Kraton Soldering XT150 battery connectors.

[CL-Audio]

Hi guys, just wanted to save anyone some frustration I just encountered with XT150's. I'm not great at soldering so was stoked today when I nailed a pair of XT150's on two batteries XT90 conversions today. However, I could not pull the housing over the bullet connector. After lots of cursing, hammering, pulling, and pushing I hit the housing with a few seconds of a heat gun and click! Maybe one day someone will search this forum and find this advice and save them some hassle.

Moderator: Not sure where this should be posted, feel free to move it. Thanks.

 

[Lazy Bushman]

Vas @Aussie RC Playground did a good vid on this

 

[Aussie RC Playground]

Here's a better video of that

 

[CL-Audio]

Vas @Aussie RC Playground did a good vid on this

Here's a better video of that

Lol, Vas you are the one who convinced me to switch to XT150's and I learned how by watching your vids. For whatever reason these particular XT150's I got from Hobbyking, the housing just will not muscle over the connector. Maybe had I not let them cool it would have snapped in but the only way I could get it to snap in place was heating the housing with that heat gun.

 

[chevys10zr2003]

I have used and love XT150 connectors for a couple of years now. I used to pull them on by hand but then I found easier ways.

1. Run the wire through the circles opening in a standard pliers and then pull against it that way.

2. My preferred way. I use the pliers shown below and a metal bullet that is opposite the one that you are soldering and use that to push the housing onto the bullet.

 

[CL-Audio]

I have used and love XT150 connectors for a couple of years now. I used to pull them on by hand but then I found easier ways.

1. Run the wire through the circles opening in a standard pliers and then pull against it that way.
View attachment 39352

2. My preferred way. I use the pliers shown below and a metal bullet that is opposite the one that you are soldering and use that to push the housing onto the bullet.
View attachment 39353View attachment 39354

I like that bottom picture idea. That did not occur to me. I did try the top picture idea and many others as well. Cursing did not work, fyi! LOL.

 

[chevys10zr2003]

I like that bottom picture idea. That did not occur to me. I did try the top picture idea and many others as well. Cursing did not work, fyi! LOL.

Yeah even with the pliers they are still a pain to pull and snap into place. That's why I tried the large pliers or whatever it is called and it worked great for me. I also use XT150 from Hobbyking as well.

 

[CL-Audio]

Yeah even with the pliers they are still a pain to pull and snap into place. That's why I tried the large pliers or whatever it is called and it worked great for me. I also use XT150 from Hobbyking as well.

Dude, I cannot emphasize how easy it was to just blow some heat on the housing with the heat gun, literally like 5-10 seconds, and literally lightly pull and bam that sweet "snap" sound! Music to my ears!!!

 

[chevys10zr2003]

Dude, I cannot emphasize how easy it was to just blow some heat on the housing with the heat gun, literally like 5-10 seconds, and literally lightly pull and bam that sweet "snap" sound! Music to my ears!!!

I don't have a heat gun yet, otherwise I would try it. Oh I also forgot that with the second method you also need a needle nose to remove the extra bullet half.

 

[CL-Audio]

I don't have a heat gun yet, otherwise I would try it. Oh I also forgot that with the second method you also need a needle nose to remove the extra bullet half.

Yup, i had to do that in my attempts. Heat gun can be purchased for as little as $20. Totally worth it for just today's help alone!!

 

[Aussie RC Playground]

Not sure why you guys need pliers to snap the housings into place. Only time I have a bit of trouble is when I use too much solder and it spills over the connector. Once the wire is soldered in the connector, you should be able to snap the housing into place with a firm tug. It shouldn't be so difficult that you need pliers or a heat gun. I'm seriously surprised any of you are having so much trouble, I find them super easy to do...
Do you need me to do another video and show you some tips on how to do it?

 

[zerocool135]

I pull the housing into place as soon as the solder cools enough to be solid and Ive never had a problem getting them on by hand. So if you have to use pliers you might just be letting them cool too long.

 

[CL-Audio]

Not sure why you guys need pliers to snap the housings into place. Only time I have a bit of trouble is when I use too much solder and it spills over the connector. Once the wire is soldered in the connector, you should be able to snap the housing into place with a firm tug. It shouldn't be so difficult that you need pliers or a heat gun. I'm seriously surprised any of you are having so much trouble, I find them super easy to do...
Do you need me to do another video and show you some tips on how to do it?

Agreed Vas. I noticed you snap them on pretty quickly after the solder. I think the heat allows some flexibility/expansion in the housing. I put mine to the side while I did another battery and let them cool. Thought I might burn myself. Pretty sure the heat is your friend and why you don't have the issue. In the future I'll snap mine in quickly after solder. Otherwise it was very easy to just warm up the housing again.

 

[chevys10zr2003]

I've tried them right away, while they were still warm and after they have cooled for all of the ways I had to pull harder than I really wanted to.

At the end of the day the only thing that matters is that they get put on and snapped into place. So whatever way is used by anyone to get them snapped into place is all that really matters. I was just saying the methods that I found that worked the best for me.