The Importance of Electric Flight Power Connectors
When it comes down to the different components within an electric flight power system, connectors may be one of the most important. Connectors are used to connect batteries to speed controls, and speed controls to motors. Performance can be severely impacted by these connections, and poor connections can rob the systems of power, cause a meltdown, or result in a fire.
There are several different types of electric flight
power connectors; however, this blog will only be giving an overview of the most commonly used. The three most common types include Anderson
Power Pole, Sermos, and Lightspeed Super-Conn connectors. These connectors are all designed by Anderson, and they are often referred to as Sermos connectors because Sermos is their primary distributor.
These connectors, often referred to as Anderson
DC cables, are designed to withstand being plugged in with the power turned on. When the connecting surfaces mate, the first parts to make contact are not the parts that will be touching once the connector is fully seated. As a result, arcing will not damage the part of the connector that typically carries the current.
Different from other connectors that contain a housing for both a positive and a negative connection, Sermos connectors come in individual connections. The connectors are genderless, and they are usually red or black. The connector housings have interlocking slots that allow them to be arranged in either side-by-side or stacked polarized pairs. A non-polarized approach, however, does not prevent the two batteries from being plugged in together. In order to avoid this scenario, the
battery connectors can be arranged in a side-by-side form. While Sermos connectors are usually really long, making them less optimal for small planes, they are a good choice if you prefer to use connectors on both ends of the speed controls. By assembling the battery end side-by-side, and the motor end stacked, you are less likely to plug the battery directly into the motor.
Each connector housing contains an internal leaf spring that is responsible for pressing the contact against the mating connector’s spring. In order to assemble one connector, a wire is inserted into the metal connector’s
solder cup, the cup should be heated with a good soldering iron, and the wick is then soldered into it. When cool, the connector can be slid into the housing from the back until it clicks into place.
Benefits of these electric flight power connectors include that they are quiet and clean, and as a result, the lack of noise pollution makes them ideal for aircraft flying over urban areas. Oftentimes after each flight, fuel residue can build up on your model, though this is not the case with electric power connectors. More than the benefits electric power connectors provide, making sure you are using the proper
power connectors for your system is important because low quality or incorrectly sized connectors can increase the resistance to wiring which can produce heat or loss of power. Additionally, it is crucial to use as few connectors as possible to maximize your system’s efficiency.
If you find yourself in need of
Anderson DC cables, Sermos products and components, or other specialized aircraft items, look no further than Jet Parts 360, a trusted distributor of aircraft parts and other aerospace components. Jet Parts 360 has an expansive inventory of over 3 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find parts available on our optimized interface for ease-of-use. As an AS9120B, ISO 9001:2015, and FAA AC 00-56B certified and accredited enterprise, our items are subject to a number of quality control measures to ensure that you always receive superior quality products. Give our team members a call, or email an account manager today to get started on the procurement process.
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alex marsh
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Posted on October 20, 2021
connectors
