patrick_mahoney
100 W
Commonly used connectors are:
Dean's Ultras - They are polarized (positive can only go to positive, neg only to neg), have an 80A current limit, and make a very solid connection. They can be difficult to unplug though, the female end of the connectors (used on battery end) are shielded, but the male connector is not.
http://www.wsdeans.com/products/plugs/ultra_plug.html
Astro Flight Zero Loss: Polarized, 50A current limit. Make a solid connection. Both male and female ends are shielded. But they are expensive.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LX3604
Kavan Gold "Stecker" Connectors: Polarized, 75A limit, make a solid connection, both male and female are shielded. Easier to separate than Deans, but not going to fall off. But they are expensive.
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/connectors.htm (mid-way on the page)
E-Flite EC3: Polarized, 60A limit, make a solid connection, both male and female are shielded. Relatively easy to separate, but unlikely to disconnect by themselves. Reasonably cheap.
http://www.e-fliterc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLAEC303
Anderson Powerpoles: One of the most popular connectors. Polarized, both male and female shielded, there is no specific male and female side, have a 15-180A limit depending on the model. Now that patent has expired, getting increasingly cheaper. On larger plugs can sometimes become difficult to separate(which is both good and bad).
http://www.andersonpower.com/products/standard-powerpole.html
Tamiya connector (often called a "standard connector" in the electric R/C world): Polarized, 20A limit, both male and female plug shielded. Individual connectors loosen in the plug over time and doesn't make a solid connection always. Can be difficult to separate (plastic is slippery)... and yet, occasionally will separate by themselves. Usually cheap.
http://www.e-clec-tech.com/tacosetm.html
Molex connector: polarized, both male and female shielded. Suffers from similar problems as tamiyas. Usually very cheap.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molex_connector
For what it's worth, at one time or another, I have personally used every one of these connector types. Of the list, I normally use Dean's and E-Flite EC3's... but that's because a local store sells them fairly cheaply. Without my local store, I'd probably be using Anderson's Powerpoles. I personally would recommend that E-vehicle users avoid Tamiya and Molex connectors. I've had them fail on me.
Dean's Ultras - They are polarized (positive can only go to positive, neg only to neg), have an 80A current limit, and make a very solid connection. They can be difficult to unplug though, the female end of the connectors (used on battery end) are shielded, but the male connector is not.
http://www.wsdeans.com/products/plugs/ultra_plug.html
Astro Flight Zero Loss: Polarized, 50A current limit. Make a solid connection. Both male and female ends are shielded. But they are expensive.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LX3604
Kavan Gold "Stecker" Connectors: Polarized, 75A limit, make a solid connection, both male and female are shielded. Easier to separate than Deans, but not going to fall off. But they are expensive.
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/connectors.htm (mid-way on the page)
E-Flite EC3: Polarized, 60A limit, make a solid connection, both male and female are shielded. Relatively easy to separate, but unlikely to disconnect by themselves. Reasonably cheap.
http://www.e-fliterc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLAEC303
Anderson Powerpoles: One of the most popular connectors. Polarized, both male and female shielded, there is no specific male and female side, have a 15-180A limit depending on the model. Now that patent has expired, getting increasingly cheaper. On larger plugs can sometimes become difficult to separate(which is both good and bad).
http://www.andersonpower.com/products/standard-powerpole.html
Tamiya connector (often called a "standard connector" in the electric R/C world): Polarized, 20A limit, both male and female plug shielded. Individual connectors loosen in the plug over time and doesn't make a solid connection always. Can be difficult to separate (plastic is slippery)... and yet, occasionally will separate by themselves. Usually cheap.
http://www.e-clec-tech.com/tacosetm.html
Molex connector: polarized, both male and female shielded. Suffers from similar problems as tamiyas. Usually very cheap.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molex_connector
For what it's worth, at one time or another, I have personally used every one of these connector types. Of the list, I normally use Dean's and E-Flite EC3's... but that's because a local store sells them fairly cheaply. Without my local store, I'd probably be using Anderson's Powerpoles. I personally would recommend that E-vehicle users avoid Tamiya and Molex connectors. I've had them fail on me.