Using Anderson PowerPoles

[ksafin]

Our team decided to get Anderson PowerPoles this year to improve on our electric wiring and organization.

I wanted to get the opinion of other teams who have used APP's in the past about where best and how best to utilize them, IE:

Crimping to end of motor wires?
Crimping straight to motor controllers?
Crimping to a small wire right out of PDB outlets?

Just a few ideas; I'd like to hear how you use them and maybe pictures if you can.

[Steven Donow]

Our team decided to get Anderson PowerPoles this year to improve on our electric wiring and organization.

I wanted to get the opinion of other teams who have used APP's in the past about where best and how best to utilize them, IE:

Crimping to end of motor wires?
Crimping straight to motor controllers?
Crimping to a small wire right out of PDB outlets?

Just a few ideas; I'd like to hear how you use them and maybe pictures if you can.

We plan on using them this year, and odds are, we're probably crimping them right to the end of the motor wires. IMO, the two most likely things to fail (that APPs could be used with) would be speed controllers and motors. If a speed controller fails, all you need to do is to unscrew terminals, remove the controller, and replace it. If a motor fails, no matter what you have to take the motors out, so it's easier to just unplug the APPs then having to replace the wire/tape it back onto the motor/solder it back on to the motor.

[androb4]

We have not used these yet but plan on doing so soon. I think we will be crimping them on every (current legal) motor in our bins, and make adapters for motors with connecters like FPs and just use the APP as our standard connector; making it easy to mix and match different motors easily.

[Jon Stratis]

I've seen teams use them on the ends of motors... It can be pretty useful if you have to swap out a motor between matches.

We use them as an interface between any removable component. For example, the entire electrical board can be unplugged from the robot pretty quickly. Last year, our shooter was removable, so we had additional plugs between the shooter and the rest of the robot.

[protoserge]

Double check the amperage rating if attaching to your CIMs before buying/crimping.

They are very helpful, as others have noted. You can secure the APP connecting the two halves of the circuit together with a zip tie if you are afraid they might come undone (highly unlikely).

[Dale]

We tend to also use them so that the control systems folks can continue wiring things without being in the way of the mechanical people. You can wire your whole control board, put connectors on the end of the motors, and them snap the whole thing together at the end jiffy quick.

On the flip side of the coin the connectors are a major source of failure if not done properly. Make sure you give each wire a good tug after it's assembled. If the wire comes out ... well it shouldn't have. We've had more failures due to improperly crimped or assembled connectors than we have ANY other component in the electrical system.

Be sure to get the proper crimp too (http://www.powerwerx.com/powerpole-accessories/tricrimp-crimping-powerpole-contacts.html)l for the connectors.

[iambujo]

We use them for all motor connections. This will be our second or third year using them. They make a huge difference for reliability, parts replacement and cleanliness. For 2729, they are a must.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Kirill,
We have used these for many years. While we mostly use them for motors, we do use them anywhere we feel that quick removal and replacement of a module is needed. In dual motor configurations, we will assemble the blocks for four contacts so that all motor connections make at once. It is imperative that you provide some method to keep the connections from coming apart. We will either ty-wrap to chassis parts on both sides of the connection, use a ty-wrapp across the connection or we will use the actual locking block that you can obtain from APP dealers. The contacts can be made to work with #10 wire by slightly opening the body of the contact before inserting the wire. Of course using the actual crimper designed for these contacts is a must. You can obtain one from West Mountain Radio, the same place that sells the CBAIII battery analyzer.

[ksafin]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

We actually received a set of 25 Anderson Power Poles and the crimping tool that all of you are citing last year at an FTC Build-It-Day (Donated by Rockwell Collins).

We never used it for our FTC Team, but wanted to use it on our FRC bot this year so we purchased a set of 200 connections, and we already have the tool to crimp them.

Just wanted to get your feedback on the locations of where to best utilize them, and I got exactly that!

[Mr. Lim]

We crimp APPs to every motor on our robot. We have a standard pigtail length, and zip tie the APPs + pigtails in such a way to provide strain relief.

This makes swapping out failed motors very straightforward, and ensures all our spare motors will always fit, without having to rewire anything.

We do the same with our sensors by putting PWM connectors on a standard pigtail length.

At the speed controller, we do not use APPs. Instead we use standard crimp quick-disconnects in combination with these:

http://www.digikey.ca/product-search/en?x=0&y=0&lang=en&site=ca&KeyWords=42095-1

They make swapping out failed speed controllers a breeze - but we also usually mount one spare speed controller of each type on the board. These disconnects also make swapping a motor over to a spare motor controller very easy. We keep a few quick disconnect extension cables handy - male on one end, female on the other. In a pinch we can move a motor from a failed motor controller to the spare, and make a quick code change.

