Battery xt90s loop key, - as switch on triangle battery

[Tor]

Is there a reason why the loop key has to be the female plug?

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The battery side shall normally have the female plug, since this gives less risk that the plug by accident is shorted.
Consequently, I would have thought that it would be the same when using an xt90s as loop key? I.e. on the wire from the battery I put the female plug and then make a male loop key which I connect when I want to power up my system.

However, I see that the skateboarders use it the opposite way: male plug on the wire and female loop key (see photos)



Anyway, I thank the guys for great idea of using xt90s as loop key.
I will make xt90s as a key to switch on/off power from my triangle batteries. This way I can also wire the front- and tail lights to come on automatically when I connect the loop key. And it's a tiny bit more difficult for someone to drive off with the bike without the loop key.

Happy for any advice or thoughts guys?
Should the key be male or female?

 

[Tor]

Just installed my xt90s loop key - works like a charm

* Bike now only works with loop key plugged in
* Lights (front and rear) come on automatically when I plug in the loop key
* GPS tracker has power directly from the bike battery, also when loop key is out

Simple and low cost
I thank the skateboarders from whom I stole the idea

 

[spinningmagnets]

Its a smart move to have the loop key the same as the battery connector, to eliminate the possibility of dead shorting the battery by accident (both are female?). There are enough connector styles that I would even go so far as to make a loop key out of a completely different connector style.

I recently made dummy plugs as covers for the charger plug on my Luna batteries. I gooped the wire sockets with liquid tape (a rubbery insulator that dries firm), and then epoxied a loop of cord as a finger-pull. It's very unlikely that the charging plug from the battery would ever short onto something, but I just feel better knowing the pins are covered.

Some battery packs don't have a separate charger plug, so they have to be unplugged from the controller to plug in the charger. My Luna pack has a female anti-spark XT90 connector on the battery side, and a separate XT60 male for charging. I think it is vital for the battery connector, the charging connector, and any loop key that you make be as different as possible. Even if you are certain you'd never plug them in wrong, imagine a kid standing nearby who is playing with the plugs, like leggos...it only takes a second to fry an entire expensive battery pack.

 

[Tor]

it is vital for the battery connector, the charging connector, and any loop key that you make be as different as possible. Even if you are certain you'd never plug them in wrong, imagine a kid standing nearby who is playing with the plugs, like leggos...it only takes a second to fry an entire expensive battery pack.

That's a good safety advice - thanks

For now I will close my battery plugs with tape.

I have had a hard time finding a connector that matches XT90s (solid+takes water splash+easy plug/unplug+high capacity+OK to solder+antispark)
I have used Anderson and xt60, but they are not the same league as XT90s in my opinion.

Any other good plugs around?

 

[docnjoj]

Good info on that Luna battery. I just ordered one with a charger and I have some XT90 connectors but no XT60. Nice to know that the charger comes with the same as the battery.
otherDoc

 

[pullin-gs]

....ages old thread, but thought I'd reply with thanks.
I never thought of using loop-plug.
I blew 2 30amp switches and was searching for a reliable alternative when I stumbled on this thread.

 

[Grantmac]

Old thread I know:

Reason to do the loop key as shown originally is because eventually the resistor fails in those XT90S and this way the wear item is part of the "key".

In theory if you plugged a battery in there without another one also plugged in you wouldn't complete a circuit anyways. If worried about water (parking outside) I'd just install a dummy key with no connection.

This seems like something I'll integrate on a future build since I like the simplicity.