45A Anderson contacts without TRICrimp

[El_Steak]

So you have only a couple 45 amps Anderson contacts to install and you don't want to buy the 40$ TRICrimp tool?

The 15 and 30 amps are easy enough to install with standard tools and a bit of solder, but the 45 amps connectors are different as they have flat sides instead of rounded ones.

I came up with the following trick to install them. If you have a better way, let me know.

1- carefully place the edge of the contact sides in the little V grooves of your pliers
2- slowly compress the contact. The 2 sides will buckle up and take a nice curved form. This may depend on your pliers, but works everytime with mine.
3- Insert the wire between the rounded sides of the connector
4- Close up the sides using standard tools
5- Finish the job with a bit of solder. Be carefull not too put too much or the contact won't fit in the casing.

 

[BIG BEAM]

Look at the size of the wire and the connector.No wonder you guys are having trouble with connectors getting warm.That's a bib wire and a small surface area.A little solder will help the wire to connector but what about connector to connector surface area.
DON

 

[El_Steak]

I've moved to the PP75. The connectors are huge compared to the PP45.

 

[Ypedal]

I pull 100 amps thru my PP45's on the RC bike, no problems yet. ( 100 amps for 5 seconds at a time or so.. 50 amps constant ) but i have the tri crimp tool.. worth it's weight in gold imo !

 

[itchynackers]

I've had trouble with the 45's at 40 amps when the pp's were clustered together in a group of 2x4 (8total). I got significant melting of the housings. Keep them separated if possible.

 

[rkosiorek]

they do build up a touch of heat if you have a whole bunch of them together don't they. especially if you use the low detent (weak spring tension) ones. but even with the high detent ones 8 can still build a bit of heat.

rick

 

[liveforphysics]

Good tips on easily getting the edges in shape for folks without crimpers.

For equal sized connectors, pretty much everything out-performs an anderson. A spade male/female connector, pin/socket, the flat/flat wiper types, etc.

The anderson is popular not for it's performance, but it's ability to configure and gang groups of them in user friendly to connect/disconnect blocks.

 

[dogman dan]

I agree that andersons are not the best connector. But they are very convenient, and given voltages up to 72v and 50 amps, the 45's should be ok.

Here's how I do a 45 amp anderson on 10 guage wire with a cheap crimper. I've seen these as low as $8. Somebody posted this before, and taught me how, but I can't find the thread now. I didn't invent this, I learned it on the sphere.

First of all, if you really really need 10 guage, you really really need bigger than 45 amp connectors. But lots of lipo batteries do come with huge wire. For 8 guage, I attach smaller wire to the battery wire with a crimp sleeve. For 10 guage I cut a few strands away to make the crimp work with a 45 amp contact.

This is the crimper. It has jaws for rounding the contact, and for making a crimp round, or square. Most hardware and home remodel stores have it. I paid $12 for this one.

Step 1 strip the wire and trim down a few strands. 10 guage without trimming back a few strands will be very difficult to get a reliable crimp. This is wire from a turnigy pack before trimming.

step 2 Shape the contact with the rounded part of the crimper jaws. Then make it slightly oval.View attachment 6
The wire will be difficult to fit into the contact now, but 12 guage will fit easy, and trimmed down some enough strands of 10 guage will fit. View attachment 5

Step 3 The first crimp is made with the bump on the crimper jaws on the seam in the barrel of the contact. Take your time, get it straight, and crimp hard several times to form the entire barrel into a V shape.

The finished first crimp.

Step 4 Close the v shape into a tight final crimp. Usually not as much pressure this time, just fold it in using the round part of the jaws you used to shape the barrel of the contact. Not the part with bump. Don't overcrimp it, and fatigue the metal too much. Now it should slip right into a contact and have the proper wiggle room.

Finished crimp.

 

[dequinox]

I just got the 45A poles. I did a semi-sh!tty job of crimping the pins with the standard el-cheapo 1/8th inch thick crimpers...so we'll see how they hold up. I like them though, very cool how they can assemble into just about any kind of connector.

 

[dnmun]

anybody wanna split a big bag of pp30s?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350363931564&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_3991wt_932

 

[amberwolf]

I could go in for some of it (but don't have enough $$ for half)...but I don't see that it comes with any contacts, unless that's what they are calling Lugs?

EDIT: Hmm. I just checked at Powerwerx and it seems they have a 100-pack that even including shipping comes out less than that ebay link ($78.99)? SKU: PP30-100 for $69.75 plus $7.95 shipping.

If I understand correctly, a 100 set bag has 100 red housings, 100 black housings, 200 contacts, 100 roll pins. I *think* that is the same as the ebay link has, if I read it right.

