Help! I toasted a connector?

[DaveHalverson]

Today during practice, I was running my JAE 21FE with an Aquacraft AQ2030 motor, Venom 120a ESC and Turnigy 4s 4500mah 25/50c battery. I am using EC5 connectors between the battery and ESC. I was running great at full throttle for just over 6 laps when it died. Just stopped. I found the negative battery wire had let loose from the EC5 connector because the connector was melting. It fused itself together. Everything works fine but I have to replace the connector. Why would the negative side of the battery wire heat up so bad to melt solder? Is there something else wrong?

 

[Larry Roberts]

I'am not an expert but I would say you need to upgrade to 5.5mm bullet connectors. Why the neg terminal ? Cold solder joint

What prop size ? How hot was the battery ? you may need 5000 with 40-60 C

 

[DaveHalverson]

After talking it over with a friend, I think it may have been a cold solder joint.

 

[Jim Caldwell]

Never run a connector that has both wires in a blob of plastic in a Race boat. It is not a question of if but when. Put a temp guage on them after a run. eek!

The best connectors I've found are Nue's 8mm bullets and they come in after a heat at 120f to 125f not the 200f+ you will see on others.

Of course, the 200f connectors are wasting a lot of HP!

 

[Chilli]

I'm with Larry. Switch over to 5.5 bullets from www.offshoreelectrics.com It's the standard for a P-Limited set up in many areas. Much more contact area than the EC5's. Nothing wrong with 8mm though. Some may consider it overkill but if it lowers resistace further, that's a good thing. I've been using Castle 8mm's with good sucess. They can be tight at first but that's the way I like them. I tried the OSE 8mm's a few years ago and had problems with some being extremely loose.

Love the EC's on my airplanes but they draw a heck of alot less amps.