Bullet connectors...best way to install them.

[AndyKunz]

So how do you hook cells together for series with all females it won't happen.Packs come with the correct colored wires so how would you miss that no matter what conenctor?

The old-fashioned way - with an adapter.

Very rarely do I hook up packs in series (or parallel), so I do what is safest ALL the time, and when I need something special I keep my "best practice" and make an adapter for the application. The adapter is just a simple male-male plug which is VERY easy to make with a real short section of wire and two connectors.

Losses due to the extra connector (VERY minimal) are well worth the safety, imho.

Andy

[D. Newland]

What process you use on the motor-to-ESC connection is really your choice. The only thing I would add is that if you run with a friend and the possibility exists to swap equpment, make all of yours and his stuff the same.

Personally, I follow the RED HOT FEMALE approach for the batteries. Just because I lake saying that. Hot battery lead gets the female, negative gets that male plug and I religiously cap that plug with a piece of large fuel tubing. Every time. The male connector is never naked for more than a second or two. I also cut the negative battery wire about 1/2" shorter than the positive battery wire. This is also insurance that the battery leads won't short out on each other because of male connector contact with the female "rim" of the connector. Eventhough shrink wrap is there, sometimes it's not enough to keep the sparks from flying.

[Rex R]

pencil erasers(the replacement type) with a little work, work nicely to cover the female plugs, and they come in a wide assortment of shapes/colours .

[Steven Vaccaro]

I do it like Andy's method. I stuff a piece of wire tightly into a male end and solder it. Than cut just enough to attach another male on the other end. I will post a pic tonight.

[785boats]

I'm with Meniscus, Jesse J, Line 6, & D Newland on this one.
I've always had female on the positive & male on the negative of the batteries & for all the same reasons stated buy them.
I too, just cap the male with a piece of tubing when not in use.
Cheers.
Paul.

[cyberhoops]

I just started my first build with OSE 5.5mm connectors. I also followed the D. Newland theory with "red hot female" for the battery connections. I will have 2 batteries in series so that simplifies the series connection.

I tried some shrink tubing to cover the male connector - but thanks to this thread I am now using a section of large fuel line and it fits perfectly and effectively closes off any contact to the connector.

Then I made two adapters to Dean's female plugs so that I could use my normal charging jacks - and one more adapter for a male Dean's plug so that I could hook in my Eagle Tree logger.

[detox]

I solder male bullet connector on + positive wire of battery and female bullet connector on - negative wire of battery. So when I run batteries in series I do not need adaptor or more bullet connectors $$$ to make one. I only use Black heat shrink tubing.

To hold connectors while soldering I drill a few holes in block of wood the same size as the bullet connector to hold them while heating with soldering iron. Melt a small puddle of solder inside connector then insert your pre tinned wire. Be careful not to get solder inside serrated gaps of male plug.


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[HOTWATER]

I solder male bullet connector on + positive wire of battery and female bullet connector on - negative wire of battery. So when I run batteries in series I do not need adaptor or more bullet connectors $$$ to make one. I only use Black heat shrink tubing.

To hold connectors while soldering I drill a few holes in block of wood the same size as the bullet connector to hold them while heating with soldering iron. Melt a small puddle of solder inside connector then insert your pre tinned wire. Be careful not to get solder inside serrated gaps of male plug.


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detox, I just used that idea you gave me a short while ago (holes in block of wood) to hold the bullet connectors while soldering wires to them...worked like a charm!!! I'm not great at soldering, but that helped me to make a nice, clean connection! Thanks again for that tip!

-Kent

[Boatman]

pencil erasers(the replacement type) with a little work, work nicely to cover the female plugs, and they come in a wide assortment of shapes/colours .

Sweeeeet find there Rex!I have children so everyone know theres like a million of those things around here, seems like drawers full!thanks

[Rex R]

heheheh thanks but, I can not take credit for the discovery. I learned about them from Steven V.(site/store owner, thanks steven :) ). 1/4"(I think) thread protectors should work for the male plugs.

[sailr]

I'm with the Female +, Male - convention. You can't hook anything up backwards that way. For a cap on the male, I use screw protectors, available at Ace hardware and possibly some home stores.

Steven, these might be a good item for you to sell!

[Capt. Crash]

I use a wooden clothes pin to hold my tubing and pins in so my helping hands won't act like a heat sink. It is cut down by removing the sides off the end that grips on one side only. The clothes pin is held by my helping hands...those things are great. It works great. See the below pics...the hands are in the upper left corner of the fist pic. The 2nd pic is a bit blurry but will give ya another view.

[sailr]

I CA two clothespins down to a wooden board about 8" x 12"

One clothespin is mounted flat, the other on its side.

This gives you a 'gripper' to hold a deans plug flat for doing the neg side
and the other holds a deans vertically so you can solder to the positive side.

I use the side mounted clothespin to hold bullets.

This works out great. The clothespins don't absorb any heat and they won't move around on you while you work.

If a clothespin gets too 'burned', you can pop it off the board and mount a new one.

I'll try to get some pictures later.

[Meniscus]

...The clothes pin is held by my helping hands...those things are great...

I couldn't live without my helping hands! I freely admit it!

It's the best thing since sliced bread!

[sailr]

For a cap of the male bullet, get some 1/4" ID clear vinyl tubing at the hardware store! Cut it in 1" lengths. 5.5 and 6mm bullets fit great!