5mm Spade connectors ?

[Rob_P]

The boat build is getting closer to completion!!!

Both my electric motor & my 12V 7A battery have 5mm wide male spade type connections. Unfortunately thats slightly narrower than the connectors commonly available in hardware stores.
Does anyone know where they can be easily found ?

What is the current thinking on the connections on the back of the motor? Are push on connectors over the male spades OK here or should I solder my wires direct to the terminals?

My ESC suggests that I fit capacitors across the connections to the motor case. In the past I have done this before for elec R/C planes but know it to be very difficult getting sufficient heat onto the motor case for the solder to flow properly.
Any tips on how to solder or attach capacitors to the motor case?

Rob

[patmat2350]

I prefer to solder wires to the motor's spades. Then use Power Poles or similar for an easy to connect/disconnect, high quality connection (toss those stock bullet connectors!).

Soldering on the can- I'm never happy with this either. Plated or bare steel needs something more like silver solder and its flux, with LOTS of heat, scary.
One method- get a cheap copper brush-plating kit... put copper on the can, the solder to that. Micromark advertise such a kit, shows it being used to solder stuff onto heavy ainc alloy loco boilers.

PM

[tim slocum]

If you have an Ace Hardware near you,they carry both sizes of spade connector.My 6v10amp/hr batteries use this smaller connector also.To differentiate(sp) between the two sizes,manufactures usually make the plastic covering over the connectors different colors.One size red and one blue.I just looked in my parts bins and its Ace's own brand of connector.

[green-boat]

Both my electric motor & my 12V 7A battery have 5mm wide male spade type connections. Unfortunately thats slightly narrower than the connectors commonly available in hardware stores.
Does anyone know where they can be easily found ?



Most SLA's that I have seen use either 1/4"(.250") or 3/16" (.187") spade connectors. They do have some side clearance once connected making then seem a little sloppy. Grainger has a good supply of them and different types and sizes. http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/4X315 http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/5X425

The colors refer to the wire size that the connector will accept.

Red= 18 to 22 AWG
Blue= 14 to 16 AWG
Yellow= 10 to 12 AWG

What is the current thinking on the connections on the back of the motor? Are push on connectors over the male spades OK here or should I solder my wires direct to the terminals?


I would solder the wires directly to the motor terminals, I do. One less thing to become a potential problem.

[steveciambrone]

Soldering to a steel motor can.

The problem is the flux you are using, rosin flux does not work. A drop of acid flux on the can and a 40 watt iron does the trick. Solid core 60/40 solder works best. Using the acid flux the spot is tinned in about 1-2 seconds, a short time which will not overheat the motor. After the spot is tinned then I clean the area well with isopropal. Once it is tinned and clean, regular rosin core solder 60/40 is used to solder the cap lead to the can.

It is important to clean the spot since the acid is corrosive and rosin flux is corrosive also but take a longer time to cause damage.

Acid flux is the liquid flux in the Staybrite Silver solder kits sold in the LHS. It is available in other forms but for hobbies I found this to work best and that little bottle far outlasts the solder provided in the kit, actually it is probably a 10 year supply of flux.

Using the acid flux, will get the solder joint on the can to look like a properly wetted joint as it should.

Thanks
Steve

[CaptLee]

Use the 3/16th wide ones for 5mm as there is only about a 1.5 thousands difference and most spade connecters have that much slop available to take it up. But have to agree with the others that short leads and SERMO'S or Dean's ultraplugs make a better connection.

[Rob_P]

Guys thanks for the advice.
I was able to get the right connectors from my local Ace store and they are a good firm fit.
These connectors are now pushed onto my battery and will stay there. I have a break further down the line with a Deans connector (same as on my planes). Its here that I'll disconnect the battery and connect in my charger when needed.

For the time being I'm running with the same type of push connectors onto the motor terminals (I may solder at a later date, but for now it will do).
At the same time as pushing my wires into my motor push on terminals I also pushed in one leg of the capacitors, then soldered the connection wire and capacitor into the push on terminal.
I then joined the spare capacitor legs together, I then got a 6" length of wire, soldered it to the joined capacitor legs and soldered on a ring connector on the other end of he wire to make a "Y" type assembly. My motor is secured via (4) m6 screws though tapped holes in the front mount face of the motor. I simply ran one of my motor mounting bolts through the ring connector, thus ensuring a good earth connection to the motor without having to solder to the case.
Aoplogies if that was difficult to follow.
Pictures will follow when the boat is finished.

Rob