3DR Solo Dual Charger

thingiverse

This project owes its existence to valuable information shared by members of the 3drpilots forum. Most of the electronics needed for this build can be found in Grant Conery's excellent Instructables write-up, available at http://www.instructables.com/id/GM-Multi-Solo-Charger/. His multi-charger build is also posted on Thingiverse - http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1496497. Since I don't go through many packs when flying, I opted for a dual charger setup. The 200 x 200 mm print bed dictated the maximum dimensions for this project. I used 2.5 mm self-tapping screws in various lengths to hold most of the internal components together. The terminal strip and feet/cover plate are held with M3 screws. The housing is printed in PLA, which holds threads well if you start by using a tap for the first few millimeters and then just use the screw with a touch of lubricant on it. The bi-color LED from the converter was removed and relocated in the case. Actually, the LEDs were destroyed during removal, so replacements were installed. The wires from the converters have female servo connectors on them and plug right into the LED's legs. The housing for the plug slides together and snaps into place. There's a tab with slots for zip-ties to serve as a strain relief. Zip-ties are probably not necessary if the plug is installed in the case but it's there for extra security. Instead of trying to print holes and mounts in vertical surfaces, I made slots in the housing for a fan and an XT60 connector for power input. The XT60 connector snaps into the two halves and the assembly slides into the cutout. The fan mount works the same way. The fan is a 25 x 25 x 7 mm unit from Amain Hobbies - https://www.amainhobbies.com/hobbywing-25x25x7mm-2507sh12v-esc-cooling-fan-hwa86080020/p349371. It's small but pushes or pulls a lot of air. I have it configured as an exhaust fan, which is pretty loud. The fan mounting plate should be a fairly tight fit in the housing or it'll rattle and be even noisier than it needs to be. The terminal strip is an 8-circuit Molex - https://www.arrow.com/en/products/0387700408/molex. Print Settings: Printer: Prusa i3 Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: .2 mm Infill: Various Notes: The "hood" portion was printed at 15% infill while the case and cover were 30%. The rest of the bits, including the plug housing, were printed at 75%.