"Power Distribution Harness" for Sea Duck, etc.

[Gryf]

Hi, all.

I'm building a Sea Duck, and have come to the part where I need to route power to the motor nacelles. In the build video Josh mentions, and shows, wiring he describes as a Power Distribution Harness to run power from the battery pack to the two ESCs. Trouble is, that harness isn't included with the C Twin power pack. It's not listed anywhere in the FT store, either. Come to find out, I can't find such a harness at my local hobby shop, nor at Hobby King or the usual online vendors. It's easy enough to order harnesses to connect two battery packs to one ESC, but not vice versa.

So where do you get the thing?! I just tried making one, but soldering finely-stranded 12-gauge wire is tricky, and I wasn't satisfied with the result.

Thanks! It's frustrating that an essential part like this isn't included in the kit or power pack.

Gryf

 

[m4inbrain]

oops nevermind, these are the ones you said you found

In regards to the soldering, did you try the how-to from David? I did it that way last week, and i'm more than pleased with the result.

The "take 30cm of wire, strip half an inch in the middle of it dangerously close to your finger with an exacto knife, twist it, pre-tin both connector and the twisted part, connect, heatshrink"?

 

[localfiend]

It's on the store in the electronic accessories section.

https://store.flitetest.com/xt60-power-y-harness/

 

[Gryf]

Thanks for the replies!

I found the how-to video you mentioned, shortly after posting my original message. What an elegant solution. I was soldering two ends together, and ending up with a join that was too big to fit the connector socket. That said, I was using 12-gauge wire, and they use 14. No wonder it was too thick...

And wow, it IS in the store. Thanks for that. I even used the Search feature and it didn't turn up.

Thanks again!

Gryf

 

[sconner]

I've done the same thing Gryf. Mine was to split the battery between the ESC and the LED controller in my Versa wing. I used 12Guage stranded wire from Hobby King - Link for wire. Once stripped it is tedious to solder it without having "hairs of copper" splaying out everywhere. But, if you are careful it's certainly doable. I find if you carefully twist the strands immediately after stripping it keeps them inline.

I also used the method of stripping mentioned before. Not stripping insulation without cutting the copper for about 3/8 of an inch. Wrap the end of the piece of wire you want to attach to it by stripping about 1/2" off the end, wrap it around the bare copper and solder. The silicone insulation is fantastic because you almost can't overheat it. Making getting the solder to flow into the strands much less stressful. Then of course wrap with heatshrink.

sconner

 

[m4inbrain]

Yeah i tried the "soldering two single cables together into one connector" too, didn't work for me either. Davids technique (actually, might not be davids technique, but the actual technique that should be used for something like this) on the other hand came out beautiful. That being said, i used thinner wire than you (and had to squeeze it a bit with tongs after pre-tinning), but then again i had to solder it onto xt30s instead of xt60s.

That being said, if you can just buy it, it's moot.

 

[Gryf]

There, done... just finished soldering up this guy:



I think we're in business!

Thanks again,

Gryf

 

[CavRecon]

Okay, color me stupid.

I know about the "Soldering heavy gauge wire" video (mostly a linear splice)
I also just re-watched the "Soldering battery connectors"

Is there one more specifically on how to make a "presentation quality" Y-harness like this?

 

[makattack]

Okay, color me stupid.

I know about the "Soldering heavy gauge wire" video (mostly a linear splice)
I also just re-watched the "Soldering battery connectors"

Is there one more specifically on how to make a "presentation quality" Y-harness like this?

I believe this is the video you're looking for:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKTtvHWW-JU

 

[m4inbrain]

There, done... just finished soldering up this guy:

View attachment 72631

I think we're in business!

Thanks again,

Gryf

Looks good mate.

 

[sconner]

That should do it, Gryf! Looks good from here!

sconner