Wiring Questions

[pfish]

I've converted a rio 51 to fast electric. I put in a castle creations 2028 and I'm running it with 4 11.3V 8400mah 3-cell batteries. i first put them all in series but this was too much for the pond I'm running in, there wasn't enough room, it goes great. I then hooked two batteries in series and the other pair of batteries in series
and hooked the two groups together in parallel. This works great and the boat really runs well. The problem is that the ESC manufacturer asked for a spark arrestor which I installed, this works fine except that the negative side of the final connection to the ESC keeps coming apart. I've re soldered the connection carefully twice now but it came apart again. The batteries are Traaxas with traxxas connectors except where they attach to the ESC which is bullet connectors. The traxxas connectors are all solid except where I attached the spark arrestor and modified a traxxas connector to do the Job, (see picture)
Anyone have any ideas why this keeps happening?
Thanks

[mtbenjamin77]

I've converted a rio 51 to fast electric. I put in a castle creations 2028 and I'm running it with 4 11.3V 8400mah 3-cell batteries. i first put them all in series but this was too much for the pond I'm running in, there wasn't enough room, it goes great. I then hooked two batteries in series and the other pair of batteries in series
and hooked the two groups together in parallel. This works great and the boat really runs well. The problem is that the ESC manufacturer asked for a spark arrestor which I installed, this works fine except that the negative side of the final connection to the ESC keeps coming apart. I've re soldered the connection carefully twice now but it came apart again. The batteries are Traaxas with traxxas connectors except where they attach to the ESC which is bullet connectors. The traxxas connectors are all solid except where I attached the spark arrestor and modified a traxxas connector to do the Job, (see picture)
Anyone have any ideas why this keeps happening?
Thanks

looks like 12awg wire increase to 10awg and use silver solder

[jcald2000]

Too Much power for Traxxes conectors, you need at least 6mm bullets but I use 8mm and they still get to 125 degrees F.

[mtbenjamin77]

Too Much power for Traxxes conectors, you need at least 6mm bullets but I use 8mm and they still get to 125 degrees F.

Id definetly say get rid of the traxxas. Any connector that makes contact via plastic parts is not gonna work . As soon as the plastic melts the connector increases resistance as resistance increases heat increase which leads to permanent and sometimes catastrophic damage.

[JonD]

I've used Traxxas connectors all along for the battery connections on my 6S Leo 4082 T180 set up, as well as on 1/10 scale 4S and 6S vehicles. Never had the slightest bit of problem or resistance heating of them. Always dead cold. I think they're great.

I guess everything has it's limits, but I haven't yet reached it with these connectors.

Interesting that it is always just one terminal of the two individual Traxxas connectors that is melting. Would indicate to me something wrong with that terminal, or the soldering.

Cheers,

Jon

[iamandrew]

No Dont "increase to 8" unless your going to get some magical wizzard to solder those connections,
its too hard to get a decent amount of wire in contact with the gold sleeve.

id switcch to bullet plugs

[pfish]

I don't think it's the traxxas connectors. They are mettle to mettle connections within a plastic case. The plastic case never shows any sign of heat damage. It could very well be my soldering technique , I'm a novice and I'm reading up and learning hence my post. I'm going to try heavier gage wire and silver solder next but continue with the traxxas connectors.
Thank's for all you replies
'

[drwayne]

Your soldering is the flaw here.
Remove the loose plug from plastic housing.. Heat the connector and then the wire... insert to plug, heating plug body so the solder flows in.
Then allow to cool.

Ditto to other comments above, the Traxxas plugs are designed for low current, and are stressed here.
6 mm plugs ..
seeing the soldering above! I'd suggest 6 as they are easier to solder the small gauge wires.

[Jason4636]

I pre-tin my wires and the connectors. Then just heat up your plug, and insert the wire. Move the wire up and down a few mm. Then let it cool.

I'd go atleast up to 5.5mm or bigger on your connectors

[pfish]

Thanks All