Ultra Deans Connector problem in RX install
06-13-2012, 08:46 AM
#1
Ultra Deans Connector problem in RX install
Discovered an issue with a powersafe RX install that I have had in place for about a year. Two batteries connected to a powersafe receiver via Ultra Deans connectors. The problem is that both connections are intermittent... wiggling the connectors around will complete or break the connection periodically. Problem seems to be on the Male side as I have tried different batteries (female side) and get similar results. Both male and female connectors are genuine Deans and appear to be in good shape with no corrosion, springs intact and not flattened, etc. Solder joints have been inspected and are good, and wire is not crimped or damaged. Luckily, I found this on the ground but I'm concerned about using this style of connectors for RX power now. May have to go back to EC3 connectors as much as I dislike the difficulty unplugging them.
Anyone else come across this problem with Ultra Deans connectors?
KennyMac
Anyone else come across this problem with Ultra Deans connectors?
KennyMac
06-13-2012, 09:11 AM
#2
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RE: Ultra Deans Connector problem in RX install
Ihave seen a similar problem with two planes where Iconnect my battery, all is well and then a few minutes later the RX is off and if Idemate and mate things they are ok again. Both planes have more than 200 flights.
How long have you had these connectors in use?
Jim D
How long have you had these connectors in use?
Jim D
06-13-2012, 09:12 AM
#3
My Feedback: (2)
RE: Ultra Deans Connector problem in RX install
ORIGINAL: GR7Racer
Discovered an issue with a powersafe RX install that I have had in place for about a year. Two batteries connected to a powersafe receiver via Ultra Deans connectors. The problem is that both connections are intermittent... wiggling the connectors around will complete or break the connection periodically. Problem seems to be on the Male side as I have tried different batteries (female side) and get similar results. Both male and female connectors are genuine Deans and appear to be in good shape with no corrosion, springs intact and not flattened, etc. Solder joints have been inspected and are good, and wire is not crimped or damaged. Luckily, I found this on the ground but I'm concerned about using this style of connectors for RX power now. May have to go back to EC3 connectors as much as I dislike the difficulty unplugging them.
Anyone else come across this problem with Ultra Deans connectors?
KennyMac
Discovered an issue with a powersafe RX install that I have had in place for about a year. Two batteries connected to a powersafe receiver via Ultra Deans connectors. The problem is that both connections are intermittent... wiggling the connectors around will complete or break the connection periodically. Problem seems to be on the Male side as I have tried different batteries (female side) and get similar results. Both male and female connectors are genuine Deans and appear to be in good shape with no corrosion, springs intact and not flattened, etc. Solder joints have been inspected and are good, and wire is not crimped or damaged. Luckily, I found this on the ground but I'm concerned about using this style of connectors for RX power now. May have to go back to EC3 connectors as much as I dislike the difficulty unplugging them.
Anyone else come across this problem with Ultra Deans connectors?
KennyMac
06-13-2012, 10:11 AM
#4
RE: Ultra Deans Connector problem in RX install
Connectors have been in use for about a year, but only about 50 flights. They are not secured to the airframe, so wear from vibration should not be much of an issue. They don't even touch any parts of the airframe as they are suspended between the RX and battery.
Soldering was done to each connector while it was mated to the opposite connector to prevent the prongs from becoming misaligned. Are you suggesting that this might actually cause a misalignment?
Problem seems to be related to the male connectors on the RX as different batteries with different female connectors produce similar, although not exact, intermittent results. Other males have been tried with the same batteries (female connections) with no problems.
I did find an old RCU thread with somebody with the same problem, and he cured it by replacing the connectors. I'd like to know why this problem is showing up on connectors that appear to be perfect. If the alignment tolerances are so small and these connectors are that finicky, I'm not likely to keep using them on my installs. Hoping somebody will have a smoking gun on what I might have done wrong to make these things flaky.
Thanks for your replies so far.
KennyMac
Soldering was done to each connector while it was mated to the opposite connector to prevent the prongs from becoming misaligned. Are you suggesting that this might actually cause a misalignment?
Problem seems to be related to the male connectors on the RX as different batteries with different female connectors produce similar, although not exact, intermittent results. Other males have been tried with the same batteries (female connections) with no problems.
I did find an old RCU thread with somebody with the same problem, and he cured it by replacing the connectors. I'd like to know why this problem is showing up on connectors that appear to be perfect. If the alignment tolerances are so small and these connectors are that finicky, I'm not likely to keep using them on my installs. Hoping somebody will have a smoking gun on what I might have done wrong to make these things flaky.
Thanks for your replies so far.
KennyMac
06-13-2012, 10:35 AM
#5
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RE: Ultra Deans Connector problem in RX install
You can't really inspect a solder joint. It can look ok and still be bad. The easiest, safest thing to do is replace the connectors.
06-13-2012, 10:40 AM
#6
My Feedback: (2)
RE: Ultra Deans Connector problem in RX install
ORIGINAL: GR7Racer
Connectors have been in use for about a year, but only about 50 flights. They are not secured to the airframe, so wear from vibration should not be much of an issue. They don't even touch any parts of the airframe as they are suspended between the RX and battery.
Soldering was done to each connector while it was mated to the opposite connector to prevent the prongs from becoming misaligned. Are you suggesting that this might actually cause a misalignment?
Problem seems to be related to the male connectors on the RX as different batteries with different female connectors produce similar, although not exact, intermittent results. Other males have been tried with the same batteries (female connections) with no problems.
I did find an old RCU thread with somebody with the same problem, and he cured it by replacing the connectors. I'd like to know why this problem is showing up on connectors that appear to be perfect. If the alignment tolerances are so small and these connectors are that finicky, I'm not likely to keep using them on my installs. Hoping somebody will have a smoking gun on what I might have done wrong to make these things flaky.
Thanks for your replies so far.
KennyMac
Connectors have been in use for about a year, but only about 50 flights. They are not secured to the airframe, so wear from vibration should not be much of an issue. They don't even touch any parts of the airframe as they are suspended between the RX and battery.
Soldering was done to each connector while it was mated to the opposite connector to prevent the prongs from becoming misaligned. Are you suggesting that this might actually cause a misalignment?
Problem seems to be related to the male connectors on the RX as different batteries with different female connectors produce similar, although not exact, intermittent results. Other males have been tried with the same batteries (female connections) with no problems.
I did find an old RCU thread with somebody with the same problem, and he cured it by replacing the connectors. I'd like to know why this problem is showing up on connectors that appear to be perfect. If the alignment tolerances are so small and these connectors are that finicky, I'm not likely to keep using them on my installs. Hoping somebody will have a smoking gun on what I might have done wrong to make these things flaky.
Thanks for your replies so far.
KennyMac
There are some nice Soldering Jigs that make it easier to solder numerous types of connectors including Deans Ultra, CC Bullet Connectors, etc. I usually put each Deans Ultra connector in a vice and solder to the face of each pin. There are also Adapters, from MPI, that have a round hole on one side, for the wire, and two flat surfaces on the other side to solder on either side of each Deans Ultra pin.
