How Do You Avoid Sparking During Battery Connection

Mojave

Mojave

Member
On my heavy lift 6S system I use 2 XT-90 connectors to plug in a pair of 10,ooo mAh batteries and there is no way to keep the first connection from sparking that I have found. The connection shows signs of electric erosion (I imagine it is a small amount vaporizing metal). Also I believe I am seeing carbon deposition near that contact area. A power switch might help, if it did I not spark, but as far as I know, no one uses switches to allow for pre-power of the system.

What do you use to avoid sparking in your high voltage systems?
 




fltundra

fltundra

Member
When you use connectors with both polarity's combined you take the risk that you might not notice one of the bullet's losing tension. Better to run separate connections.
FC's nowadays are protected from connection spikes, which makes anti-spark connectors another failure point.
 



Bartman

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
guys,

try to put your connectors together so that the positive poles are touching before you bring the negative poles together. by doing this you're forcing the electricity to run all of the way through the capacitors and through the electronics before the spark occurs so it will be greatly reduced.

bart
 


flitelab

flitelab

Member
I wish the XT90 anti spark had the circuit on the UAV side and not the battery, I hate having to retrofit all my lipos instead of just the aircraft.
 

Rentakill

Rentakill

Member
That crack your getting is your friend, you know its powering up fine. No crack on connection and some things wrong. :nevreness:
 

Bartman

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
flitelab said:
I wish the XT90 anti spark had the circuit on the UAV side and not the battery, I hate having to retrofit all my lipos instead of just the aircraft.
Click to expand...

try connecting the battery differently and you'll probably find you won't really want the extra stuff anymore.
 

Gary Seven

Gary Seven

Rocketman
Bartman said:
guys,

try to put your connectors together so that the positive poles are touching before you bring the negative poles together. by doing this you're forcing the electricity to run all of the way through the capacitors and through the electronics before the spark occurs so it will be greatly reduced.

bart
Click to expand...

Quite the tip there. What a nugget. Thanks Bart!
 

gtranquilla

gtranquilla

RadioActive
Most of the sparking is caused by the capacitors.....so I agree with Bart. And the consequence of sparking over time is increased resistance at the connection point which leads to a voltage division condition. And that ultimately means that the voltage getting to the FC becomes suppressed..... which can be a very bad thing indeed!
 

Mojave

Mojave

Member
Bartman said:
guys,

try to put your connectors together so that the positive poles are touching before you bring the negative poles together. by doing this you're forcing the electricity to run all of the way through the capacitors and through the electronics before the spark occurs so it will be greatly reduced.

bart
Click to expand...

@Batrman; will this work with solid plugs, like my XT-90s, by tilting the plug to make sure the positive connectors touch first?
 

Bartman

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
Mojave said:
@Batrman; will this work with solid plugs, like my XT-90s, by tilting the plug to make sure the positive connectors touch first?
Click to expand...

you should be able to angle them in so the Positive poles touch first just before the Negatives do
 

Q

Quinton

Active Member
Bartman said:
try connecting the battery differently and you'll probably find you won't really want the extra stuff anymore.
Click to expand...

Got that tip form Bart a while ago, also not sure about chargers, but the Icharger 308, 406, 4010 chargers etc now have anti sparking built in with the latest firmware when you connect them up which is handy.
Not sure about other makes/models.
 

Mojave

Mojave

Member
fltundra said:
When you use connectors with both polarity's combined you take the risk that you might not notice one of the bullet's losing tension. Better to run separate connections.
FC's nowadays are protected from connection spikes, which makes anti-spark connectors another failure point.
Click to expand...

I like the 'XT' style connectors to keep the wires secure and organized; I started with XT-60s with my first purchase (blame it on [MENTION=449]IrisAerial[/MENTION]; and I thought it fit the KISS principle) and continued with then on my other builds. I know what you are saying [MENTION=13488]fltundra[/MENTION]; I am using the 3.5mm connectors that are used in the XT-60s for my motor to ESC bullets and I have spread a few of these springs apart a few times. I will be sure to keep this on my checklist: check the bullet connections.


Bartman said:
you should be able to angle them in so the Positive poles touch first just before the Negatives do
Click to expand...

This is good information - Thanks Bart!

Quinton said:
Got that tip form Bart a while ago, also not sure about chargers, but the Icharger 308, 406, 4010 chargers etc now have anti sparking built in with the latest firmware when you connect them up which is handy.
Not sure about other makes/models.
Click to expand...

I do have a 308 and I have never noticed the sparking issue using this charger.
 



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