High power main battery switch? Where/what to buy?

[Trogdor]

Hi all,
I'm running a 12S pack with R/C ESC controller with a servo tester throttle. To turn on the ESC, I have to manually plug in the anti-spark cable (a resistor to slowly charge the ESC capacitors) and then plug in the main battery power to the ESC. I'd like to just use switches for this step.
Are there low resistance power switches out there that can do this job? I don't expect it to handle the capacitor charge spark. I still expect to have two switches: a small one for anti-spark and a big one for main power.

So my plan is this:
One small switch with resistor in line to handle the initial ESC capacitor spark. This gets switched on first.
One large switch that connects the main battery power to the system

My question is, what kinds of switches can handle high power like this? It's roughly 48V and 50+ amps peak. I'm looking for low resistance, similar to the 6mm bullet plugs I'm using. I've looked into contactors, which seem like high-power relays, but this require constant supply of power to stay on. Are there any regular, mechanical switches that can handle this?

Any advice or pointers would be appreciated.

 

[dnmun]

if you have a ping pack you can put a switch in the BMS circuit current. turn off the circuit current and battery is dead, turn it on and the battery turns on.

for other types you can hack up other solutions or put a switch across the source/gate and turn off the BMS that way.

 

[Trogdor]

I don't have a Ping battery. It's just a pack I assembled from four 6S battery packs. To balance the batteries, I just charge the pack with the balance plugs. How does the Ping battery use the BMS to turn main power on and off?

 

[amberwolf]

Lots of threads alreadya bout this kind of thing. I highly recommend you poke around the forums. All the info you need is already there.

 

[nicobie]

Methods needs to make these using FETS.

 

[dnmun]

I don't have a Ping battery. It's just a pack I assembled from four 6S battery packs. To balance the batteries, I just charge the pack with the balance plugs. How does the Ping battery use the BMS to turn main power on and off?

ping does not have a switch on his battery packs. you would have to add it yourself. but if you turn off the battery before connecting to the controller then you don't have the spark that burns up the contact.

i have explained it more than a few times, but if you look at the ping signalab BMSs, you will see a small white rectangle printed on the pcb with two through holes inside. the circuit current goes through the trace between the holes on the back side of the pcb. cut the trace open, connect the switch to the two through holes and that turns the BMS circuit current on and off. you can use a 1X dip switch soldered right on the holes or use a wire and run the switch up to your dashboard.

 

[Drunkskunk]

It depends on your Amperage. But a generic automotive switch can do the job for a 20 amp circuit. If you're under 40 amps peak, you could run a 2 pole switch, with the poles ganged together. If you use a double pole, double throw switch, you could use one throw for your precharge resistor circuit, and the other throw for main power on.

 

[GITech]

This is the one I use: http://www.robotmarketplace.com/products/0-SW75.html

There are more on the site under "Power Switches".