Battery pack plug colour uses

[Ian Harrison 4Participant @ianharrison4]

Hi

Can anyone help, I have brought a new 6v RB 1200mah NI-MH battery pack with a red 2 pin plug and a black 3 pin plug – what is each one for, please? I know one is for charging and one for power but does it make a difference. Just an old fossil who is trying to get up to date and get back into boating. Cheers.

[Ian Harrison 4Participant @ianharrison4]

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

Most batteries come with one or the other. Having the right plug makes plugging in that much easier. Having both on the one battery is sort of deluxe. Most wiring looms use a small red 2 pin, most receptacles that servos plug into use a flat black 3 pin.

Unless there is something new and wonderful in the pack, just use what works.  The important thing is that the red wires and black wires remain separate, but end up in the right place.

 

Edited By Malcolm Frary on 08/07/2017 21:09:35

[Ian Harrison 4Participant @ianharrison4]

Many Thanks Malcolm. I am using my old 40mhz Futaba equipment and the receiver has of course the three pin battery socket along side the servo/switcher sockets. I was a little confused with the small red 2 pin plug, being polite, I was wondering where to stick it. This must be a new modern addition for 2.4 systems. I will therefore use the black plug and see what happens. Just getting back into boating after 30 yrs, everything has changed so much.

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

Most of the fundamentals remain, but there have been a lot of detail changes. Your battery is very unusual because while having both is convenient, it does cost more and model boat people are generally very cost conscious, so its usually a case of one or the other.

On a model where the battery is awkward to access, it is handy to have a flying lead for connecting the charger. Where I have done that I have fixed the extra into the wiring, but having it direct on the battery is convenient.

Edited By Malcolm Frary on 09/07/2017 10:43:25

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Posted by Ian Harrison 4 on 08/07/2017 23:02:42:

………. Just getting back into boating after 30 yrs, everything has changed so much.

The major differences you will see are:

• The use of 2.4Ghz radios. These have no need for users to select frequency – they avoid clashes automatically, and any number can be used at once.
• Brushless motors. A lot more power and efficiency from a smaller unit – but you can't just plug it into a battery, you need a special brushless ESC to make it run at all.
• LiPo batteries. Phenomenal power from a small lightweight package – but you need to treat the battery with care and use special 'balance' chargers

Anyone else got any other suggestions? I think Superglue is about 40-50 years old, but there are probably some new materials around within the 30 year mark. The thing that annoys me is the dropping of the 1/8" propshaft which was ideal for a medium sized model – you now have to use either 4mm or 2mm …

Edited By Dodgy Geezer on 09/07/2017 13:59:21

[Ian Harrison 4Participant @ianharrison4]

Many thanks for all your help, interesting to get the feedback and looking forward to getting the old boats back in action.

[Author]

Posts