Waterproofing bike wire to avoid the walk of shame - Pedelecs

It's important to note that you won't be able to completely seal your bike wires. Water will inevitably find its way inside, and when it does, it must have a way to drain out. Throughout my professional career, I've encountered this issue countless times. Silicone sealant can offer a temporary fix, but it won't perform as effectively as a proper potting compound. In the past, we used Scotchcast joints for buried cables, which involved a plastic housing filled with epoxy potting compound. Consider the wiring in cars and motorcycles; they endure more severe conditions than an e-bike. Connectors are often shielded from direct exposure and are rarely sealed. Electronic control units may be housed in sealed enclosures with sealed multi-pin connectors and conformal coatings to reduce water damage. Typically, units in engine bays have drain holes or hoses at their lowest points.

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Ebike Connectors

There are many types of connectors used in electric bicycle systems, but no real standardization on connector type or pinout. After our first few years dealing with e-bike kits and the myriad of plug types, we decided in 2008 to standardize all our systems to use just two connector series: Anderson Powerpoles for high current connections (battery and motor phase leads) and JST-SM connectors for small signal wires.

Both these connectors have the advantage of being user-crimpable and installable with relative ease. The pins can be removed from the housing, and they allow measuring voltage signals on the plugs even when connected together for diagnostics. They come in various pin counts (2 to 12 with JST-SM and infinitely many with modular Andersons). However, neither are intrinsically waterproof, and they don't look as polished as many overmolded plugs in common use on e-bikes today. For this reason, we are now also using other plugs.

Anderson Powerpoles, PP15/30/45 series

This connector, invented by Anderson Power Products back in the 1960s, is excellent for three reasons:

#1) Genderless: Unlike most connectors, Anderson Powerpoles can mate with each other. This eliminates the confusion of matching male to female plugs, allowing their use on the source and as a load.

#2) Stackable with Dovetail Joints: The housing has dovetail slots to stack side-by-side for making multi-pin connectors.

#3) Separate Mating and Connection Contacts: The initial spark that occurs when connecting a battery to a motor controller happens at the tip of the connector pin. The contact point then slides to a bump further back, ensuring clean, unpitted metal for conduction.

Current Rating: Anderson offers 15A, 30A, and 45A versions, but these are all identical and interchangeable. The difference is in the wire gauge for the pin crimp. Our experience shows that a connector with 12g wire is reliable up to 60A continuous current, but over 70A can cause the housing to melt.

Crimping vs Soldering: Anderson pins can be crimped or soldered, offering flexibility in connection methods.

Pin Detent: There are standard and high detent pins available, which affect the force needed to pull connectors apart.

Retention Pins: Retention pins prevent connectors from being pulled apart.

Knock-offs: Many imitations exist, but authentic Anderson plugs have specific characteristics like a capital 'A' on the end and a rich red color.

Signal Connectors

JST-SM

SM series connectors from JST are compact wire-to-wire connectors that work well for small signals and accessory power up to 2 amps. Available in various pin counts, these connectors are versatile but are not waterproof.

The ability to probe voltage on the pins while connected is valuable for troubleshooting. Pins can be extracted from the housing to change pinout configurations or pass through tight spaces. Despite exposure to water, these connectors remain reliable.

HiGo Mini-B

The higo waterproof signal connector series is commonly used by large OEM and turn-key e-bike manufacturers for various components. Available as premade cable harnesses in the OEM supply line, they are challenging for DIY builds and problematic for troubleshooting and repair due to their waterproof nature.

HiGo Main Signal

Factory e-bikes often have a single connector branching out into various plugs. This main cable connector from HiGo is available in 8 to 10 pins, commonly used for standard bike setups. Our new CA3-WP devices use a modified version of this standard.

Tajima

At one point, Crystalyte switched from JST-SM to Tajima connectors for hall signals. Despite their high-quality appearance, they proved impractical due to corrosion and soldering challenges.

Hirose DF62

While not yet used in commercial applications, Hirose DF62 connectors offer benefits like crimpability, pin extraction, and compactness. They stand out as potential candidates for future small signal connectors.

BMS Header

Lithium battery management circuits connect to individual cell tap points through single-row headers, varying in pin count.

Molex/Spade

Common on Chinese e-bikes and scooters, these inexpensive connectors are generally functional but visually unappealing.

Further reading:
Waterproof Connector

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Motor Specific Connectors

HiGo Z910

HiGo offers overmolded motor connectors combining power and signal wires. The Z910 plug, popular in low-power systems, handles up to 30-40 amps and has been standardized by Bafang. We use this connector in our low-power kits since 2017.

HiGo L10

As of 2019, we transitioned mid and high-power e-bike kits to the L1019 HiGo connector, capable of handling higher currents and additional signal lines for speed and temperature sensors.

Julet Z916

This connector is prevalent in medium-power e-bikes, including some from Rad Power. While we find the L1019 superior, we plan to offer adapter cables for compatibility.

MT60

The MT60 connector is designed for the 3-phase wires of a brushless motor, handling high currents without melting. However, they don't allow for easy phase swapping.

Battery Connectors

Anderson SB50

Popular in larger electric vehicles, these connectors are sometimes too bulky for e-bikes.

XT60

Designed for the RC market, XT60 connectors handle high currents and are often used for e-bike batteries, both for discharge and charging.

XT90

The XT90 connector is a larger version of the XT60, capable of even higher currents and available with a precharge resistor to eliminate sparks when connecting.

Charger Connectors

Rosenberger

Adopted by energybus for battery plugs, this connector features magnet alignment, power, and signal lines, but has seen limited traction due to high price and proprietary interests.

XLR

Commonly used in audio equipment, XLR plugs handle moderate currents and have been used in e-bike battery chargers.

DC Jack

Widely used for low-voltage DC power in consumer electronics, DC barrel connectors are common in e-bike frame-mounted batteries but have current and short-circuit limitations.

ST3

Several companies have introduced new charging plug standards for e-bikes. We adopted a 3-pin plug from ST, calling it ST3, for our batteries to support higher currents and additional communication or temperature monitoring pins.

RCA

Repurposed from the audio industry, RCA connectors are sometimes used for charging ports but are prone to shorts.

Others:

Many other connectors from various industries are used in e-bikes and conversion kits. Identifying specific connectors can be difficult, especially with proprietary designs that ensure incompatibility with third-party plugs.

Contact us to discuss your requirements for connecteur higo. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.