Tight Deans Seperator Tool

by JasonEricAnderson | October 4, 2013 | (9) Posted in Tips

When I purchased my electronics to get started flying swappables a few months ago I set up my batteries/ESCs with Deans, T style connectors. While these function just fine they are SUPER tight fitting and have taken ALOT of force to separate. After flying for a couple months now I had a mishap the other day and ended up pulling the connector right off of my ESC. They fit that tight.  From searching the web it doesn't seem like I'm the only one who has had issues with tight Deans connectors. 

While looking for a solution I happened upon this youtube video on how to make a separator tool for these tight connectors. As you can see I didn't come up with this idea but I've modified it very slightly.

To make this handy little gem:

  1. Take a wooden, spring clothespin and cut it flat across the jaws where they meet.
  2. Cut two lengths of music wire (used our control rods, See swappables) about 2/3" long.
  3. Drill a hole that is just a bit smaller than the diameter of your music wire about 1/3" into the front of the jaws of the clothespin.
  4. Put a drop of glue into each hole and place your music wire pins into the holes.
  5. Use a hard surface to press the pins deeper into the wood of the clothespin. Ideally you want to wood to grip as well as the glue.
  6. Use the ends of the now complete separator tool to scratch small marks on a set of closed Deans connectors. 
  7. Use a drill bit just slightly larger than the diameter of your music wire and drill small divots into your connectors only about 1/16" - 1/8" deep using the scratches you made with the tool as a guide. Don't go to deep and do this to both sides of the connector set.

Tips: Don't drill to deep into the connectors, you only want to go deep enough for the pins to be able to grip. 

Once you've built the tool and modded your connectors you can put the pins of the tool into the divots and squeeze the clothes pin handles. The connectors will pop right open. This would work for any type of connector.  

COMMENTS

uberjay on October 4, 2013
Interesting... I've never found Deans to be hard to get apart; however, I do prefer XT-60's because they never seem to 'spark'. I've since realized with Deans if you ensure the negative pins touch first - no spark ;-). Anyway... thanks for the tip. Oh, and if you want to really have a tough nut to crack try EC3 connectors! Ouch! I've almost damaged a plane trying to get those ones apart.

Cheers,
J
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sailorJohn on October 4, 2013
Good tip , I like the way you used some thing you had and created a useful tool ,I have a specialty tool for removing c clips and going to try using it on xt60 plugs.
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oldguyflying on October 4, 2013
I like this tip.
Also, to easily pull apart any kind of connector, Deans, EC3 and others, just put a very light touch of Vasoline on them. it will not interfere with voltage/current draw and they will slide apart effortlessly.
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JasonEricAnderson on October 4, 2013
Excellent tip, thanks!
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ghostrider03z on October 4, 2013
This is a good tip, i got some stubborn deans connectors from when i was just starting out soldering. but its not the connector itself, its how it was soldered. With any connector, when soldering obviously use minimal heat but wether it be male or female, connect the opposite connector to the one you are soldering. when you heat solder, most of the time you heat the connector so much that the tabs are able to move in the plastic and when you put the other connector on it, it cant happen. It is not the connector itself, it is the soldering.
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davidmc36 on October 28, 2014
This doesn't work at all for Deans that are actually hard to get apart. The clothes pin just broke. Only good for ones that slip apart fairly easy and don't need assistance anyway.
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Tight Deans Seperator Tool