Which connectors are the best?

[Rc Driver]

Out of the Duratrax powerpole connectors, Deans connectors and bullet style connectors what are the best? Which one has the lowest resistance? Do you know the resistance for each?

[tadium54]

technically deans are better, but between the powerpoles and deans, its pretty close- youd be hard pressed to find a noticeable diffrence. either are better than bullet style connectors

[metalry101]

Deans. I use them on everything. I refuse to use any other connector.

[Combatcm]

I think in a few years maybe deans will take over all the connectors. Kokam lipoly packs have deans standard.

If they don't they should

[ElectricThunder]

I second the deans, but if you don't like dealing with smaller plugs then powerpoles are better. But I don't think they're polarized like deans, so you could easily plug in something backwards.

[AE_racer38]

definitely go with deans plugs. one tiny drop of motor spray on powerpole connectors,and they crumble into lots of little pieces.

[Minty Fresh]

Another vote for Deans! And I agree....I think it won't be long before we see Deans become the standard that comes on everything.

[RH Customs]

I know some will disagree but oh well, I would go with the Trinity R Minus connectors. I have been using them for over two years know and I will have to say they are better than the deans. For me the deans were just to hard to solder and plus the r minus connectors are almost as good as direct wiring.

RH

[Grizzbob]

I second the deans, but if you don't like dealing with smaller plugs then powerpoles are better. But I don't think they're polarized like deans, so you could easily plug in something backwards.
Technically correct, but at the same time, Power Poles are reconfigurable, meaning that they can be assembled as a polarized connector, & reconfigured any way you wish(they have locking sections on the sides of the housings that interlock with each other so you can assemble them to where you can only put a neg. on neg. & pos. on pos. if you want, or leave them seperate like I prefer to). And to repeat what has already been covered in another similar thread, most of today's better connectors(like Power Poles, Deans, & several others) actually have lower electrical resistance than the wire they are typically soldered onto, so any of them will work just as well as the others. And about thinking that Deans will become the ONLY connector, I doubt it, they(& the others like Power Poles) have been around longer than you realize, & none of them are going to dominate(nor will they convince guys who prefer to hardwire everything at all times to stop doing that)..... :cool:

[RichieRich]

Yeah, Power Poles are used by electricians and for other electrical uses. They come in many colors including blue and green. Plus, they have different types with different current ratings depending on use. They've been around for a while. I use them because deans plugs are just too small. Just a matter of preference. By the way, I think there are about 37 threads on this same topic. :D ;)

[minijosh]

I run power poles also. You can either solder the connectors or you can crimp them if you like. Just depends on your skill level or if you even have a soldering iron/station. The best connector there is is the straight hard wiring technique. That is what the bigtime racers use.

[chvaka]

I run power poles also. You can either solder the connectors or you can crimp them if you like. Just depends on your skill level or if you even have a soldering iron/station. The best connector there is is the straight hard wiring technique. That is what the bigtime racers use.

I use the powerpoles. Racing in the stock class, I would not be able to tell the difference in performance. I like the powerpoles because they are much easier to assemble.

[Duster_360]

I'm relatively new the elec side of the hobby and use deans connectors. I find them very easy to solder as long as you have something to hold either the wire or connector with. I've bought both powerpoles and deans and after using both, prefer to use the deans.

[asw7576]

I switched from Deans to banana plugs, and I won't go back.

[RH Customs]

You mean the Trinity or Orion connectors?

[tamiya4x4dryver]

I used nothing but deans for 15 years, first the 4 pin, then the ultra plug. BUT, now I won't use anything but powerpoles. I don't race, but I do have lots of r/c's. I invested in one of those expensive tools that white mountain radio manufactures to crimp on the power poles.... it's a ratchiting deal... it's bad to the bone and makes a pretty connection. It's good enough for me. I solder caps and leads on my motors but that's all the soldering I'll mess with for now on. I'm not going to argue that powerpoles are superior to deans, but they are for my uses. A snap to assemble, a breeze to pull apart, reliable, genderless, cheap where I buy them hamstop.com or powerwerx. I could go on and on...... and let me reply to this statement:

"one tiny drop of motor spray on powerpole connectors,and they crumble into lots of little pieces."

THAT'S A BUNCH OF CRAP. I've heard that for years, and it's crap. I've got trinity buggy blast, duratrax powershot, performance plus 3 (the best ever), and orion spray and I have purposely soaked powerpoles in the stuff to do a little testing of my own and guess what? Nothing. Just clean connectors. Not brittle, not cracked, not turned to dust. Whatever kind of spray you are using that is causeing a reaction, I don't have it here because these 4 do not have any reaction. No doubt I've heard it, but it ain't true.

