Best 6 Gauge Wire Battery Connector

[Alex698]

We are attempting to replace to set of battery connectors for standard FIRST batteries (18/20AMP), both fell apart, what has worked or not worked in past and present years. Remember this is for an off-season project, so anything goes! Let me know what you think, Thanks-Alex

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Alex,
The Power Pole connector line is very reliable and has connectors available up to 200 amp. We used the 100 amp for many years before the 50 amp red polarized, became the law of the land. You can obtain the contacts and bodies from McMaster Carr or any other Anderson dealer. Normal Power Pole connectors can be polarized by rotating one of the connector bodies to be 90 degrees away from the adjacent one when you assemble the two. Of course, you do need to make every one the same since they are not inherently marked as positive or negative.

[Alex698]

Ok, let me rephrase my question, i need connectors from the battery to the 6 gauge wire. Thank you. Powerpoles are awesome.

[skimoose]

By far the best connectors for main power are compression connectors like these! (http://happyterminals.com/index.php?cPath=21_44_149_203) If you use the correct compression tool, these connectors will never come apart. That means don't use the wire stripper/crimpers that come in the KOP. Go to an electrical supply house and get a set of hand crimpers designed for these larger connectors. Tools similar to this (http://www.dale-electric.com/detail.php?itemnumber=30-425) will work, but a heavier tool like this (http://www.dale-electric.com/detail.php?itemnumber=50010) would work better. There are also battery powered, and hydraulic crimping tools which are the best, but very expensive. Yes, these tools can be a bit pricey, but you won't be disappointed. :)

Try finding a local electrical contractor who has one of these tools, I'm sure they'd be happy to press your connectors. Best of all, these compression connectors were legal by the 2006 rules! :D

[Al Skierkiewicz]

I have found that crimping the connectors that Art shows in the corner of a vice works OK. Place the connector in the vice at a 45 degree angle with only half the connector in the jaws. Crimp half the connector at the corner then turn over and crimp the othe half. The result will leave an "X" shape on the connector. Follow with a good solder job and insulate with heatshrink. These connectors are available in small quantities at Home Depot and other home stores.

[eugenebrooks]

We are attempting to replace to set of battery connectors for standard FIRST batteries (18/20AMP), both fell apart, what has worked or not worked in past and present years. Remember this is for an off-season project, so anything goes! Let me know what you think, Thanks-Alex

We use megalugs, made by Spectro Wire and Cable.
http://www.spectrowireandcable.com/products/mega_lugs_6-2_gauge.php
and the "Hex Crimper Sr" from the same company to install them.
http://www.spectrowireandcable.com/products/crimping_tools.php

We use the anderson connectors from
http://www.powerwerx.com/
and reuse the plastic housings, buying new contacts for them.
We use the "Hex Crimper Jr" from Spectro to crimp these contacts on.

Heat shrink the battery lugs, but do not heat shrink the contacts for the anderson connectors.
Heat shrink will keep the contacts in the anderson connector from making good spring loaded contact.

If you want to get good reliability from a lesser setup you have to tin, crimp, and then solder, as mentioned by other posters.

As an added note, we replace the connector on the backup battery with the miniature power pole connectors.
The connector on the backup battery can be intermittent and this can cause problems with your robot controller.
You can keep this from happening by replacing these connectors with the miniature powerpole connectors that provide a positive spring loaded contact.
http://www.powerwerx.com/category.asp?CtgID=3578
The 15 amp version of this connector is what you need for the backup battery.

Have fun,
Eugene

[Nitroxextreme]

I have found that crimping the connectors that Art shows in the corner of a vice works OK. Place the connector in the vice at a 45 degree angle with only half the connector in the jaws. Crimp half the connector at the corner then turn over and crimp the othe half. The result will leave an "X" shape on the connector. Follow with a good solder job and insulate with heatshrink. These connectors are available in small quantities at Home Depot and other home stores.

I agree completely...last year we move from the lugs to the regular "crimpable" connections. The Vice, solder, shrink wrap method worked perfectly for us.

[Richard Wallace]

I have found that crimping the connectors that Art shows in the corner of a vice works OK. Place the connector in the vice at a 45 degree angle with only half the connector in the jaws. Crimp half the connector at the corner then turn over and crimp the othe half. The result will leave an "X" shape on the connector. Follow with a good solder job and insulate with heatshrink. These connectors are available in small quantities at Home Depot and other home stores.When used correctly (for example, following the method Al describes above) crimp type terminals work well. When used correctly, the lugs (http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?p=638) provided in the 2006 FRC kit also work well.

Please remember also to secure and insulate the finished connection between the 6 AWG cable terminal and the battery terminal. Locking nuts or lock washers should be used to ensure that the screw will not work loose, and shrink tubing or a good multi-layer tape job should be used to ensure that the battery terminals won't accidentally get short-circuited.

On a closely related subject -- I consider temporary removal of the battery terminal insulation, for the purpose of attaching battery charger alligator clips, to be an unsafe practice. Fitting your battery charger with Anderson connectors (1) prevents incorrect polarity connection to the battery and (2) prevents accidental battery terminal shorting.

I know this thread is about an off-season project. I also know that safety is a habit, not an option that can be turned on or off at will. The available fault current from an 18Ah lead acid battery (http://www2.usfirst.org/2005comp/Specs/batex.pdf) is a hazard that we should respect.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

I fully agree with Rich on this, if you are not confidant on using the crimp style lugs, the version provided in the 2006 kit (not 2005) are appropriate alternates. They can also be soldered with a 50 watt iron and always follow up with insulation on both the terminal and lug. All exposed metal should be covered. I have seen smoke and fire from alligator clips, steel wool, a dropped wrench, and a dangling metal bracelet falling across exposed electrical contacts.

The practice of adding a mating battery plug to the charger is the best way to go. Anything else invites disaster in the form of shorted leads, fire, damaged terminals and failed battery chargers.