[NSRCA-discussion] Arming Plug/Receptacle Problem

[Jay Marshall]

"Wiping" contacts are always preferred.

 

Jay Marshall 

-----Original Message-----
From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of
AtwoodDon at aol.com
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 11:33 AM
To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Arming Plug/Receptacle Problem

 

Ron, you are right that the Dean's connectors are less prone to loosing
contact due to wear because of the way the contacts work.  The tips of the
plug may wear due to spark, but the mating surfaces do not.  I have hundreds
of flights using my Deans arming plug with no issues.  Tips show errosion
due to sparks but the mating surfaces show none of the erossion.

 

The is supposedly a way to allow the capacitors of the ESC to charge slowly
by using a resistor in the circuit to pass current more slowly to charge the
capacitors.  I have not done this but if you do a search in RCU or RCG, you
will probably find the info.  I have also heard there is a recommendation to
not do this because the ESC may power up with less than minimum required
voltage and the logic may not work correctly.  Like I said, I have not done
this, just passing on what I have heard.

 

Don

 

In a message dated 2/9/2009 8:09:26 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
vanputte at cox.net writes:

I have a problem which I am sure many other E-powered airplane owners  
have that I'd like to solve.  I use an arming plug to connect the two  
5S Lipo packs to the ESC.  On initial contact of the arming plug with  
the receptacle, there's a big spark thrown.  Eventually the contacts  
on the arming plug and receptacle get burned to the point where the  
electrical contact is very bad.  Yesterday I had to land my airplane  
deadstick because (I think) the ESC saw what it thought was low  
voltage out of the battery that was actually due to the burned arming  
plug/receptacle contacts.  BTW, I am using high-amp Anderson Power  
Pole connectors, which are probably more susceptible to having the  
contacts burned than would Deans Ultra connectors.

  I have thought about putting a BIG capacitor in parallel with the  
arming plug, that would damp the initial current surge which causes  
the spark.  The capacitor could be removed before flight.  However,  
I'm wondering if there's a more elegant solution.

Ron Van Putte

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