Connection Inspection

I’m having a problem with the battery connectors that came with my Tamiya car. They used to work really well but lately I’ve found they can be difficult to plug in and unplug, and sometimes I have to wiggle them to get my truck to work. What is the problem?

When you plug and unplug the battery you may be pulling and pushing the two connectors from side to side, and that loosens the metal connectors inside the plastic housing. This can cause them to be misaligned and will make it difficult to plug the connectors together. The connections also loosen over time, and that will cause them to heat up, making it difficult to disconnect them; this is also why you may have to wiggle them to get your truck to work. You will have to replace the connectors on your shortcourse truck, but we don’t recommend that you use the same plug. Besides not being very durable, they are also known for having high electrical resistance, which wastes energy and reduces performance. Upgrade the connectors to something more suitable, like Deans or Traxxas high-performance connectors. These types of connectors are durable and should last as long as the vehicle that they are in. They also have much less resistance than the connector you were using, so the speed control will be able to take full advantage of the battery voltage and your connectors will stay cool at all times. Remember that you will need to replace the connector on your speed control and battery pack. For soldering tips, check out our “How to Install Connectors” article from the July 2014 issue. If you are hesitant about soldering, head to your local hobby shop and the folks there will help you out.

A “zero loss” plug such as the Deans design (top) is an ideal replacement for a Molex (“Tamiya style”) plug (bottom). When removing the plug from the battery, cut the wires one at a time to avoid a short circuit.