After doing this for a few years, it also makes prototyping go smoother, because all your motors and sensors a plug and play!

[Al Skierkiewicz]

I should have added that for extra added protection we follow the crimp with solder. Yeah it is sort of like suspenders and a belt.

[SteveGarward]

We use them everywhere - on all motors, and even things like the bridge and camera power, if we have to cover a long distance. Basically, we go:
PD board (bare wire/WAGO) -> motor controller -> APP -> motor

This makes motors easily interchangeable. We secure these connections with a zip tie during competitions rather than the roll pins as it's quicker to get them apart.

When using the APP on the bridge and camera power, we then put APP's on the plug pack as well, so we can still use wall power if we want to.

[ksafin]

Do any of you have pictures of your APP setups and uses?

[Mr. Lim]

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/img/9be/9be03422d47d90d838567ee5e46e104b_l.jpg

But you've seen this already... :p

APPs are crimped and ziptied to 6 of 7 CIMs pictured above.

[AllenGregoryIV]

We used them everywhere last year. There is a picture of our speed controller board in this blog post. (http://3847.blogspot.com/2012/01/build-day-25-three-week-to-go.html)

We're going to continue using them for motors but will be using the method that Mr. Lim and Al have suggested for speedcontrollers and other wiring. Standard pigtails and strain reliefs are very important for the motor wires. Also make some Anderson extension cables and also a Large (SB50 Battery) Anderson to Powerpole converter cable. We use the converter for quick motor tests (safer than alligator clips) and also for hooking up batteries to our new CBA (Battery analyzer)

[Jon Stratis]

I should have added that for extra added protection we follow the crimp with solder. Yeah it is sort of like suspenders and a belt.

We do this as well. In fact, we solder every connector on the robot, after crimping. It's just too easy to get a bad crimp and thus a loose wire.

[JDL]

I personally hate when people go all quick connect happy. Motors make sense, so do things on removable parts of the robot, like an arm with motor(s), switches, sensors, that can be easily removed for repairs, but every circuit seems like overkill.

[djdaugherty]

We started using Anderson PowerPole connectors last year and we love them. We purchased the crimp tool from West Mountain Radio. Does anyone else have the problem of the crimped end getting stuck in the crimper? We need to pry each one out. Any suggestions?

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Either the terminal is upside down, you are using the small section or there is a problem with the crimper. The terminal should insert into the tool in the center port (if you are using the 35 amp contacts) with the contact area up. Can you post a picture of the contact after you crimp?

[Jon Stratis]

We have had the same problem with the 45A contacts, but the PP30's and PP15's seem to work just fine. Most of the time when it happens, we spray a little WD-40 onto the tool and it helps.

[DonRotolo]

Does anyone else have the problem of the crimped end getting stuck in the crimper? We need to pry each one out. Any suggestions? or there is a problem with the crimper. we spray a little WD-40 onto the tool and it helps.
We also see the same issue.

What appears to be happening is that small 'ears' form on the crimped terminal because of metal getting squeezed into where it shouldn't, making it get a little stuck in the tool.

We keep the terminal cavities lightly greased, this nearly eliminates the problem. Just a little swipe with a q-tip that's greasy is enough.

[djdaugherty]

A dab of white lightning and we are all set! Thank you everyone. Al - we are using the 45A connectors and the last hole on the crimper.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Dj,
Still it doesn't seem right. Does it seem to you that you have to really hog down on the tool before it releases? It may be misadjusted.

[kyle1997]

Can anyone give me a link or part number for the West Mountain Radio Crimp Tool? I googled it...but there were way to many diffrent crimpers.

[roystur44]

We use them on the all our motors except the CIM. We took a minibot 12 volt power pack and added a double throw switch with a set of connectors. We then use the fixture to test our manipulators without having to wire up the electronics. We can power our compressor and test our pneumatics

Here is a good place to buy them from.

http://www.powerwerx.com

[Jon Stratis]

Can anyone give me a link or part number for the West Mountain Radio Crimp Tool? I googled it...but there were way to many diffrent crimpers.

http://www.westmountainradio.com/product_info.php?products_id=PWRcrimp

[Bill_B]

We use them on the all our motors except the CIM. ...

Why not use them on the CIMs?

[AllenGregoryIV]

Why not use them on the CIMs?

We don't use them on our drive CIMs either, they are close enough to their speed controllers that we just use the yellow female tabs and the small tab connectors on the speed controllers.

[roystur44]

Why not use them on the CIMs?

We locate the speed controllers to have the shortest length of wire. No need to add a connector for a drive train motor. If we use the CIM for a manipulator motor we would add in the connector. It makes changing the motors out so much easier year to year.