Connector Question

[Wferr]

Hello Fellow FRC'ers I have a quick question about the legality of using a type of connector..

I've read the manual and i don't see anything against it. But i wanted to double check.

Would these be a valid connector for use on a 40 Amp protected circuits? They are rated for 60 Amp Cont. But i'm not sure if there is some strange rule against using them.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__9572__Nylon_XT60_Connectors_Male_Female_5_pairs_ GENUINE.html

Thanks!

[rich2202]

I believe the only connector that has a restriction is the Battery Connector. Aside from that, use whatever works for you.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Although there is no rule that relates to connectors, these are rated for only 60 amp. While the breaker is rated for 40 amps, it is designed to handle 600% over current for brief periods of time. The CIM motors stall at 131 amps. If you were using these for a CIM motor, I would expect them to fail in a stall condition. After doing some research, I could not find that these connectors are UL rated. Lacking the UL label makes them suspect for the 60 amp rating. The Anderson Power Products connector line is UL rated and tightly tested as an example.

[MrForbes]

That looks like the connector that my brother's team is using on their robot. He's a sharp cookie on this electrical stuff....maybe he will chime in

[FrankJ]

Realizing the battery connector for the robot is only rated for 50amps.... The Hobby King is a solder connector. If the socket takes a 12 gauge wire, I would use it & observed if works. I expect it will be fine. If the connector doesn't take 12 gauge wire without trimming strands, I would use something else regardless of legality.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Frank,
Knowing the testing on the 50 amp connector that was performed at UL, that connector can take considerable current without fail for our two minute match. I cannot believe the claim that a Chinese company has made on a part that is not UL listed. I think anyone can look at the two connectors and think that maybe the smaller one is over rated.

[Sperkowsky]

Looks completely fine I can't see why it wouldn't be legal but then again I'm not a ref.

[EricH]

Looks completely fine I can't see why it wouldn't be legal but then again I'm not a ref.

Not the ref's problem, mind you.

It's a problem for the inspectors to catch (or miss). In my case, I tend to defer to Al on electrical matters.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Sam,
There is no rule that would take precedent here. This is a matter of "does the part provide the required current without possibility of failure in our use". I am saying that while cool, I wouldn't use it for a 30 amp motor. I don't want a failure at the worst moment on Einstein.

[JDL]

Legal, yeah. Good idea eh...

Anderson powerpoles are the industry standard for this type of connector. Not only is the bulk of their product UL listed and tested to various UL standards they also provide their own inrush testing and temperature rise charts.

The RC hobby shop stuff is just that, hobby stuff.