Wiring and connectors
Connector current reference
Enter the current you need to carry and see which connectors handle it. Connectors that fall short stay in the list, dimmed, so the spread between them is visible.
Continuous current, not the peak your ESC pulls for a second.
What it is for
Connectors rated for 30 A
6matches
The smallest one that does the job is XT30. Going bigger than you need costs weight and board space, not safety.
Caution
JST-XH is not on this list for power, and should not be
A balance connector carries the few milliamps a charger moves between cells. People reach for one because it is on the pack already and the crimps look the same. It is a fire path. Its rating is listed as not a power connector for that reason.
Caution
Dupont jumpers are never the answer for power
The rating you find quoted assumes a perfect crimp you did not get. Treat the real limit as 1 A, use them for prototyping signal, and never put motor or battery current through one.
Note
These are planning numbers
Vendor ratings vary, and cheap clones underperform the genuine part by a wide margin. A clone XT60 with thin contacts and poor plating does not carry 60 A. Use this table to narrow the choice, then check the datasheet of the part you are actually buying.
The full list
Connectors that do not meet the requirement stay here, dimmed and marked, because the spread between them is the useful thing to know.
| Connector | Continuous | Burst | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| XT30Tight | 30 A | 40 A | Small drone packs, 3 to 4 inch builds |
| XT60 | 60 A | 180 A short | Standard 5 inch drone and general LiPo packs |
| XT90 | 90 A | 120 A | Large packs, high current sleds |
| MR30Tight | 30 A | 40 A | Compact alternative to XT30 on micro builds |
| Deans / T plug | 60 A | 100 A | Older RC standard, largely replaced by XT60 |
| Anderson Powerpole 15/30/45 | 15 / 30 / 45 A per contact | Higher, short duration | Bench supplies, field power, hot swap |
| Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 | 8.5 A per circuit | - | Below the current you need · Board to wire power inside enclosures |
| Barrel jack 5.5 x 2.1 mm | 5 A | - | Below the current you need · Wall adapter input, low current DC |
| USB-C | 3 A, 5 A with e-marker | - | Below the current you need · Charging and 5 V power |
| JST-RCY (red) | 3 A | - | Below the current you need · Small battery packs, low current motors |
| JST-PH 2.0 | 2 A | - | Below the current you need · Single cell LiPo on dev boards |
| JST-SM | 3 A | - | Below the current you need · LED strips and inline signal or low power |
| JST-XH | Not a power connector | - | Not a power connector · Cell balance leads only |
| Dupont jumper | 1 A practical, 3 A rated | - | Not intended for power · Prototyping signal, never power |
| Screw terminal 5.08 mm | 15 to 20 A | - | Below the current you need · Fixed installs, solar and mains adjacent DC |
- Anderson Powerpole 15/30/45 · The rating follows the contact you crimp in, not the housing. A 45 A housing with 15 A contacts is a 15 A connector.
- JST-XH · JST-XH is a balance connector. It carries the few milliamps a balance charger moves between cells. Using it to carry pack current is a fire path.
- Dupont jumper · Dupont jumpers are a prototyping convenience. The crimp is loose, the contact area is small, and the rating assumes a perfect crimp you did not get. Treat the real limit as 1 A and never use them for motor or battery current.
Why this matters
Connector choice is where a correctly sized wire gets undone. The wire is a solid length of copper; the connector is two pieces of thin plated metal pressed together, and all the current in the system squeezes through that contact patch. A connector rated for signal current melts long before the wire does, and the failure is usually a slow one: the contact heats, the plating oxidises, resistance rises, it heats more. By the time anyone notices, the housing has deformed and the pin is welded in place.
Assumptions and sources
- Every figure is a planning number, not a specification. Vendor ratings vary and cheap clones underperform the genuine part by a wide margin.
- Continuous ratings assume a proper crimp or a full solder joint, correctly sized wire, and room temperature air. A cold solder joint or an undersized wire moves the limit down.
- Burst figures are short duration only, measured in seconds. They are not a rating you design around.
- Anderson Powerpole ratings follow the contact crimped into the housing, not the housing itself.