The Electronics of Airsoft: Part 1: Overview
Electricity plays a huge part in Airsoft. Whether you are teching professionally or just getting into the sport, it’s a good idea to have a sound knowledge what this electricity is, and how it works within the replicas we use. Today I will be covering what part electricity plays in Airsoft, and how this knowledge can be used to make your experience better.
This may seem pretty basic to some, so don’t be afraid to skip ahead if you already have a good understanding of the topic being covered.
THE CIRCUIT:
An electric circuit is a series of electrical conductors (usually wire) that allow electrons to pass from one place to another. In Airsoft, the wires and internal trigger switch and motor and battery connectors (called the “Wire Harness”) act to both conduct electricity from the battery to activate the motor and to turn off (open) the circuit to disable the motor. Most replicas come with this setup, as it is simple and cheap to build.
This wire harness circuit is very simple, and easy to recreate, given the right skills. But with most stock models, however, the wire harness is insufficient for the strain of operating a replica the way we usually want to.
THE FLOW:
Airsoft AEGs run on batteries (duh…), which is very important when considering how the electricity within the wire harness behaves. Batteries only let electrons flow in one direction, allowing the motor to turn the same way every time.
When the trigger is pulled and the circuit is turned on, or “closed,” the battery’s electrons are let free. They then go along the following path:
The flow goes from the negative side of the battery, to one side of the trigger contacts, across the trolley and then to the other side of the trigger contacts, then down toward the motor. Then the flow goes from the motor negative brush, across the motor armature, to the motor positive brush, then back up to the battery positive contact. As electricity crosses the motor, we get the spinning that we know and love. Pretty simple, right?
THE WEAK POINTS
I’ve worked on countless replicas that have had issues with wiring. The vast majority of these had been with stock wiring and in replicas that are well maintained and taken care of. This leads me to believe that stock wires are just not good enough for these systems.
These are the most common failing points in the wire harness, as well as the reasons why they fail:
The plug:
Frequent flexion and pulling on the plug at the end of the harness creates undue stress on the wires attached there, usually cutting through the rubber insulation. This leads to short circuits, decreased rate of fire, and/or excess heat in the wires, and it is very bad for not only the performance of the AEG, but also the battery and motor.
SOLUTION: Be gentle. Use T-Style (deans) or XT60 plugs instead of Tamiya.
The Trigger Contacts:
Using high output batteries can lead to arching (burning the metal) inside the trigger components. Contacts have also been known to melt the surrounding plastic, making it impossible to close the circuit and bring power to the motor.
SOLUTION: Use weak batteries (not reccomended). Install a MOSFET.
The Motor Brushes:
As the motor turns, the parts that conducts electricity into the motor itself become hot, and often send tiny sparks spinning around the motor. This makes the motor “dirty” and decreases rate of fire and increases excess heat.
SOLUTION: Keep the motor brushes clean. More on that later.
The Motor Armature:
The internal part of the motor spin extremely fast, which brings an unhealthy amount of stress to said parts. The wires wrapped around the small electro-magnets commonly break solder, deadening a portion of the motor.
SOLUTION: Keep the motor clean. Avoid heavy semi-automatic fire (if possible). Always keep some extra cash set aside for a new motor.
The Motor Contacts:
The motor contacts are thin and flimsy pieces of metal that slide over a portion at the back of the motor. These break easily, even during normal use, but especially when opening up the AEG for teching or cleaning.
SOLUTION: Be very careful around the motor, and don’t force anything if it doesn’t fit.
I will go over ways to keep your electrical parts clean when I talk about cleaning and tuning your AEG. For now, don’t be afraid to looks up tips on Social Media sites or with your local community.
THE UPGRADES:
Wires:
The least expensive electrical upgrade, and perhaps the most necessary, is what are commonly referred to as “Low Resistance Wires.” Not only do these wires have a better ability to let electrons flow, but they also typically have better and more durable connectors and contacts built in. Upgraded wire harnesses are usually inexpensive, running you around $12-17. One thing to be careful with when buying a new harness is that they are typically specific to not only the type of gearbox you are using, but also the type of replica, and the external parts on said replica. Be sure to take note of what type you are buying before you buy.
Motors:
The most common electrical upgrade in Airsoft is changing out the motor. It is a simple and effective way to increase performance, though it can commonly cost upwards of $60, give or take $15. For most replicas, this upgrade is as easy as opening the bottom of the grip and dropping the new motor in (with care for the wires), then adjusting motor height for the best fit. There are many types of motors, which I will cover briefly in Part 4 of this series, then in more detail when I talk about upgrading AEGs.
MOSFETs:
I think all Airsoft guns should come stock with a MOSFET. They are helpful if you want your replica to last, and absolutely necessary if you plan to upgrade your gun at all. I will go over how they work in Part 3 of this series, but for now you need to know this: They completely eliminate arcing (burning) in the trigger contacts, and they increase rate of fire, trigger response, battery life, and the overall longevity of your replica. They usually cost about $40-50, but I sell some in my shop for half that with just as much performance or better.
THE CONCLUSION:
The inside of an AEG is a complicated place. I hope to provide knowledge to make it less so. Electronics play a pretty big part of that. Understanding this will help push you ahead so that you can be better equipped to diagnose and fix issues within an AEG.
Stay tuned for More information on electronics in Airsoft, including things about Batteries, being “LiPo Ready,” MOSFETs, and a bunch of technical information that will go over the actual chemistry and physics of what is going on inside the wires.
See you next time! Thanks.