[Grizzbob]

I used nothing but deans for 15 years, first the 4 pin, then the ultra plug. BUT, now I won't use anything but powerpoles. I don't race, but I do have lots of r/c's. I invested in one of those expensive tools that white mountain radio manufactures to crimp on the power poles.... it's a ratchiting deal... it's bad to the bone and makes a pretty connection. It's good enough for me. I solder caps and leads on my motors but that's all the soldering I'll mess with for now on. I'm not going to argue that powerpoles are superior to deans, but they are for my uses. A snap to assemble, a breeze to pull apart, reliable, genderless, cheap where I buy them hamstop.com or powerwerx. I could go on and on...... and let me reply to this statement:

"one tiny drop of motor spray on powerpole connectors,and they crumble into lots of little pieces."

THAT'S A BUNCH OF CRAP. I've heard that for years, and it's crap. I've got trinity buggy blast, duratrax powershot, performance plus 3 (the best ever), and orion spray and I have purposely soaked powerpoles in the stuff to do a little testing of my own and guess what? Nothing. Just clean connectors. Not brittle, not cracked, not turned to dust. Whatever kind of spray you are using that is causeing a reaction, I don't have it here because these 4 do not have any reaction. No doubt I've heard it, but it ain't true.
That is the case today, but admittedly, at one time the housings used to be more brittle, & motor spray could make them crack(but this was quite a few years ago, they've reformulated the plastic in the housings since then)..... :cool:

[JMan8108]

I just switched all my batteries from tamiyas to deans and wow there was a ton of power i was missing out on!

[tamiya4x4dryver]

That's what I figured. All I know is all 3 sources I buy them from today don't have any effect being sprayed with all 4 sprays I have here. Just wanted to clarify because I hate to see people shy away from them because they hear the story about them being ruined by motor spray. Personally I think they are great and since I don't race, that little .00000000008 difference in resistance between them and deans ultra make no difference to me. That tool I bought was $47 from ebay, but I *hope* to live another 15 or 20 years, and if I do, it'll pay for itself. It makes the nicest crimp I've ever seen. I've read it's as good or better than the best soldered on powerpole in both strength and resistance. I'm not going to debate that because I really don't care. I'm not even convinced about that 100% myself, but I've read that from 2 sources online and in the magazine article in one of the rc mags a couple of months ago. One thing for sure, it's good enough for me. The tool is fast, fun, and easy to use. Just ought to be for $47, LOL.

[AE_racer38]

call it crap if you want. i've seen it happen. it's happened to me! unless they've changed their formula for the plastic. it DOES happen! it is true. of all of the sprays you listed,do any have chlorinated solvents? not everyone uses rc specific motor sprays. alot of electric and electronic cleaners have it,and it eats the plastic. i too have been into rc for almost 15 years and i do race. i've seen it all at one time or another. been there,driven that! so ask first before you make a claim that something isn't true.

[tamiya4x4dryver]

Like I said, I recently tested powerpoles I bought from 3 sources (tower, powerwerx, and hamstop.com). I sprayed (soaked actually) one plastic casing of each lot with powershot, performance plus 3, orion, and buggy blast. No affect at all unless you consider clean being an effect. Maybe once upon a time it was true which I never debated. Believe what you want.... tooth fairy, easter bunny, santa...... mikey eating poprocks... whatever. I'm going to bed knowing my *special batch* of rare super powerpoles will not be tainted by any motorsprays! HAHAHA! :)

[AE_racer38]

like i said,they must have changed their plastic formula because they used to crumble.

[hooligan1]

i prefer the powerpole's myself,the bullet's really suck.

[JaWs66]

powerploes used to be made by a different complany when they first came out! i cant remember who made them originally, but i know the designs were sold to duratrax apx 8 years ago or so. duratrax did in fact change the plasic dna of the connectors when they aquired them and thats why they dont crumble anymore!

these are the facts, not my opinions... for the record.

[RH Customs]

I guess I'm the only one here who stands by the Trinty R-Minus connectors. Oh well I still think they are the best.

[AE_racer38]

i didn't think they still made them. i thought that they weren't very popular so they were discontinued.

[Grizzbob]

powerploes used to be made by a different complany when they first came out! i cant remember who made them originally, but i know the designs were sold to duratrax apx 8 years ago or so. duratrax did in fact change the plasic dna of the connectors when they aquired them and thats why they dont crumble anymore!

these are the facts, not my opinions... for the record.
Close, but still not the whole truth. The fact is, ALL Power Poles are made by a company called Anderson, & the R/C related companies that have sold them just got 'em from them. Anyone who's worked in the electronics field(as I have) has seen those connectors in MANY applications long before they were ever tried in an R/C car(but Duratrax may well own the rights to the name Power Poles at this point). Regardless, they are an excellent connector(which is why I've been using them for several years)..... :cool:

[kschauwe]

Anderson Power Products owns the "Powerpole®" name. Sermos, Lightspeed, Duratrax, and others have sold them over the years as "Their own" connectors. Ham Radio Guys have made them they're standard interconnect.
I've been using then since 1991, after reading a connector test in a R/C Mag. They have never let me down.
btw, the resistance drifference between PP's and Deans is .0001ohms, which is a voltage loss of .003volts at a 30amps draw. A .04% drifference!

