Anderson connector current rating

[NeilP]

http://www.andersonpower.com/products/multipole-sbe.html

Any one tried the Anderson multipole connectors?

I am just trying to organise in my mind what I need to order for making up the loom to connect my LiPo pack.

have ordered 8 10series Nano Tech Lipo Packs..5Ah each 25C constant 50C burst...so 125 to 250 Amp...max per cell.
So 5304 motor..probably put in some current limiting to start with via Cycle Analyst.


So bearing in mind the above to make up the loom that will connect 4 packs in parallel...what sort of current rating will be adequate to terminate each pack with?
I was thinking the 30 amp power pole individual connectors..the click together sort that can be made up in to pairs....or could I go to the smaller ones?

I suppose what I am asking is what is the likely average current for flat riding likely to be batteries to controller? and how good are these PP connectors at handling transient loads above their rating before starting to melt?

 

[amberwolf]

The multipoles are great, but bulky. I used them on my SLA setup on CrazyBike2, salvaged from powerchair stuff and UPSs. The smallest of the multipoles uses the same contacts as the 75A powerpoles.

There are also at least two versions of those contacts--one has less pull-apart resistance than the other. I don't know which ones mine are, but they take a fair bit of force to disconnect, and they'll never just accidentally come apart (unless maybe your battery falls off the bike, then they might let go :lol: ).

The different color housings are also keyed, so AFAICR only the black and gray can be connected together, all the other colors are different keys, so they can't accidentally be hooked up. Usually they'd be used for different voltages, but you could also just use them that way to ensure you never hook battery to phase, etc. They are all also polarity protected, in that they can't be hooked up backwards.


For the powerpoles, the 15A, 30A, and 45A are all identical sizes except for the size of the hole in the contact that you insert the wire into for crimping.

 

[dogman dan]

45 amp powerpoles should be adequate for the paralell connections. After that, depends on the amps your controller will pull, and the guage you will use. 45 amp andersons do up to 10 guage ok. Chances are, the nanotechs come with either 10 guage wire, or 8 guage. 8 guage is hard to attach a 45 amp anderson to. No way you can use any smaller ones. 35 amp contacts max out on 12 guage wire.

My own setups use no more than 40 amp controllers, so I just use 45 amp andersons and 12 guage wire. I'm not melting anything at 2500 watts. Well, except a motor. But the wiring is fine.

 

[NeilP]

For the powerpoles, the 15A, 30A, and 45A are all identical sizes except for the size of the hole in the contact that you insert the wire into for crimping.

.


Crimp...nah...I think I'll solder if I can


Yes, I see the 15-45 are all the same size external now...and up to 10 different colours.

How many different wires out of the hub in total..2 power? 3 power? and how many hall wires? sorry the motor is a 5304?

 

[spinningmagnets]

I am a big fan of the XT60 connectors, buy the raw ones from Hobby-King if you want this style, they are very easy to solder to (plus some 5mm heat-shrink). 60A contiuous, 95A peak. Join the male/female pairs while soldering the wire ends to them, one out of ten droop a little from the high soldering iron heat (MUCH hotter than it will ever get on the bike).

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9572

For the Andersons, nothing wrong with them. You can tin the leads, crimp, and then reheat to bond the solder to the pin-socket. I am not a fan of dry-crimp, and I add solder to joints even if they are not designed for that. Heres a pic of what I do to automotive spade connectors:

 

[Doctorbass]

Guys.. never forget that the contact rating is according to the wire gauge size!!!

The contact rating is dependent of the temperature.. and what decrease temperature on a connector is the wire that connect to it.

The bigger wire is the more current the contact of the connector can cary. it's due to heat transfer that is better on bigger cooper mass.. cooper surface ( bigger wire)

ex: with the connector PP30 Anderson powerpole rated 30A i can continuously sustain 40A no prob when crimping to a 10 AWG rire

Btw.. for those who thing that soldering is better tahn crimping... it's almost wrong!

the resistance of solder compared to the resistance of the wire and connector at better proximity is higher.

best is doing both! crimp... than solder!!!

The crimp hesp for better current carying and the solder hesp for the heat transfer from the connector to the wire strands.

The phase current of mo hub motor is around 250A and i still use the pp30 no prob!

Btw.. the i consider that the pp30 are better than the pp45. easier to assemble and better surface uniformity.. so better contact rating.

yes... 40A continuous on pp30 with 10AWG work.

