Loopkey mounting. How do you do it?

b264 · July 10, 2019, 11:26pm

Both options in the poll say that way

I do it the other way, with the female key

JeffDJ · July 11, 2019, 1:43am

The only thing that happens if it gets shorted is the board turns on.

Fiori · July 11, 2019, 1:53am

I’m an animal so i just burry that bad boy in gobs of hot glue on both sides.

Guys, you need to be using the side with the green marking on it as your “board side” plug. Because:

It’s way safer, especially if you have small kids around your house. You can shove anything in there and make a connection otherwise…
It’s the stronger of the two connectors. The pins in that side of the connector are far less likely to bend or move around.
It has less empty space for debris to fall into(and possibly even make a connection).
If you use the other side of the connector and there is accidental connection, you bet your butt its coming with a fat spark.

Skunk · July 11, 2019, 2:09am

I hear arguments for both.
I like having the key be the actual xt90s just because the other end is much easier to mount cleanly.

aletheuo · July 11, 2019, 2:30am

I did call out key side vs board side, but it’s a bit subtle for a quick vote…

Your picture is worth more than the text I used to describe it though.

Also just found out polls are locked out for editing after 5 minutes

Probably should have phrased it better as

What do you have Board side:

XT90-s (Female terminals)

Male terminals

b264 · July 11, 2019, 5:03am

I disagree, I think this is better.

most of the time if there’s a failure, it’s the female part. This means make a new $4 key instead of repairing a broken esk8.
It’s far easier to mount this when nothing has to slide over the outside of it. You can flush-mount it in a waterproof way.
When you have the key in your pocket with a bunch of shit, the female connector is more robust.

b264 · July 11, 2019, 5:05am

Right, but one you said “put female on board side” and the other you said “put male on key side”. Those are both the same thing. And the opposite of what I prefer.

aletheuo · July 11, 2019, 5:06am

Oof… You’re right.

Turns out I can’t read my own writing.

In my defense, it’s the right answer (j/k)

Santino · July 11, 2019, 2:46pm

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Pedrodemio · July 11, 2019, 3:20pm

Only thing I don’t like is having the pins exposed on the board, easy to make a spark if something metallic goes in it

mmaner · July 11, 2019, 3:24pm

I’ve never actually heard of anyone having an issue with the exposed pins on an XT-90 loop key.

b264 · July 11, 2019, 4:02pm

I haven’t heard of that either, but it will just turn the board on briefly and maybe mar the pin a little bit. A lot more preferable to burning up the resistor and having that part mounted inside the board.

JeffDJ · July 11, 2019, 11:54pm

Plus, if someone is that worried just make a “dust cover” out of a standard xt90 female and some heat shrink/conformal coating/or anything else to cover up the solder pots.

b264 · July 12, 2019, 10:58am

Or a two-sided key LoLz

One way is “on” the other way is “off”

Tonkatron · July 12, 2019, 4:45pm

I want to add a loop key to one of my boards but the best place for it would mean that it wold split the pack into 2. What is the reasoning that it is a bad idea?

hummieee · July 12, 2019, 5:03pm

they do sell silicone covers for xt90 at hobbyking. good for water but if I was kid Id want to play with it too. Something about high power kids want to connect. I had some lipo in a box at work and some special ed kid dug it out and I hear a huge snap and turn around and she’s looking guilty with vaporized contacts in her hand as she had decided shorting the large lipo bullet connectors to itself looked fun.

niuva · July 12, 2019, 5:18pm

I constructed a lamp out of a flashlight bulb and a McDonalds soda cup and some nails when I was five. I proceeded to stick it in the mains power and ended up zapping myself. I’ve gained superpowers ever since - if I rub my feet against the carpet I can electrocute people. Cool, right?

It’s a smart place to place it, but knowing how clumsy I am I’d probably end up accidentally kicking it / stepping on it and just breaking it. (If it is sticking out on top.)

–

Place TWO loop keys on the enclosure, one on each side, requiring two loop keys to complete the circuit. This way it doesn’t matter if a toddler decides to shove their crayons in there. Surely their attention span isn’t long enough to stick stuff in both of them, right?

The more loopity-loops the merrier.