RC CONNECTORS
Battery and signal connector comparison guide
POWER CONNECTORS
| CONNECTOR | MAX CONT. AMPS | MAX BURST | COMMON USE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JST-PH (2mm) | 2A | 3A | 1S tiny whoops, small sensors | Very small. Common on 1S LiPo packs under 300mAh. |
| JST-RCY (Red) | 5A | 8A | Small RC cars, 2S micro builds | The classic "JST" plug. Widely used on budget RTR cars. |
| Deans / T-Plug | 60A | 75A | 1/10 RC cars, general RC | Compact, low resistance. Standard for 1/10 and smaller. Requires solder skill. |
| XT30 | 30A | 60A | FPV 2–4" drones, small planes | Compact, gold-plated. Better than JST for anything over 5A. Easy to solder. |
| XT60 | 60A | 100A | 5" FPV, 1/10 cars, planes | Most popular for mid-sized builds. Reliable, widely available. Gold plated. |
| XT90 | 90A | 120A | 6S+ builds, 1/8 cars, large planes | High current. Includes spark-arresting anti-spark version (XT90-S). |
| EC3 | 60A | 75A | Horizon Hobby / Spektrum ecosystem | Proprietary to Horizon. Comparable to XT60. Reverse-polarity protected. |
| EC5 | 120A | 150A | High-power 1/8 and 1/5 RC | Larger EC connector. High-current alternative to XT90. |
| Anderson Powerpole | 45–75A | 100A | Surface vehicles, charging rigs | Tool-free crimp. Genderless — both ends same. Popular in amateur radio / field charging. |
| AS150 / QS8 | 150A+ | 300A+ | Large 6S–12S builds, 1/5 RC | Anti-spark, very high current. Used in largest RC applications. |
SIGNAL CONNECTORS
| CONNECTOR | PITCH | USE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard servo (JR/Futaba) | 2.54mm | Servos, receivers, ESC signal | Universal 3-pin. Black=GND, Red=+V, White/Orange=Signal. Futaba is keyed differently. |
| JST-GH (1.25mm) | 1.25mm | FC peripherals, GPS, ELRS RX | Small, fragile. Common on modern FC accessories. Handle carefully. |
| JST-SH (1.0mm) | 1.0mm | Micro FC boards | Very small. Common on AIO FC boards. Use tweezers to connect. |
| MX1.25 | 1.25mm | Micro receivers | Similar to JST-GH but incompatible. Used on ELRS micro receivers. |
WIRE GAUGE GUIDE
| AWG | MM² | MAX AMPS (FC SHORT RUN) | USE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 AWG | 0.08mm² | 0.5A | Signal wires, LED |
| 24 AWG | 0.2mm² | 3A | BEC output, servo power |
| 22 AWG | 0.35mm² | 5A | Motor phase wires on micro builds |
| 20 AWG | 0.5mm² | 11A | Battery leads on small FPV builds |
| 18 AWG | 0.75mm² | 16A | XT30 builds, ESC to motor |
| 16 AWG | 1.5mm² | 22A | XT60 builds, general 5" FPV |
| 14 AWG | 2.5mm² | 32A | XT90 / large RC cars |
| 12 AWG | 4mm² | 41A | 1/8 RC cars, large planes |
| 10 AWG | 6mm² | 55A | High-current 6S+ builds |