Doc

 

[liveforphysics]

Heres a pic of what I do to automotive spade connectors:

You wicked it bro. The advantage of doing the loop over thing is letting one side stay un-tinned and flexible, yet mechanically restrained by the other side.

When you solder both sides, and right out the terminal like that, you end up with a stress-riser failure point, and roughly zero% lower resistance than just soldering 1 side and leaving the outgoing side flexible as it exits the connector.

 

[spinningmagnets]

I never thought about that, but after re-reading your response, I am certain you are right. The wire would crack right where it changes from solder to the raw copper strands. Now, I will tin the outer half of the J-bend, and leave the first half flexible...

My interest in adding solder to a crimp-joint is not to improve conductivity (though that may improve perhaps), but...I have seen corrosion build up between the copper wire and the crimp-shell (in old cars). I know that was near the ocean in humid air, but solder is cheap...

 

[NeilP]

Yes thanks for all that..
My reasoning for crimping and then soldering is the same as mentioned...corrosion.

I live near the sea, and used to be a farmer. I have dealt with loads of vehicle electrics, from farm vehicles to tractors use by fisherman on the beach. 90 % of electrical problems usually stem from corrosion, either between two halves of a connector or where the wire is crimped in to the connector. I always use the Lucas crimp style connectors...not because I like them but because they are readily available...But I always strip them down, crimp, solder, and then heat shrink the wire and connector.

Cheers

Neil

 

[dogman dan]

Yep, the sea makes a difference. Here in the dust, 800 miles from sea one way and 700 the other, it's crimp city baby.

But they do have to be good solid crimps. 8) Not crude ones made with a wire stripper or fence pliers. The other factor for me, I don't run any 100 amps stuff yet. So that allows me to use 12 guage wire and 45 amp contacts for most everything.

The motor will have three high current phase wires, so a pair each of blue, green, and yellow housings. Most use much smaller stuff for the 5 halls wires that only carry a few volts and nearly no amps. Andersons could be used, but they would be bulky overkill for the hall wires. Many kits nowdays come with a six wire plug with 5 wires in it. Inside are some tiny spade connectors.

 

[NeilP]

Ok, thanks


Just so i am clear

The motor will have three high current phase wires, so a pair each of blue, green, and yellow housings.

so that is 6 heavy phase ones...three pairs...each pair in an outer...like a two conductor wire. and the 5 hall effect signal wires

 

[NeilP]

for crimping, i use one of these





http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-35574-Ratchet-Action-Terminal-Crimping/dp/B0001K9TGA

 

[icecube57]

Just an Idea Ive been throwing around this double plug idea to increase the rating of an Anderson plug To make it more reliable in high current use. It uses double the connectors but you have less heating and fatigue and even if you have a bad crimp both connectors should still be able to share current somewhat reliably.

I personally didnt have any problems unless it was a bad crimp. Even then the crimp wasnt bad. If you use wire that is to small for the connector they will fit loose in the connector and have a poor connection creating excess heat in the connector. It was eventually connector stress and fatigue that took them out. I now use clips to hold two plugs together. I also try not to have the wires coming out of the back of connector at extreme angles. I try to slide connectors together whenever i can. The over all connector tension increases with the more power poles you use. Also on small diameter wire I use hot melt to act as strain relief so the contact doesnt feel loose in the connector.

Ive had cases where the wire was so hot that it melted the insulation of the wire and the housing. There are times that ive had it only happen on one phase wire. If the wire is noticeably warm and hotter towards the connector you have a bad Anderson contact and or housing that needs to be replaced. With this method Im trying to reduce the chances of all of the above.


I agree with Doc. I think the pp30 does make a more reliable connection. It has a much wider lip and the lip fills the width of the connector. This doesnt allow the connector to wiggle around side to side. The pp45 has a tapered lip and often it will sit offset in the housing or cocked to the sided not allowing it to mate perfectly with the other contact.

 

[scoot]

While these splitters are VERY expensive , they can be a slick way of paralleling in up to 4 sets of batteries and transitioning to the heavier duty 75 amp PPs for carrying the cumulative higher current to your controller.

http://www.powerwerx.com/powerpole-power-splitters/ps-75-45-4.html

 

[icecube57]

I looked at those. They are sweet!