Having Trouble Installing EC5 Connectors

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NCbasher33

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Arrma RC's
  1. Granite
I have EC5 connectors I bought from amazon but I am having a tough time getting the plastic over the the bullet any tips? I tried using a flat head a few times but stopped after I stabbed my finger and figured this probably isn't suppose to be this tough to connect the two. I was practicing the assembly on a test wire and wanted to get the process down before soldering on to a battery (new to soldering).

Did i just buy bad EC5 connectors? These are the ones I bought https://www.amazon.com/iGreely-Micr...s=ec5+igreely&qid=1565653308&s=gateway&sr=8-2

I was wondering if the deans to ec5 adapters are any good? Should I just buy the adapter that plug in deans to ec5?

I just want to get my new truck up and running. Any help would be great. Thanks
 
Deans connectors are terrible and should never be used. Those EC5 connectors are not as good as the brand name ones I’ve heard, but a little heat on the pin may soften the plastic enough to push it into place. Use a soldering iron to get it up for a few seconds and then push again. If that’s not enough, heat a few seconds longer until you get them in.
 
Deans connectors are terrible and should never be used. Those EC5 connectors are not as good as the brand name ones I’ve heard, but a little heat on the pin may soften the plastic enough to push it into place. Use a soldering iron to get it up for a few seconds and then push again. If that’s not enough, heat a few seconds longer until you get them in.

Do you have a link to better/quality easier to use? These are frustrating.

The charger I got (t240) I was going to make a deans to ec5 to charge cable. So I should just make a cable that goes right from the chargers plugs instead?

Thanks again.
 
Switch to XT connectors they are pretty easy to solder. Better to pick a connector now while your just getting back into it.
 
I would recommend switching to xt90s because deans connectors might struggle with the higher power systems. I’ve never melted one and I run mine pretty hard in my granite on 3s all the time. Just stick with name brand connectors you’ll be fine.
 
I just dealt with my EC5s tonight. I recently purchased a new BLX120 ESC and they come with 2 EC5 connectors, but no loop plug for running single lipos. So I heated up the loop side on the first connector until the outer plastic was hot to the touch. Then used a 1.5mm hex driver to push the pin out of the connector. Did the same to the ESC wire on the second connector. Then put the second wire into the first connector again and heated it up again, then pushed it from the backside with a flat head screwdriver down towards a table until it clicked in place. The key is warming the plastic enough to slip the pins in and out, but not so hot to melt them. I set my Hakko to 400F for this task.
 
Absolutely stay away from "anti-sparks". When they fail, they fail big. Just standard XT90's ok.
BTW from what direction are you pushing the bullits/pins into the housing?????
 
Absolutely stay away from "anti-sparks". When they fail, they fail big. Just standard XT90's ok.
BTW from what direction are you pushing the bullits/pins into the housing?????
I have watched some videos and the female pins don't look hard (watched the video in the connector thread, it's the male ones that are giving me a tough time) although I haven't tried installing those yet.

They way I am installing the males is that I am soldering to the wire then pushing into the connector with a flat head screwdriver from where I soldered. When I heat the connector up it goes through to far and seems to have some wiggle and play in the housing. I would assume that the solder joint is supposed to be recessed into the housing?
 
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Watched some more videos not abandoning the EC5 yet. Gonna try and give it another go tonight. Where I have the connector on and pull.
 
EC5 is a fine connector. Its just a matter of getting used to building them. All good connectors require a learned skillset for each design when soldering them. Dig for videos on them. Remember that depending which variant of EC5 you get, some pins get inserted from opposite direction. Watch for and clean up excessive solder around the pins before inserting. That's usually a main problem. Having used these myself in addition to XT90's, Let the pins be cool, not hot, and use a heat gun to soften the plastic connector. Or you will get a loose fitting pin. That becomes dangerous. If you heat up the pin, it will melt and distort the plastic connector. Just warm up the plastic with a heat gun first. Then insert pin from appropriate direction as explained above. A jig of some type is key. Or you will hurt your finger again. Ask me how I know.;)
 
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I have used the EC5 and EC8 connectors and found them far easier to solder than the XT-90s. The real trick is push the bullet through correct side of the connector, it is a one direction thing... I cant remember off the top of my head but you can see the taper angle on the bullet to see which direction it has to go through the connector. I always used some electrical grease on the sides of the bullet, and gave it a nice solid tap with a flat head and hammer. They would pop right into place.
 
There are 2 sorts of EC5 bullit designs. I had the same issue being used to first solder the bullit and push it in the connector with a screwdriver.
But suddenly that didn't work anymore, almost killed myself and banged my head to the wall 3 times, looked into it, compared the connectors and figured out now you first have to pull the wire through the connector, which i forget all the time, solder the connector and than hammer the bullet in the connector.
Luckily i already switched to XT90's but this was for a friend of mine.

Check this vid at 4:00: "this way / that way"


This vid explains it better how to install the "that way":

 
Great info. All you need to know.(y)
I have used the EC5 and EC8 connectors and found them far easier to solder than the XT-90s. The real trick is push the bullet through correct side of the connector, it is a one direction thing... I cant remember off the top of my head but you can see the taper angle on the bullet to see which direction it has to go through the connector. I always used some electrical grease on the sides of the bullet, and gave it a nice solid tap with a flat head and hammer. They would pop right into place.
Yes its really easy to melt an XT90. That's why I like the EC5 as of late. Soldering the bullet separately makes so much sense.
Should the male bullets have some wiggle in the EC5 housing or should it be tight?
Great info. All you need to know.(y)

Yes its really easy to melt an XT90. That's why I like the EC5 as of late. Soldering the bullet separately makes so much sense.
Both polarities should be snug.
 
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@JvG thanks for those videos. Didn't have time tonight. Hoping I will have some time tomorrow evening.
You're welcone, i hope this helps!
Great info. All you need to know.(y)

Yes its really easy to melt an XT90. That's why I like the EC5 as of late. Soldering the bullet separately makes so much
A XT90 can melt (with a lot of heat), but all you have to do is always use 2 connectors when soldering and this will never happen.
Like this:
45547

With this setup soldering XT90's is quite easy.
 
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