Basic Question

bobbill

100 W
Joined
Apr 9, 2018
Messages
256
Location
SE MN (Winona) USA
Have alwys understood and practiced using as large a diameter wire as is possible...like 12 or 14 stranded...

Now that rationale I understand; but what bothers me is using larger diameter wire and small Anderson connectors...

Now, I have a number of 14 wires connected (finally) , using Anderson Power Pole conntectors...they are "connected" but am still leery.
 
bobbill said:
Have alwys understood and practiced using as large adiamer wire as is possible...

Now that I understand, but what bothers me is using larger diameter wire and small Anderson connectors... Now, I have a number of 14 wires connectd, using Anderson Power Pole conntectors...am still leery.

I find that Anderson PP45 terminals work well with 14ga and 12ga wire and the correct crimper. Smaller gauges need to be folded over to fatten them, or crimped in one of the smaller slots, or both. 10ga doesn’t really work. You can cram it in there, but the crimp quality suffers.

I have used unnecessarily heavy gauge wire in many of my projects. But having done that, I don’t really see an advantage to it anymore. If PP45 plugs are adequate to carry the current, 14ga wire is too, at least in relatively short runs. If you really need 12ga or 10ga cord to do the job, then you need different plugs too.
 
bobbill said:
Now that I understand, but what bothers me is using larger diameter wire and small Anderson connectors... Now, I have a number of 14 wires connectd, using Anderson Power Pole conntectors...am still leery.
12G is really the biggest wire that works well on the PP45s, because if the insulation is too large, it will prevent the contact from "floating" inside the housing, and that is one of the leading causes of problems with this type of connector (causing misconnections, high resistance due to non-parallel contact surface, melted housings/ burned contacts, etc).

If you find you need larger wire for the current being carried, you can simply use the larger versions of those connectors that are designed for the higher current and larger wire.

There is a PP75 version, about teh size of a pinky finger, that takes I think up to 8g or 6g wire, and up to 75A continuous.

Then you can go to the SB series, which starts at the SB50 using the same contacts as the PP75, and is about the size of three pinkys side by side. The series goes up to versions that carry hundreds of amps, and is the size of a large hardback book.
 
Thank you exactement...but will not the wee (smallish) "PowerPole" contact act like small diameter wire in larger loop and heat up as well?
 
bobbill said:
Thank you exactement...but will not the wee (smallish) "PowerPole" contact act like small diameter wire in larger loop and heat up as well?
I don't understand your statement.

There is no "wee" contact. You use the larger contacts designed for higher currents, when using hte larger wires.

If you need higher current than a contact is designed for, you use the next size contact and housing that is designed to handle that current.

That is why they make the different kinds I posted about here, in case you missed it:
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=106925#p1565874


If these connectors aren't suited to your needs, there are other manufacturers of heavy duty connectors...but if you want high current, you have to use a connector that's designed for that current, or else you do end up with the problem you describe.
 
bobbill said:
Thank you exactement...but will not the wee (smallish) "PowerPole" contact act like small diameter wire in larger loop and heat up as well?

Authentic PP45 connectors have about 0.0006 ohm resistance. That’s 1.2 watts of heat at 45 amps of current. If you stay within their current ratings, no problem. If you use all 45A of their capacity, maybe don’t bundle them up in a thermally insulative enclosure.

At 30A, they dissipate about half a watt each.
 
I use XT90's as they are easy to solder bigger wires.

With more amps comes a bigger connector size, but the bullet connectors from Hobbyking are decent too and the larger ones can easily solder 10awg wire to.

https://powerwerx.com/anderson-power-powerpole-sb-connectors

SB50 SB Series 50 Amp
SB50/PP75 SB Series Powerpole
SB175 SB Series 175 Amp
SB120 SB Series 120 Amp
SB350 SB Series 350 Amp


https://hobbyking.com
HXT 8.0MM HV Connector
XT90
XT60
Polymax 6.5mm Gold
XT150 Battery Side w/6mm Gold Connectors - Red & Black
XT150 ESC Side w/6mm Gold Connectors - Red & Black
HXT 6mm Gold Connector w/ Protector (10pcs/set)
Polymax 6.5mm Gold Connectors
Polymax 5.5mm Gold Connectors
7mm AS150 Anti Spark Self Insulating Gold Bullet Connector
6mm Supra X Gold Bullet Connectors
 
Appreciate the information and have taken your advice. Anderson connectors are just too much troube for single wire connections, I do agree the XT jobbers are much easier to solder, with three hands.
 
Markz,
Appreciate the information and have taken your advice. Anderson connectors are just too much troube for single wire connections, I do agree the XT jobbers are much easier to solder, with three hands.
 
bobbill said:
Anderson connectors are just too much troube for single wire connections, I do agree the XT jobbers are much easier to solder, with three hands.

Anderson Powerpoles are much easier and faster than any soldered connector, if you have the correct crimper and know how to use it. Two hands are more than enough.
 
The XT90 is just a superior connector for any hobby grade project. They have been tested to handle up to 270 amps for 10 seconds*, far more than a Powerpole will take. They're also smaller, non-reversible, and I've found they suffer corrosion less. There is also an anti-spark version to combat contact erosion from high power connections.

The Anderson Powerpole has been around since 1958. it's not a bad design, and if you are designing for commercial use, there is a long history of documentation and certification on these that make them desirable. But it's been 62 years,and technology has surpassed this old design. They just don't make sense for a hobbiest, tinkerer, inventor, or home mechanic.



*Source here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rcCdCVBXAI
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderson_Powerpole
 
Drunkskunk said:
The XT90 is just a superior connector for any hobby grade project.

You can't crimp an XT90. So I can like them however much, but I'm not going to use them.
 
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