 

[Ykick]

I'm not seeing the "deal" with that eBay listing.

Here's what Powerwerx describes:

What is a Powerpole "Set"?
Anderson Power Products Powerpole connectors are available bagged in popular sized sets with volume pricing. A "Set" includes all the parts needed for a single connector. For the 15, 30 & 45 amp Powerpoles; a set includes (1) red housing, (1) black housing, (2) contacts and (1) roll pin.

We offer bagged quantities of 10, 25, 50, 100, 250 & 500 sets. A 10 set bag contains 10 connectors, the same as 5 mated connector pairs, or exactly (10) red housings, (10) black housings, (20) contacts and (10) roll

 

[dnmun]

yes, that is cheaper. but mouser is higher.

 

[dequinox]

Mouser is higher in what?

 

[dnmun]

in price. amberwolf was right, i am looking at ordering the pp30 x 100 ct and some more contacts too, 25ct. total is only $80.25 so that is better than the ebay deal.

 

[Alan B]

Don't use the roll pins. They don't always stay in place (maybe never stay in place) and when they roam into the wrong place, sparks fly. A drop of cyanoacrylate will lock the connector bodies together if you want that.

 

[itchynackers]

I've had trouble with the 45's at 40 amps when the pp's were clustered together in a group of 2x4 (8total). I got significant melting of the housings. Keep them separated if possible.

Update: Just melted the 45a connectors running 47a peak! WTF? I'm done with these connectors for anything other than charging and low amp circuits.

 

[icecube57]

Im not having issues. Im using a tri crimp. Even my phase connections and wires are cool doing 90-100 phase amps. Almost 4kw. Knock on wood!

 

[Alan B]

Update: Just melted the 45a connectors running 47a peak! WTF? I'm done with these connectors for anything other than charging and low amp circuits.

Can you tell us more about the circumstances of this? Properly installed they can handle 45A. 2A more should not cause failure. Were there other factors involved in this failure?

Were they soldered or crimped?

What was the wire size?

Were the wires stressed preventing the pins from properly mating?

Were there any other factors that might have contributed to the failure??

 

[itchynackers]

Its doubtful. I have used these in clusters of 8 at 40a, and they got pretty hot. A few did melt. I figured it was due to the clustering. In this last instance, they weren't clustered at all! Just a single connection. It series connected my parallel packs. I'm programmed at 35amps with the Keywin software which gives me 47.6a peak! This is verified with my turnigy meter. I rigged the connection for the ride home from work, and melted the other series connection. I can't think of any reason they should melt all the sudden.

I changed out those connections to 100 amp gold bullets (5mm I think). I guess we'll see where the next weak link is. I think it may be motor heating (9c), so I may try the phase wire upgrade, and cover venting this winter.

 

[Alan B]

The PowerPole specs show 30C rise with #10 wire at 40A in single pole configuration. With 30A in multipole configuration it shows 40C rise. Using #12 wire it shows 40C rise with only 20 amps.

So use #10 wire and spread out the connectors if you wish to run 45A on a 15/45 PowerPole. Or it will get quite hot. Right off the data sheet.

http://www.andersonpower.com/litlib/files.html/download/62

 

[itchynackers]

I've had too many problems with them for high current use. Just fed up. The anderson contacts can twist in the housing, and also the spring gets weak over many uses. So weak, that if you look inside the housing, the contact is laying too low to make contact. I want more of a maintenance free system. I'm currently using 12awg silicone wire with 100a bullets on that series string. I haven't tested it yet, but assuming my hack soldering job holds up, all should be fine.

 

[Alan B]

The Anderson springs are stainless steel and chosen for the purpose. They should not weaken. Not sure what would cause that.

Be aware that the bullets have very small contact area in reality, and they have very poor spring material. They are good for very few plug/unplug cycles. If they don't get hot they're fine, but each plug/unplug cycle is a new deal.

For these current levels the Anderson SB-50's would be a much better choice, but they are large. If they are not being unplugged the bullets should be okay.

 

[itchynackers]

I will be unplugging 1 set of the bullets with each ride (to charge the battery pack). I'll just have to see how it goes. If I have problems with that, I may try the PP75's or SB50's, but I just don't want to order that many from powerwerx. Too expensive. Right now, I kind of like the xt-60 plugs. They have good grip for unplugging, and have small bullet type shielded connectors which have stood up to many unplugging cycles so far.

 

[Ypedal]

I double up the PP45's when i need more than a single can handle.. a pair of pp45 can handle 100 amps on 10 gauge wire no problemo..