Help with connectors :P

Zeligman

Member
Hi All - i'm new - just started my first build - explorer, and im trying to setup electronics - i figured out how to bind the receiver and center the servos, but i cannot power the esc - which has an xt 60 connector, which does NOT match any of my battery connectors (i think it's jst ... see picture below... HELP please. i also had to pull off the cover of the spektrum ar620 to get any connectors to fit at all ... oh, and had to look up what channel was what - they didn't include it in the manual.

thanks everyone!!!

JF
 

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MiniacRC

Well-known member
What size battery are you planning to use? If it is small enough to come with the red jst connector it may be too small for the explorer, but don't take my word for it.
If you do end up using that battery and that esc, it will be best to convert your entire hobby setup to one connector. For example if you have or plan to buy many batteries with the jst connector, its worth buying and soldering the opposite jst connector onto your esc, having removed the xt60. Another option is to buy/solder an adapter between xt60 and jst. Please let us know if this helps.

Many folks here can help you out by providing links to buy the right stuff, etc. Happy hobby journeys! :)
 

joelspangler

Active member
The little red connector is usually called JST, and the yellow one on the ESC is an xt30 or xt60 - it's hard to tell scale - xt30's are a little less wide than a pinky finger. Xt60's are almost as wide as your thumb. Adapters are commonly available - you should be able to find one at your local hobby store, or order online. Genders are a little confusing with RC stuff - gender mostly goes by the inside connectors of the plug (multiple connectors inside) and not the over-all look of the plug. JST's seem to go by the main outside jacket... look at the pictures with whatever you order. If yours is an xt30, here's a link to a reasonably priced set of adapters for JST/XT30 - it converts both directions, so you know for sure you'll get the adapter you need - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MK8F1J9/?tag=lstir-20

Another option is to modify all of your planes to the same plug - I've converted everything I own to XT30 (Mini sized planes) or XT60 for larger planes. This makes charging easier, no more adapters to charge or an extra connection on a plane that might come loose during flight. I've gotten quite good at soldering them.

Lastly, be careful plugging directly into the reciever like that. The receiver is probably rated to take 5 to 7 volts as input voltage. A 3 cell battery like that is probably 11-12.6 volts depending on how much charge you have in it.
 
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Arcfyre

Elite member
It's been said, but you never want to plug the battery directly into the receiver. The fact that you had to take the cover off should have been a hint that something was wrong.

Your ESC contains internal circuitry called a BEC that safely steps down battery voltage to something your RX can handle. You should be plugging your battery into the ESC, and then the ESC into the RX. You'll either need to find a JST to XT60 connector, or chop the JST off the battery and solder on a matching XT60.
 

joelspangler

Active member
Totally missed that this is for an explorer - that battery pictured can't be more than a 3 cell 500mah battery - much too small for the Explorer. My 2200mah is barely large enough to ballance out that plane. I suppose it might be able to power the motor if you add lead weights to the front of the plane, but you'd likely have a 3 minute runtime with a very hot battery at the end of your flight (heat is bad for batteries).
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
Hi All - i'm new - just started my first build - explorer, and im trying to setup electronics - i figured out how to bind the receiver and center the servos, but i cannot power the esc - which has an xt 60 connector, which does NOT match any of my battery connectors (i think it's jst ... see picture below... HELP please. i also had to pull off the cover of the spektrum ar620 to get any connectors to fit at all ... oh, and had to look up what channel was what - they didn't include it in the manual.

thanks everyone!!!

JF
Here's my two cents. It's worth standardizing connectors. Many of us are standardizing with the XT60. It's beefy enough to handle most anything you'll want to do and it's easy to find the expensive bits with those connectors pre-soldered. If you're new to soldering, heat kills. It's best to buy parts with matched connectors.

You should NEVER have to remove the case from your receiver. You're about to be in for a world of hurt. The battery lead plugs into the ESC. The thick black and red wires. The esc has a little flat plug that goes into the receiver. Pay attention to positive and negative. Standard is for channel three to be the throttle, where the esc plugs into the RX. The esc also plugs into the motor. That's the three thick wires coming out of the esc.

Hollar back if you need more help. Good luck! :)
 

FDS

Elite member
As noted above you got in a right mess here!
First off, changing connectors is easy, just cut ONE wire on the battery at a time, then solder it to the new connector and insulate with heat shrink then do the next. NEVER cut both at once.
Here’s the correct way to plug that lot in.
3FC367E0-0598-4EE5-A36B-07266AFC9058.jpeg

Your ESC goes into CHANNEL 1, as Spektrum is TAER (Throttle,Aileron,Elevator,Rudder) The battery goes into the XT60 connector.
The reason you don’t plug the battery directly into the receiver is that they run off 5V, more than that will smoke them, how you got away with that this time I don’t know, but congratulate yourself on a narrow escape and DON’T plug battery voltage into radio gear again!
 

