Leads

[Diamond Geezer]

Hi guys

I got a 109 off a guy the thing is I have to take the

 wing off to transport it to the field as you see from the pic I have to remove all these cables in and out of my receiver every time is there an easier way to do this such as a multi connector.

[Gary Manuel]

I usually leave a short extension lead permanently plugged into the receiver. I colour code (with insulating tape or similar) the trailing end of the extension lead to match similarly coloured coded ends on the wing servo leads. Connecting up is then just a case of plugging matching coloured ends together. No need to go near the receiver.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Gary Manuel

[John Lee]

Yep, Multiplex 8 way plugs & sockets tidy things up nicely. Available here & I imagine elsewhere. Here's the setup on my FunCub, with ailerons, flaps & lights:

 

[Diamond Geezer]

Thanks guys

[Lorenz Mueller]

I usually solder up a connector of my own using DB9 computer plugs. If I use a common ground or plus supply I can connect all the servos I need with one of these. A 6-pin Multiplex connector can also be used (common plus, common ground, up to four signal wires), the DB9s are nicer/easier to solder though, and they have lugs to screw one side to the wing.

Lorenz

[Martin McIntosh]

Soldered wires and vibration do not mix well. This is an example of how I do it. 10 or 12 way connectors are plugged in from the Rx.

[Gary Manuel]

With respect Martin, your warning about soldered wires and vibration not mixing is inconsistent with your solution. 

Your solution has an awful lot of soldered connections and the plug that connects to the PCB has a lot of mass to amplify the vibrations. 

I'm not convinced that this is a good idea.

[Mike T]

Gary, as far as I can see, none of Martin's wires are soldered - they look like standard crimped connectors to me?  The socket sets are held on the breadboard and connected with solder, to be sure, but exactly as you'd find the pins secured to the PCB of an Rx.  For a large number of plugs, it looks like a convenient solution.

 

OTOH, soldering wires into the pins/sockets is not recommended as it's not possible to get any useful strain relief in there.  I've done it and got away with it, but only by 'potting' the rear of the plug shells with epoxy.

 

John Lee's pic shows the Multiplex multi-pin plugs, but hidden are the miniature PCB's he's used to provide a more secure soldering surface and strain relief for the wires - like these: MPX 6-pin PCB .  With a tie-wrap around the strain-relief tab and heatshrink overall, these make connection and disconnection very easy with next to no strain on the soldered joints.

 

He also appears to have soldered direct to some plugs ? - but with plenty of strain relief (heatshrink) ?

[Ron Gray]

I’m a fan of Maxloc connectors.

[Tim Ballinger]

Personally I now prefer to use Sbus for wing connections. Only ever  1 lead to connect.

Tim

[Chris Walby]

DG - Why not make one wing the plug and the other the socket....no markings of confusion either works or not...simples

 

PS quite like those MaxLoc connectors

[Peter Jenkins]

Another plug for Maxlock connectors.  You can get them to connect up to 4 leads at a time and they have a simple locking mechanism so you don't need to fumble with a servo lock after connecting them. Link.

[Frank Skilbeck]

+1 for Maxlock also available from Fighter Aces 

[Ace]

Maxlocks/Ashloks - are the pins the same as in the std servo plug ? If so could you not unclip the pins and re-install them in the Maxlocks/Ashlok multiple housing saving a load of crimping?

Of course if the pins are a different size it won't work ? 

[Peter Jenkins]

Ace, they are a different size so you need to cut off the standard pins and crimp on the new pins.

[Martin McIntosh]

My solder joints are only onto the Vero board, not the wiring itself and are very robust. Note that between Vero holes and soldered in pins, the area has been filled in with solder. Vibration cannot affect this, but if you solder a wire directly to a board or connector pin without adequate support then the joint will work harden and eventually fail.

All of my many models with more than two wing connections use this method and I would not trust anything else to one which has taken one or two years to build. A ten way connector is very firm and takes some effort to unplug so no clips etc are needed.

Forget Ashlock, Maxlock or whatever. The ones available from CPC/Farnell are identical in every way to JR/Spektrum. Female pins from them too.

[Peter Jenkins]

Sorry Martin, I think the Maxlock solution is simple, robust, includes a locking mechanism and no soldering is required.  I'm perfectly happy to solder but cannot see the point when you can achieve the same with crimping using the correct tool.  Your Vero board solution is a lot more complicated as far as I can see.  There is no soldering required for Maxlocks and you can connect and secure up to 4 servos with one action.   

[Lima Hotel Foxtrot]

9 hours ago, Peter Jenkins said:

Sorry Martin, I think the Maxlock solution is simple, robust, includes a locking mechanism and no soldering is required.  I'm perfectly happy to solder but cannot see the point when you can achieve the same with crimping using the correct tool.  Your Vero board solution is a lot more complicated as far as I can see.  There is no soldering required for Maxlocks and you can connect and secure up to 4 servos with one action.   

Ahhhhh, but have you not noticed how much forumites here love to wildly overcomplicate even the smallest job? Remember the silly questions about operator numbers and where to locate tham/size/colour/how to access?

 

This reminds me of a short piece in a recent RCM&E mag where someone wrote in and described his system for identifying which servo plug went where at the field. The system involved different amounts and colours of dots to denote elevator; left aileron etc. Vastly overcomplicated bacause it required remembering multiple pieces of information, and perhaps even a crib sheet... which sort of defeats the point of a system that is ment to be an easy aide memoir. Whatever happened to just using the letters A/E/R? Far easier!

[ASH.]

Maxlock connectors seem like a good solution, but, does it require cutting the plug off servo lead and crimping ?

[Peter Jenkins]

Afraid so.  If you invest in some decent crimping pliers it's quite easy but best to check out how to crimp on YouTube.  Good to buy some spare pins and sockets to cover the learning curve though!