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Beginners Guide: Battery Connectors

Beginners' Guide: Battery Connectors

The video features Patrol Base Pete, and Patrol Base Mike, and this is the first video in a long series of episodes which are targeted at dealing with issues that pertain to beginners in Airsoft. Hopefully this is the information you don't really hear a lot about through regular social media channels like YouTube or Facebook. We're going to be trying to hit the questions which people feel too stupid to ask, but don't worry, there is no such thing as a stupid question in Airsoft: we were all new players once!

For this episode Pete and Mike will be looking at battery connecters. They'll be covering the four main types of battery connectors that you'll likely come into contact with when using Airsoft electric guns. Some are common, and some are not, but it's good to get a good overview of all types of connectors should you run into them into the field.

They'll be looking into the four main battery connector types used in Airsoft AEG:

  • Mini Tamiya
  • Large Tamiya
  • Deans
  • XT60

Spoilers: 99% of the time if you're buying a new Airsoft gun then you'll be looking at small Tamiya connectors. For example, guns like the Edge Series from Specna Arms come with small Tamiya Connectors. If you've picked something up 2nd hand then the chances are it'll have been upgraded to deans for a lower resistance connection, or if you have a super fancy high speed and over the top custom job you might find yourself with some XT60 connectors. XT60 is the least common connector, but it's good to be made aware of should you have to deal with it in the field.

Types Of Connectors

It's good to know that almost all AEG connectors are plug and play: you simply push them together and as long as your battery is charged you're pretty much good to go. If you're worried then there is no need to be. This is because all the most common Airsoft connectors are designed to only plug in one particular way so that you can't accidentally plug positive to positive or negative to negative and cause a short. This way there's a lot less worry, and less issues with getting it wrong and damaging your connectors.

Tamiya Connectors have one round pin, and one square pin, Deans connectors have a vertical and horizontal pin, and the XT60 has a not and a chamfered edge so you can't plug them in the wrong way around unless you really force them!

Deans Connector Male

You may have noticed, either in real life or in this video, that some batteries (specifically Lithium Polymer, aka LiPo batteries) have an extra little white connector attached in addition to the normal battery connector. This is called the balance lead, or sometimes called a balance cable, and that's responsible for making sure that the individual cells charge as they should. This cable gives the charger access to each of the individual cells so they can each be charged to the correct level.

Tamiya Mattery Connector

If any of you avid Airsoft DIY enthusiasts, or starter Airsoft Techs, out there are considering swapping over the connectors on your gun from Tamiya to Deans then don't forget to remember that it's the male connector that goes on the gun end and the female connector that goes on the battery end.

For those of you who still need the birds and the bees talk: the male pins are the extruding ones which go into the other female connectors.

This is to prevent short circuiting when the batteries in your guns, or when equipment is in storage or in a kit bag. The idea is that the pins can't be bridged to cause a short due to exposed pins. This is particularly important when you're talking about Deans connectors, as the male pins are fully exposed.

Deans Connector

When it comes to choosing a battery to go in your rifle that's a whole new video itself. Suffice to say that manufacturers have tried their hardest to cram batteries into every possible space available on a gun.

For example in an M4/AR15, generally speaking, the battery would go in the buffer tube, and in an AK replica it would be housed underneath the top dust cover or in the stock. 

If you're worried about buying the right battery for your airsoft gun check out the Specifications Tab on each of the product listings to see what we recommend if you're in any doubt still please get in touch, or give us a call.

Deans Connection

So there you go guys hopefully this video has been of some help to you the new players out there. Featured in the video was Patrol Base Mike, and Patrol Base Pete. If you found this interesting then keep an eye out for more, we'll be releasing new content soon all targeted at new players!