Zeligman

Member
Hi everyone - phew - glad i didn't do too much damage - i got the batteries mixed up =- thought the little one was for the explorer but it wasn;t! Thank you all so much for your help!!!! ok, next question - who uses what battery charger - or can recommend one?

-JF
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
I love these little chargers https://www.getfpv.com/isdt-q6-lite-smart-charger.html or pretty much any of the other smaller ISDT models. Lots of power, very easy to use, small and cheap enough that over time you can end up with a couple of them on the workbench. They do require buying or making a power supply separately - I use old laptop chargers and solder on the XT60 connector to power the charger.
 

Zeligman

Member
As noted above you got in a right mess here!
First off, changing connectors is easy, just cut ONE wire on the battery at a time, then solder it to the new connector and insulate with heat shrink then do the next. NEVER cut both at once.
Here’s the correct way to plug that lot in.
View attachment 142775
Your ESC goes into CHANNEL 1, as Spektrum is TAER (Throttle,Aileron,Elevator,Rudder) The battery goes into the XT60 connector.
The reason you don’t plug the battery directly into the receiver is that they run off 5V, more than that will smoke them, how you got away with that this time I don’t know, but congratulate yourself on a narrow escape and DON’T plug battery voltage into radio gear again!


ok, i hooked up the battery to the esc as you indicated above, but it started smoking... do i have a bad esc?
thnks!

-jf
 

Syro

Member
ok, i hooked up the battery to the esc as you indicated above, but it started smoking... do i have a bad esc?
thnks!

-jf
Ooof, you let out the magic smoke! Can you give a picture to how you have it setup? Don't plug the battery in again, just show the connectors and how you plugged them in.

Since electronics need magic smoke to work, you are likely going to have to buy another ESC. Sadly, you can't put the smoke back in. ;)
 

Zeligman

Member
see below for setup ... is the battery too big for the esc? I didn't think so....

thanks!
(and nice about the magic smoke - it took some of the sting out of whatever stupid mistake i made.
-jf


Untitled.jpg
 

Syro

Member
Don't worry about it. I went to school for electrical engineering...I have let the smoke out PLENTY of times. It happens to all of us.

Just to be 100% sure, the ESC in the middle of the picture is what smoked? Since you didn't solder any connectors on, you may very well have a bad ESC. If you accidentally plugged your receiver in upside down, that could have been what smoked?

Do you happen to have a multimeter to check voltages?
Look at the green can-thing (capacitor) on the ESC. Does it look puffy? Puffy like a can of coke left in a hot car and is about to burst?
 

Zeligman

Member
it's not puffy but i just hung up from amain/flite test - i did have a bad esc :) they are replacing it for me. Since i'm new, i wasn't sure that it wasn't me :)

phew!

-jf


Don't worry about it. I went to school for electrical engineering...I have let the smoke out PLENTY of times. It happens to all of us.

Just to be 100% sure, the ESC in the middle of the picture is what smoked? Since you didn't solder any connectors on, you may very well have a bad ESC. If you accidentally plugged your receiver in upside down, that could have been what smoked?

Do you happen to have a multimeter to check voltages?
Look at the green can-thing (capacitor) on the ESC. Does it look puffy? Puffy like a can of coke left in a hot car and is about to burst?
 

Syro

Member
see below for setup ... is the battery too big for the esc? I didn't think so....

thanks!
(and nice about the magic smoke - it took some of the sting out of whatever stupid mistake i made.
-jf


View attachment 142808
I totally missed your question about battery size.

That is a 3s battery which is fine. If you are concerned about it being 2200, that number is only a reference to its capacity (how long it can run before it dies). You can plug a 490926778350987287635765203974 mAh battery in as long as it is not 5s or 6s.

ALWAYS check the "operating voltage" range before you plug something in, and then verify that the voltage you give it (from the battery, or from a BEC on the ESC) is within that range.

At full charge, batteries run at these voltages

1s: 4.2V
2s: 8.4V
3s: 12.6V
4s: 16.8V
5s: 21V
6s: 25.2
 

FDS

Elite member
Also smoke stoppers are dirt cheap to make and easy to use.
I keep a spare 30A esc around always, then I don’t have to wait. I like the Hobbywing Skywalker ones, not too expensive, reliable, with a Bec and set up for fixed wing out the box.
 

Zeligman

Member
Also smoke stoppers are dirt cheap to make and easy to use.
I keep a spare 30A esc around always, then I don’t have to wait. I like the Hobbywing Skywalker ones, not too expensive, reliable, with a Bec and set up for fixed wing out the box.

I had spare :) worked fine ! (i bought two of everything just in case - and canuse them on my next projectagain

thanks AGAIN!

everyone here is so friendly!

-jf