new set up with battery smoke

I have a new set up, and I am new at this. E-Maxx - 12020, 8xl, UBEC, stock receiver and servos. I must preface that I have cheap batteries - 3000 NIHI that were $15 a 6C stick. And they are cheap - I tried to dismantle one and practice by using deans connectors - but it was basically 2 tubes with paper thin connectors and I couldn't do it.

I am pretty sure the set up is right. All the neg and pos are in line as all the helpful instructions state.

2 sec after connecting the connectors in the batteries began to smoke and shorted out - the was NO heat or smoke in the controller, UBEC or motor.

My guess and hope is that more energy was drawn than the cheap batteries can tolerate. What is the opnion of the group?

BTW - I am about to order a set of IB 3800 from Mike today!