XT60 Plug Bracket

thingiverse

It would be a lot more convenient not to have to disassemble an electric airplane just to plug in the battery. The problem is that to handle the current, the switch would need to be roughly the same size as the motor. So the question becomes how to connect the battery from outside the aircraft. I started thinking about using a battery connector as an external plug and did some research, which led me to HobbyKing, where I found such an item is available. But why buy when you can make your own? I took a T60 connector and carefully measured it before creating a "bulkhead mount" for it. My first attempt was slightly too small, so I increased the dimensions by 0.5mm and made another one. I also decided that I needed a way to attach it through the side of the aircraft since the connector requires some force to insert or remove, so I added a large flange on both items to distribute the load. Since having an external plate sticking into the air stream was bad enough, I printed the countersink for the fasteners directly into the plate. The connector is attached to the mount using a couple of drops of CA and the connector mount has been tapped so that no nuts are required. The total fabrication time came out to about an hour (not including the time it took for the glue to set). I made sure there was a tight fit between the plug and the bracket. To determine the wall thickness, simply pass the connector through a hole in material as thick as the wall you're installing through and include the attach plate. Press on the bracket and then use some CA to secure it into position. Be aware that there might be some flashing on the side of the connector that needs to be trimmed off. The mounting fasteners are M3 flat heads, and the bracket has been tapped to accept screws. Printer Settings Printer: HICTOP Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: .125mm Z Infill: 50%