TRX-4 JST Plug Solutions For Your Third-party ESC - RC Stories Garage - Episode 17

In this Episode of the RC Stories Garage, we are talking about how to wire a JST power plug to a third-party ESC in a Traxxas TRX-4. I recently upgraded my TRX-4 Sport with a Hobbywing Fusion motor/ESC combo and needed to install a JST plug to power my Pro Scale Lighting module and Pro Scale Winch.
There are several options for adding a JST plug to your Fusion installation.
Option one, is to solder a JST plug to the ESC battery leads. If you are changing the plug type anyway then this is probably the best option.
Option two, is to us a balance plug (XH) to JST adaptor. This is the simplest solution for low amperage use cases (like lights and winches).
Option three, which I do not cover in the video, is to use a wire tap or battery plug adaptor that has a JST plug connected to it. This adaptor goes between the ESC and battery connectors and is a good solution if you are going to run a battery plug adaptor anyway (say to use existing Traxxas batteries with an XT60 wired ESC).
-- Video Chapters --
0:00 Introduction
0:56 Stock ESC Review
2:00 Fusion Motor/ESC Overview
2:28 Option 1: Soldering
3:12 Option 2: Balance Port Adapter
5:13 Balance Port Voltage
7:03 Conclusion
Camera: GoPro Hero10 with MediaMod
Software: Adobe Premiere

[@rohann1983]

I know it is a old video but thank you very much, I have accessories in my TRX4 needing that extra power plug. I was wondering what I was going to do if I go the fusion route and now I have found the answer. :)

[@Cameron2874]

Very informative and well explained. 👍

[@BUILTLIGHTWOUNDTIGHT]

AWESOMENESS!!! thank you for sharing this with us!!! 😎

[@jeffmuller9020]

I really love your channel. Your an excellent teacher. Thank you for your time and doing these.

[@rcstories_ca]

You are so welcome!

[@FerociousSniper]

Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with us!

[@rcstories_ca]

You are welcome!

[@alxe24]

That is a very nice explanation. Not many channels have enough electronic talks. I like to learn more about it, like creating lighting systems/halo lights and things from scratch. Hopefully, that is something you have to share with us. Thank you for your video.

[@rcstories_ca]

Thanks. I haven’t dabbled too much in the scratch building side. Especially for lighting, there are a lot of after-market options out there that make things too easy. When I do make these kind of videos I try to cover topics that others haven’t covered (or haven’t been covered well) but that seem to be of interest to people. I have been thinking about how to use the Traxxas light power supply (just the basic one, not the Pro Scale) in any truck. For example, being able to power the stock lights plus a lightbar on a Element body, without going with a full light controller and without having a spaghetti mess of wires pigtailed off the receiver. That I may make a video about someday.

[@alxe24]

@@rcstories_ca yes. I also see a lot of confusion about traxxas modular lighting system, me being part of it. When I built my sport kit I wanted lights and the hobby shop and some people in forums where recommending all kind of different part numbers. I got frustrated and didn’t do anything. It’s a day runner

[@perohijo]

JST splitter for pro scale lights and traxxas winch. I had problems with the winch but it was a matter of rebinding it.

[@ToGrimmToWin]

Thanks was thinking of running a fusion se in my trx4 sport high trail with winch kit couldn't figure out what voltage it would take if I could run it directly off the battery by soldering a jst lead to the power wires on the power wires but I like that balance Port option

[@maziatr]

Can you please tell me how you solved the problem of connecting the motor speed/direction wire that the pro light kit needs to your motor? Thanks

[@irvinggutierrez5390]

Ive seen other videos that say if you use the maxx link cable provided with the pro light kit it will send all that info from your receiver to the pro light kit!

[@maziatr]

@@irvinggutierrez5390 Yes, I have done the same and it works for me.

[@irvinggutierrez5390]

@@maziatr cool i have mine on the way and watched many videos get that info. Thanks for confirming!

[@rcstories_ca]

@maziatr @irvinggutierrez5390 Thanks for the question and the replies. Yes, the Maxx Link cable is what you need to get forward/reverse signals with the Traxxas Pro Scale Lighting and a brushless motor/ESC. There are a few gotchas and bugs to this setup which I cover in this linked video…
th-cam.com/video/DxILTb8-a8g/w-d-xo.html

[@me-rn7jx]

it cant be safe rumning power off just one of the batterys cells right?

[@rcstories_ca]

Yeah, I get nervous about that too. Not really about safety, but more about battery longevity. But for low current applications, like a few LED lights, it’s probably okay. You are right though, with no low voltage cutoff you could damage the cell of the battery if you run it all the way down. The XH to JST adaptor I show in the video is wired to draw voltage from all 3-cells of a 3S (hence the 12.3V reading). But some devices, like the MyTrickRC HB-2 light controller, only work on up to 2s voltage and yet they provide a 3s XH to JST adaptor-I wonder if they have the adaptor wired to only 2 cells (8.2V)? I have a MyTrickRC DG-1 which came with such an adaptor, but I can’t find it to test it.