who writes the instruction leaflets ?

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Im on my first foray into electric flight, building the Triple Threat from the last RCM&E. Great fun but have ground to bit of a halt with the electrics.

On retailers advice have bought a Flightpower EVO25 3s LiPo with a Xtra 2890/10 motor and a KMS 18amp ESC. He has then supplied me with a Pro-Peak QUATTRO LiPo charger.

What is not clear from the instructions is how to connect the battery and charger. The battery has a red and black wire and also a small female socket that connects three red and one black thinner wires. There is no obvious compatability with the charger. The charger has two clips (I presume to go onto a 12 v battery and small female connector socket with a red and black wire going into it. Any ideas.

 Equally how do i know when its charged and is it ok to use the car battery without causing any problems as I have yet to get a separate 12v battery.

 Any advice welcome. 

    

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Hi Ads

The charger is ok to use with a car 12v battery, just hook it on with the croc clips and go. I've googled the charger and I see it has what I would call a BEC connector attached to go to the battery. You need to get a male BEC plug and then solder it to two wires with 4mm plugs (see below) on the other ends so that you can then hook up a battery.

I assume the charger will 'beep' when the battery is ready. It's not a top of the line unit and to be honest  not one I'd recommend as it doesn't have a display but It'll do for starters and if you progress with Li-Pos then get a unit with a screen and 4mm holes for a more compatible connection with the battery.

Now questions -

1. What capacity battery did you buy

2. What connectors are you intending to use on the battery itself (dont use BEC, I'd suggest 4mm gold banana plugs)

Hope this helps 

David.  

[Tim Mackey]

I actually think that these little red plugs as fitted to the output of your charger are the original JST plugs, as fitted to the twister bell type things. I have a bunch of them ( male and female ) sitting in a box in my garage, and "Ads"...you are welcome to a few if you email me your address. Having said that I would actually differ slightly from David ( although his suggestion is absolutely fine ) and fit 2mm gold bullet connectors rather than the more expensive and heavier 4mm banana. Bullet connectors with proper "loose fit expanding cages" are far better for use where the plug and socket is frequently mated / unmated as in this case.

I expect that having been supplied with an 18A ESC the setup you are using is not going to be pulling big currents ( It can't with that rated ESC ) so 2mm gold should do fine.

Some peeps use DEANS connectores as here: 

Here is a picture of a proper gold "caged" bullet connector.

And here is a banana plug.

They may look the same, but as stated, the good quality caged bullet is designed to be inserted /removed many times with no loss of conductivity. The "cage" is actually a precision, but loose fit, around the main pin, and as it compresses upon insertion, it "grows" slightly in length and makes solid contact with the pin.

Harder to describe than see!........but trust me, they are the dogs danglies.

heres the thing david suggests ( although this is fitted with gold bullets ) 

and the link to the site is here:

http://www.electrifly.com/powersystem/accessories/connectors.html#connectors2

As I say, if you want to go down this route, give me a shout, and I will make up such a converter lead for you

( FOC apart from postage ), 'tis a 2 min job

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Thanks guys,

 Great help. In answer to your question David, the battery is a 1200mAh. In terms of the connections, its a bit of a mixed bag. The ESC comes with 2mm caged connectors (fitted), while motor has 4mm (separate) and the battery doesn't have any.

 But having clarified things i will probably go with the 2mm connectors on everything as they are already set up on the ESC.

As to the female connection on my charger Timbo, the web link you gave put me straight onto the peice of kit I need i.e. the small male connector linked to two 2mm connections.

Once again thanks guys. Very much appreciated.