Safety Covers for Connectors

[Thisstrangeengine]

I've been looking around at different places that sell Lipos and the different connectors for them but have never seen any type of covers for them. It would'nt hurt to add another level of safety to this hobby so I made my own for storage and transporting. I would hate to have a battery short out while in the house or car.
This is a picture of one of the covers before I removed it. It's just a piece of 1/4" ply cut to shape, covered with teflon tape and dipped. I let them set up for a few hours and re-dipped them. The next few shots are after removing them and trimming the excess off to clean them up and fitting them on the different types of battery connectors.
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc9/Thisstrangeengine675/Aftercuringovernight.jpg?t=1270049704
Removed before trimming.
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc9/Thisstrangeengine675/Coversremoved.jpg?t=1270049781
After trimming.
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc9/Thisstrangeengine675/Coversaftertrimming.jpg?t=1270049849
Test fitted on different types of connectors.
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc9/Thisstrangeengine675/Installedonconnectors2.jpg?t=1270049952
Here is the product I used. It comes in different colors so you can match the color of your Canopy or anything else. These also fit the balance plug on the 3S but I am making larger ones for the 6S packs.
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc9/Thisstrangeengine675/PlasiiDipwithbatteries.jpg?t=1270050156

[Thisstrangeengine]

This thread is strangely quiet? This is either a bad idea or a really good idea and someone is applying for a patent... :thumbdown:

[Larry227]

I pick up small rubber nipples that's used at work to protect threads on fittings and plug holes in new valves. It's usually not hard to find some that are a good fit over my Deans and XT60 connectors. Might be a million in one chance that they would ever short against something without them but for the little effort it takes, why not.

[chansen1953]

hi, I cannot see any reason to do this...- I just made sure that the battery connector were always female, therefore there is no exposed pins !!!
Same goes for the bullet connectors on the ESC - if you put the female ones on the ESC, aqnd they are covered in shrink-wrap, then there is never a chance they can short or touch metal, esp when you are testing with motor disconnected !!

make sense ??

[Andyzboy]

I did something sort of similar for the bullets on my big batteries, the negative lead is exposed. I have some plastic tubing that slides perfectly over them, so I just cut off a few pieces and slide that on when not in use. Without them it is possible to short the leads very easily if your not careful

[Thisstrangeengine]

I pick up small rubber nipples that's used at work to protect threads on fittings and plug holes in new valves. It's usually not hard to find some that are a good fit over my Deans and XT60 connectors. Might be a million in one chance that they would ever short against something without them but for the little effort it takes, why not.

I know what nipples you're talking about. The ones we use are on Festo and Bimba air cylinders and I have a few of those that work great on the glow starters.
And yes chansen they may not be necessary but it is another level of safety. All of my batteries have the females on them but there is always that one in a million chance and if I can prevent that, well. This is only a 1.2v battery in here but still has a safety cap?
http://pics.towerhobbies.com/image/d/dubp0841.jpg

[chargh]

I think it is a great idea! I will have to try it.
Thanks!!!
:cheers

[wilywampa]

hi, I cannot see any reason to do this...- I just made sure that the battery connector were always female, therefore there is no exposed pins !!!

+1

As long as you're not carrying your batteries around by throwing them in a container with a bunch of loose tools or hardware, there's no chance of them shorting. Even if they did, it would probably only be momentary which is no big deal.

[rdlohr]

+1

Even if they did, it would probably only be momentary which is no big deal.

I wouldn't bet on that one!

Rick