n-20 motor

[Daunt6]

Anyone out there familular with the Todds models N-20 motors. Is there an easier way to attach the ESC wires to the extremely small attach posts on the motor besides solder? I am new at these small R/C aircraft. Thanks

[jimwalker]

I haven't had any problem soldering esc wires to these motors. What iron are you using? I use a radio shack 15w iron with a fine tip.

Jim

[Daunt6]

Thanks for the info, I haven't soldered the ESC to the motor yet, but when I do I will make sure the soldering iron has a fine tip.

[Jason Nowell]

Daunt,

Don't forget the FLUX!!!!! The best way to solder on small parts like those is to put some acid flux on both parts (the wire and the post) first, then get just a tiny bit of solder on the tip of your iron. Hold the wire to the post and just touch it with the iron for about 1 second. This will give you a clean, light solder joint that will last. Without the flux, you get a sloppy, heavy solder joint that will likely break with a little abuse.

[Dave Robelen]

Hi Jason,
I would add one more step. Especially if you use acid, please clean the joints with alchohol when you finish. The flux inside of electronic solder is not all that corrosive, but acid will really do a job if left.
regards, Dave Robelen

[andrewhalst]

Hi, Jason

It may be too late to help you , but yes, therre is another way to connect to these motors.

Since I fly f/f and r/c and swap motors and equipment between planes I like to make everything pluggable AND include a capacitor with each motor for R/C or infra-red use.

Goes like this:

get very small capacitor (I use Schumacher caps from R/C racing cars).

Bend legs 90 deg very close to cap body to form U shape with distance between legs close to distance between motor posts.

"tin" motor posts with solder - tiny dab

Push bent cap into place so that the cap body is tidy next to the end of the motor and touches the two posts (the cap will probably clip in place cos of the little solder bead on the post)

Touch with soldering iron on each post/cap wire junction

Done!

Now I bend the cap wires to 90 to run parallel to motor axis and clip off leaving about 6mm (1/4)

Cloud 9 universal connectors fit perfectly on the wires, and all my battery pax and ESCs have Female versions of the connectors fitted.

To save more weight break off the plastic housing of the connectors and cover the whols connector and soldered joint with suitably colored heatshrink.

I have a sketch is this, but can't figure out how to attach it in this forum - happy to take advice!

[gjohnson]

If you can attach a sketch and picture, that would be great. When you are typing in a message (like I am now) scroll down and you will see the "attach file" box. Click the browse button, browse to your file, click on it, and you are done.

My method is slightly different. I've been buying the tiny JST connectors from Dave Lewis. I solder a short 1.5 inch pigtail ending in a JST plug on the back of all my small motors. My ESC's have the female JST plug, and I can swap motors on demand.

BTW, does anyone solder capacitors on their N20 motors? I have been and wonder if it's really necessary? For small coreless motors such as the Firefly or DC 5-2.4 I've been told the capacitors are not needed. What about these N20's?

Dave, thanks for the tip about cleaning the flux off after soldering.

Gordon

[Dave Robelen]

Hi Gordon,
I have been leaving the caps off with my N20 drives. No noticeable problems. Some ESC's like Bob Selmans require a Schottky diode across the motor, but this is to protect the ESC, and has nothing to do with interference.
Cheeers, Dave Robelen