Castle Bullets

[Basstronics]

Dont buy these things!

I was having a hard time figuring out what 5.5 bullets I wanted to go to. I wanted to buy all the same and replace on my battery packs also.

I bought some 5.5's from Hobby King and they were trash.

So I figured hell with it and turn to Castle as they are a premier brand. My first three bags of Castles were of high quality. I had one set that was 1/16" longer that the other two packs but everything would still work together.

My next 5 packs the male bullets were considerably different. The centers were cut away. They didnt have nearly as much tension as the first solid sets. I bought three packs from a trusted E Bay member. I bought two packs at the Toledo Show. The males were the same between both packs.

Bottom line is the tension is not there with these. A little heat and what tension is there goes to none and bad things happen. Ive had one do this and desolder. On another battery in another boat Ive had one where the tension is barely there...

I have email Castle on this as its a bit upsetting that the turn to company thats supposedly such high quality is selling stuff just as junky as the Hobby king Polymax...

[ray schrauwen]

The HK connectors are just fine for me. I use part# AM-1005 for 5.5mm's and AM-1006 for 6mm plugs. The others HK sells in 5.5mm are junk, same price as Part#AM-1005 but, junk!

Castle are usually HQ, I don;t get why they are sending out this stuff that looks like HK quality.

Hey, when the HK ones wear out, I resolder new ones on, at that price I can buy in the 100's.

The one thing I find is that if you let males cool slowly, they loose spring... Quench fast with water sponge after I remove iron and they are fine.

It's called annealing...

[Basstronics]

That thought never crossed my mind Ray. I will give that a go next round with a cup of water.

I think I ordred the "junk" version as the good ones were out.

I have some OSE 5.5's on the way that I hear good things about. I ordered the uncut version. Wondering if the cut version would be better for soldering? I intend to switch everything over to the OSE ones.

[ray schrauwen]

You can't go wrong with anything Steve sells!!!!

He sells only what he would use himself, quality stuff!!

[Basstronics]

My OSE 5.5's showed up today and I think all will be well.

ID of females measured about .215" OD of males when compressed measured .212"

[iridebikes247]

Use some needle nose pliers and very slowly and carefully spread the prongs out on the bullet connector. I run 8mm bullets on all batteries which are near impossible to remove without slowly bending the prongs in with pliers. Let me know how it works out.

[ray schrauwen]

Use some needle nose pliers and very slowly and carefully spread the prongs out on the bullet connector. I run 8mm bullets on all batteries which are near impossible to remove without slowly bending the prongs in with pliers. Let me know how it works out.

Never thought of that. Thank you!!!!! 8mm connectors it is...

[Basstronics]

Use some needle nose pliers and very slowly and carefully spread the prongs out on the bullet connector. I run 8mm bullets on all batteries which are near impossible to remove without slowly bending the prongs in with pliers. Let me know how it works out.

I did this on my one battery pack.

I heard back from Castle. They claim the connector on the left side of my picture is nothing Castle has ever made. I bought those from Jan @ Kintec. I find it difficult to believe Jan would carry a knock off product like that... In fact I dont believe it.

Ive bought enough connectors to replace the battery ends. Im going to leave the motor/esc's alone for now. However if I do run into an issue there they will be all changed out.

[tlandauer]

I did this on my one battery pack.

I heard back from Castle. They claim the connector on the left side of my picture is nothing Castle has ever made. I bought those from Jan @ Kintec. I find it difficult to believe Jan would carry a knock off product like that... In fact I dont believe it.

Ive bought enough connectors to replace the battery ends. Im going to leave the motor/esc's alone for now. However if I do run into an issue there they will be all changed out.

I had to get some CC plugs a while back when OSE didn't have any 5.5 mm in stock. The ones I got from Towerhobbies look exactly like yours on the right, I like them very much, however now Steve has two versions and I jumped at it and ordered a bunch. I use the ''Cup" version to make parallel plugs and the new cut-a-way ones for general up grading.
Steve really has our interests in his heart, he posted in the Forum a while ago asking opinion on both versions as he used only to carry the "cup" version, after listen to some feedback now he has gone to the trouble to carry both! We are just lucky to have OSE!

[graill]

The HK connectors are just fine for me. I use part# AM-1005 for 5.5mm's and AM-1006 for 6mm plugs. The others HK sells in 5.5mm are junk, same price as Part#AM-1005 but, junk!

Castle are usually HQ, I don;t get why they are sending out this stuff that looks like HK quality.

Hey, when the HK ones wear out, I resolder new ones on, at that price I can buy in the 100's.

The one thing I find is that if you let males cool slowly, they loose spring... Quench fast with water sponge after I remove iron and they are fine.

It's called annealing...

The last statement is not right. What you allude to in the previous sentence and then let hang with the last statement is incorrect. Maybe the context is wrong or i am missing something. As it stands your last statement is incorrect as typed.

[ray schrauwen]

I accept your correction.

I may have used the wrong term of annealing... mental slip. If you let them cool slow they seem to stay soft, when i quench them, they keep thier spring.

Is that any better?? I hope....

[graill]

I accept your correction.

I may have used the wrong term of annealing... mental slip. If you let them cool slow they seem to stay soft, when i quench them, they keep thier spring.

Is that any better?? I hope....

Heh, not wanting to piss folks off (Grin) so i typed as lightly as i could. I knew what ya meant Ray, just trying to keep it straight for the folks that arent up on this stuff and take everything typed as the gospel.