When I purchased my electronics to get started flying swappables a few months ago I set up my batteries/ESCs with Deans, T style connectors. While these function just fine they are SUPER tight fitting and have taken ALOT of force to separate. After flying for a couple months now I had a mishap the other day and ended up pulling the connector right off of my ESC. They fit that tight. From searching the web it doesn't seem like I'm the only one who has had issues with tight Deans connectors.
While looking for a solution I happened upon this youtube video on how to make a separator tool for these tight connectors. As you can see I didn't come up with this idea but I've modified it very slightly.
To make this handy little gem:
- Take a wooden, spring clothespin and cut it flat across the jaws where they meet.
- Cut two lengths of music wire (used our control rods, See swappables) about 2/3" long.
- Drill a hole that is just a bit smaller than the diameter of your music wire about 1/3" into the front of the jaws of the clothespin.
- Put a drop of glue into each hole and place your music wire pins into the holes.
- Use a hard surface to press the pins deeper into the wood of the clothespin. Ideally you want to wood to grip as well as the glue.
- Use the ends of the now complete separator tool to scratch small marks on a set of closed Deans connectors.
- Use a drill bit just slightly larger than the diameter of your music wire and drill small divots into your connectors only about 1/16" - 1/8" deep using the scratches you made with the tool as a guide. Don't go to deep and do this to both sides of the connector set.
Tips: Don't drill to deep into the connectors, you only want to go deep enough for the pins to be able to grip.
Once you've built the tool and modded your connectors you can put the pins of the tool into the divots and squeeze the clothes pin handles. The connectors will pop right open. This would work for any type of connector.
Cheers,
J
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Also, to easily pull apart any kind of connector, Deans, EC3 and others, just put a very light touch of Vasoline on them. it will not interfere with voltage/current draw and they will slide apart effortlessly.
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