You could always go for one of the Higher rated PP :D
http://www.andersonpower.com/products/pp/images/ppfamily.gif

[orbitron]

I used to use deans but I wasn't that handy at solering then and actually messed them up enough so that they're near impossible to take apart. So what I do is use deans for motor/ESC connections and use powerpoles (which I feel are far superior) for battery connections.

I find the powerpoles much easier to work with, they're lighter and are easier to take apart but are strong enough to stay together, and they're big enough for my club fingers to work with!

[nleahcim]

I use Deans nowadays - but does anybody else really hate seperating Deans connectors? Seems like they could make it alot easier to seperate them. I do like how you don't have to deal with crimping anything or any of that nonsense - just solder and heatshrink - couldn't be easier.

[orbitron]

the deans work fine if you don't heat them up too much. If you get them too hot they change shape and are hard to separate. That's what I did with my first few sets.

[JaWs66]

Close, but still not the whole truth. The fact is, ALL Power Poles are made by a company called Anderson, & the R/C related companies that have sold them just got 'em from them. Anyone who's worked in the electronics field(as I have) has seen those connectors in MANY applications long before they were ever tried in an R/C car(but Duratrax may well own the rights to the name Power Poles at this point). Regardless, they are an excellent connector(which is why I've been using them for several years)..... :cool:

Well, I have "seen" them for years... that doesnt mean I would use them for EVERY application that needs a connector. For R/C, I think the Deans are much better and testing has proved that! As for a general connertor, they would be fine... and probably more than needed. Ill stick to the Deans though, Ive never seen one of those melt under any condition... motor spray, heat or otherwise... they are the best in my honest opinion!

[JaWs66]

the deans work fine if you don't heat them up too much. If you get them too hot they change shape and are hard to separate. That's what I did with my first few sets.

Soldering...

practice makes perfect! :D

[Rtsbasic]

Another vote for deans ultra plugs..I use them on all my batts, as long as you solder them on correctly you'll have no trouble, make sure you put the female connector on the battery. When soldering them its best to have both connectors plugged together so it doesn't matter if you overheat it because they can't move much then.

[Rc Driver]

THANKZ for all da replies!!!!!!!!!!!

[LasagnaCat]

Ill stick to the Deans though, Ive never seen one of those melt under any condition... motor spray, heat or otherwise...

It's actually quite easy to get carried away with the soldering iron and melt Dean's plugs (and often change the orientation of the internals) as mentioned above. Anyone with adequate soldering skills *shouldn't* do that, but I see that regularly on the used equipment I get in. They're a quality plug, but they're far from indestructable (and quite easily melted.) :)

[Rtsbasic]

Ahh but if you have a male/female plug TOGETHER while you solder them, it can't move enough to destroy the plug :) I always keep a spare plug of each type around so I can do this while soldering them..I've not destroyed a single deans plug yet, and I learnt to solder by putting them on my batteries :) When you get good at soldering you don't need to do this anymore, or if you have a powerful iron..but it helps when your still learning.

[LasagnaCat]

Even the extra mating plug *shouldn't* be needed, although it is a good (and cheap) safeguard. You should be in and out with the iron in literally a second or two. Anything longer than that, or if your iron is way TOO hot.. good luck. ;) By far the most heinous soldering crime I see is battery packs... I regularly get packs in with literally pea sized solder balls on the battery bars. On top of that, when you can often break the (pea sized) joint with your hands... geez. Hot enough iron, in and out FAST people. And stop putting eight pounds of solder UNDER the battery bar. :)

The only knock I have on the Sermos plugs that I don't see mentioned anywhere is that they're a royal PITA to reuse. Maybe I just have big fingers that aren't meant to do delicate tasks like take them apart, maybe I just have the patience of a fruit fly when doing so.. but geez, that drives me nuts. :p

It *is* entertaining to see the odd person at the track that's in a rush to clean a motor and sprays the Sermos plugs with motor spray though. Always makes me think of the wicked witch from Wizard of Oz.

[Rtsbasic]

Shouldn't be needed no, but you ever tried soldering 12 gauge cable with a 21w iron? Thats how I started out :) These days I use a 30w iron on my deans plugs and most other bits (except batteries) with no problem, just very quick in and out. Batteries I use a 50w iron at the min.