the plug from the rc, or the battery? Can you even change the connector from the battery? I have mostly Deans, but want to go to the IC5 connectors.

The connector sets the standard, batteries follow. Changing them on the batteries is a bit more tricky as + and - should not touch while swapping. But yeah it's real nice if all your rc's use the same connector type and batteries are interchangeable without adaptors. Once you have set a standard you change your old battery connectors and every new one you buy with the correct connector from the box.

Deans are good up to 3S

 

[Tex Koder]

The connector sets the standard, batteries follow. Changing them on the batteries is a bit more tricky as + and - should not touch while swapping. But yeah it's real nice if all your rc's use the same connector type and batteries are interchangeable without adaptors. Once you have set a standard you change your old battery connectors and every new one you buy with the correct connector from the box.

Deans are good up to 3S

Agreed.

Determine the connector type and set everything else to it accordingly.
I know.. easier said then done.

Once you made up your mind and start to change them out.. Be Extra Careful when cutting and soldering on the new connectors.
Take your time and do it right.


I have Most of mine set to EC5s.
A few others I've left as is ,in case I ever need them.

 

[Turbobrick]

Couple of drunken videos from a few years ago

Part 1

Part 2

 

[FastMann40]

Battery connectors are a common subject here and we get a lot of questions like"what battery connector is the best?" or "how to solder battery a connector?" and others. Hopefully this thread can serve as a central place to find answers to many of the questions we see when it comes to picking the best LiPo battery connector and how to use them.

Similar to what Recommend me a battery charger and What's your "budget" LiPo of choice? threads have done.

Popular LiPo Battery Connectors

There are dozen of different battery connectors one could use, but I'm only going to focus on the most popular and most recommended battery connectors that most people use in the R/C hobby on their car/truck Electronic Speed Controller (ESC), motors, and LiPo batteries.

Deans Ultra Plugs
View attachment 30292

Deans Ultra Plugs have been part of the RC hobby for years and Arrma used to use a Deans connector on many of their earlier models. Deans Ultra Plugs are designed so that it's impossible to plug them in the wrong way. The down side of Deans battery connectors is they can be a challenge to solder due to their flat ends. Due to their small size and tight fit they can also be harder to connect or disconnect.

These make great plugs for 3s or smaller LiPo batteries.

Amperage rating: 60 amps
Buy: Deans


XT-60 and XT-90
View attachment 30311

XT-60 and XT-90 connectors are very popular connectors across all areas of the RC hobby. These connectors where also found on Arrma RC models in the past. They are very similar to a bullet style plug but designed so they only connect one way. These connectors are also easier to solder thanks to how they cup the wire.

If you are running 4s or larger LiPo batteries, you would be best to use the XT-90 plug.

XT-60 Amp rating: 60 amps
XT-90 Amp rating: 120 amps
Buy: XT-60 / XT-90


EC3 and EC5
View attachment 30313

The EC3/5 connectors are popular connectors used a lot in the Losi and ECX brands. Now that Horizon has acquired Arrma RC, you will find any new Arrma RC models also ship with the EC plugs. These have been a personal favorite for a long while now. They are VERY easy to solder, thanks to them essentially being a bullet connector in a unique housing that prevents you from plugging them incorrectly. They also allow for a large amount of current to be passed through them.

EC3 Amp rating: 60 amps
EC5 Amp rating: 120 amps
Buy: EC3 / EC5


Bullet Connectors
View attachment 30314

These are common connectors typically used to connect ESC's to motors. These are NOT recommended to use for connecting batteries as there is no protection against plugging them in wrong. The advantage of bullet connectors is their ease to solder and ability to pass high current. They can also be found in a wide range of sizes: 2mm - 8mm!

3.5mm Amp rating: 35 amps
4.0mm Amp rating: 100 amps
5.0mm Amp rating: 120 Amps
5.5mm Amp rating: 130 Amps
6.0mm Amp rating: 140 Amps
6.5mm Amp rating: 150 Amps
7.0mm Amp rating: 160 Amps
7.5mm Amp rating: 175 Amps
8.0mm Amp rating: 200 Amps
Buy: Bullet connectors


Traxxas Battery Connectors
View attachment 30293

If you have a Traxxas RC then you're probably familiar with the Traxxas battery connectors as they have shipped with these connectors for several years now. The newer TRX connectors, which you can not buy, include a chip in them which communicates with the Traxxas charger to tell it exactly what kind of battery it is so that the Traxxas charger knows how to charge it.

The older TRX connector also have a flat surface similar to the Deans plug which can be tricky to solder. I've never been a big fan of these connectors as I never felt they offered anything new or a lot better than other connectors. It seems I'm not the only one either, Traxxas' Connector Crisis.

Traxxas does not sell their new TRX connectors to users. You must by a Traxxas branded or licensed battery.


Note: Even though the focus is on LiPo batteries, all of the connectors mentioned above will also work on NiMH packs as well.

Soldering RC Battery Connectors

Soldering is a just as important if not more important than the type of connector you use. Because if your soldering job is no good, than it doesn't matter if you're using an 8mm bullet plug, you won't be getting anywhere near its rated amperage usage. Instead you'll likely damage or burn something up.

How to Solder Correctly is a great resource that goes into great detail on how to and how NOT to solder. Below are several videos on the subject of soldering as well.


How to solder EC5 connectors:

How to solder to large wires together:

Recommended Soldering Tools

Soldering Iron Station or Soldering Iron - I use the Trakpower TK950 soldering station and am very happy with it's performance. The Hakko FX888D is another fine soldering station.

Solder - As already mentioned in the How to Solder Correctly article, good solder is very important. I follow what that article suggests and also use 63/37 solder:

• Kester Rosin Core Solder 63/37 1oz Dispense-Pak
• Kester Solder Roll, 63/37 Alloy, 0.031" Diameter
• BNTECHGO 3Pack Solder Wire Dia.1.0mm 63/37

Soldering Jig - This is an awesome little jig that will hold nearly any time of battery connector you might be soldering. From Deans, XT, EC, and bullet connectors.
View attachment 30316

You can get this soldering jig here. Another common solution is to make a jig from a scrape piece of wood or using a 3rd hand.


So these are the more common and most suggested LiPo battery connectors. I've also touched on how to solder and some very useful tools to make your soldering projects that much easier.

Now lets hear from you, what tools do you use and like? Any tips or tricks? What's your favorite battery connector?

Old post but the first video was very helpful

 

[MrTitanium]

I have to solder EC5 connectors onto my Max6, Does the blue plastic sleeve fit over the wires first or are the bullets installed from the top of the blue plastic sleeve after soldering?

 

[jkflow]

Depends, look at those golden bullets, they have a chamfer on one side, that side slides into the plastic.

There is no standard, most likely you will have to have the housing over the wire and then solder. Seems to be the most common version.

 

[Greengaunja]

I have to solder EC5 connectors onto my Max6, Does the blue plastic sleeve fit over the wires first or are the bullets installed from the top of the blue plastic sleeve after soldering?

I had a bunch of the ones you slip the bullets into the housing after you solder the wires. I found it to be a better grip to put the wires through the housing first, solder on the bullet and press into the housing while still hot. I use channel locks for that. The reason is because when I did it "right", I had bullets slip back out. That issue might be mostly because they were cheap chinesium, like 50 sets for $25 or so. I don't use them anymore though since learning IC5s are the same thing, only improved. I just pull the center pin out with needle nose pliers.