1/8 scale – deguno – tools, RC cars, gadgets and consumer electronics

In the last couple of years I have tried a number of different connectors and I thought that I’d share my experience with one specific brand that has blown the competition away – The Anderson PowerPole’s…

I have tried the lot. For less demanding applications I have often used Deans, XT-60, EC3/EC5, Traxxas connectors and multiple brands of bullet connectors. For up to 300A applications I have used Neu bullets, Castle Creations bullets, the largest bullets from HobbyKing, Schulze connectors, Plettenberg’s largest connectors, etc, etc…

Then one day I cam across someone on a forum that recommended the Anderson PowerPole connectors. They are typically used in industrial applications but also lends themselves quite brilliantly for RC. As I see it the advantages are:

The absolute best is of course that no soldering is required and that they are quick to fit
Soldering will every now and then have a bad connection – but with the Anderson PowerPoles the connection is always perfect
If you are using an ESC without a spark eliminator system you do not have to worry as the spark on the Anderson Power Poles happen on the tip of the connector when you connect them and not at the actual area where they connect (it’s hard to describe but this is often an issue with bullet connectors and it makes a big difference in terms of the connectors durability and the quality of the connection over time)
You do not need heat shrink tubing
They are sturdy connectors and feels like they will last forever
The joint between two connectors is robust and will not disconnect accidentally (but unlike some connectors they are still easy to pull apart when needed)
Connectors can be stacked via a clever system
All connectors are identical (i.e. there is no male or female type of connector) and they are therefore perfect for connecting batteries in series
In my experience the nominal currents can easily be exceeded. Many use the 45A connector in applications up to 90A and 75A connector is seen used up to 150A and a few even 200A (do be careful here though!)

For some reason I have not seen many that use the Anderson PowerPoles and I therefore thought it would make sense to write a few lines about them now that I have had such a great experience with them.

Please check out my videos here of how they work:

Have fun!

I have built 1/8 buggy kits from Hobao/Ofna and Xray before I picked up this Team Durango DEX8 kit and hence thought this would be a somewhat similar build experience. I could not have been more wrong.

Just the unboxing experience is something different. The box and how it is packaged is the best I’ve tried so far with RC. They have no doubt tried to create an “Apple unboxing” experience and have in my view succeeded.

As for the build most of the parts are assembled in larger chunks. Diffs and shocks are all assembled (you will have to add diff and shock oil to match your preference) and front and rear drivetrain are almost also just a bolt-on. Very nicely thought through.

As for the build quality everything seems to be top notch but I have yet to test it out on the track. So far I have only managed to drive it up and down the street – everything was buttery smooth and only the steering needed to be slightly trimmed.

If I should have to point out something negative it would be the manual that came with the car. There were a few steps where stuff was incorrect – probably they wanted to get the product to market as soon as it left the factory. All it took was to download the latest version and here the issues were corrected.

Now – all I need to do is hit the tracks – Something I look forward to!