RC Battery Connector Types

RC battery connectors deliver energy from the battery to the main unit in most common RC vehicles.

RC batteries use a wide variety of connector types to deliver power to the engines, ignitions or motors of radio controlled vehicles. Each connector goes through strenuous testing designed to determine its amperage rating. Manufacturers use low amperage connectors for sparking ignitions or powering very small RC toys; higher amperage connectors may help power entire RC boats, planes and cars.

Low Amperage Connectors

Tamiya connectors offer a two-pronged connection to an ignition or small motor and were once a very popular connector type. The Tamiya company created these connectors for some of the earliest electric radio controlled models and more powerful batteries have come along that replace the need for such weak connectors. Many very small, or micro, helicopters make use of JST connectors. These tiny connectors work off of small batteries to provide five minutes or more of flight. Both Tamiya and JST connectors come with a maximum rating of 5 continuous amps.

Mid-range Connectors

Two major mid-range connectors exist. EC3 connectors possess a bullet-pin connection that matches up with the male and female ends of the battery. These connectors have obvious D-shaped and circular housing, which prevents backwards hookup of the devices. Graupner or Schulze PP35 connectors function similarly to EC3 connectors, but use a larger circular side to prevent misalignment of the power supply. Users can remove the metal bullet pins of Graupner and EC3 connectors for easy cleaning and troubleshooting. Both the Graupner connectors and the more popular EC3 units possess a maximum rating of 60 continuous amps.

High-end Connectors

Large battery powered RC vehicles require connectors rated at 100 continuous amps or more. EC5 connectors can power many of the largest vehicles and 1:4 scale models. These connectors look very similar to the EC3 models, but have longer plastic and metal components. Traxxas, one of the largest RC manufacturers, makes its own custom connectors as well. Traxxas connectors use flattened bullet pins and square housing to deliver energy directly to the target unit. Available EC5 connectors offer ratings up to 120 continuous amps, while Traxxas connectors possess up to 100.

References

• RC Helicopter Fun: Understanding RC LiPo Batteries
• "The R/C Car Bible"; Robert Schleicher; 2006
• "Getting Started in Radio Control Airplanes"; Gerry Yarrish; 2000

Resources

• RCGroups.com: Batteries and Chargers