Battery ADD on pack - First Attempt -

[expresso]

I will put one or two sheets of cardboard between BMS and cells as insulation .

ok i can do that and put the rubber sheet also over the cardboard also - - have to wait till i get everything else i need now -

thanks -

[expresso]

i wrapped it back up and put back in the box -

i had it in the box unwrapped - -

do i have to leave this wrap on it once i use cardboard and rubber sheet - if those i linked to are good or unwrap it and just add the cardboard and rubber sheet -

[shirley_hkg]

It's safe enough your way now.

Put a cardboard or two between bms and battery and you are safe to wrap them up for easy handling. Then go and see how you gonna carry it
.

[Burgerman]

To discharge it I do one of two things.

1. Choose discharge on my PL8 charger and take out the required amount of Ah.

2. Use an old truck headlamp bulb, (24v one) that is 60 watts. that's 2.5A approx. Or use 2 for 5A. That will take either 2.5Ah or 5Ah out of the battery per hour.

3. Use 2x 60 Watt car headlamp bulbs, in series. That takes out 5A too. Or 5Ah in one hour. So 1.5 to 2 hours will be fine.

DONT connect bulbs and then forget them. That will send your pack flat and ruin it.

[expresso]

It's safe enough your way now.

Put a cardboard or two between bms and battery and you are safe to wrap them up for easy handling. Then go and see how you gonna carry it
.

Ok - SO i need to leave it this way - add cardboard to the pack side and tape it down this way - i dont have to remove this wrap and it will be fine ?

the discharge is going to have to happen on its own - by the time i connect it to my chair - it be a while - we got over a foot of snow already and still more to come - i wont be going out for a while to find a container to put it in

once i get the caps and wrench tool - i will attach the BMS - locktite the screws etc, and post back for instructions on the charging procedure -

[Burgerman]

They don't significantly self discharge. If you want it to stay healthy you need to:

1. FULLY charge and balance. So all cells are the same level.
2. Remove 25 to 50% of the Ah. (with a bulb if you have no hobby charger.)

Then they can be stored without degrading.

[expresso]

I barely got this far - - not sure if i am able to drain any with a light bulb -

what if - when i am completed - all done and just ready to start charging etc, - maybe i should just hold it this way - leave it alone - make the cable for the chair - wait another month or so - and then start the charging process - connect it to the chair and thats it -

instead of charging it now - and i will have to just leave it there till i am ready to use it on the chair - i have to figure out a way to hold it in the backpack - will have to find some sort of plastic container - that fits well -

we have a blizzard here now - so i am not going out anytime soon to look for something - if i find something and end up putting it on the chair - connecting it - i can then just use the chair for a short while - in the house ? to drain it a bit -

or i just have to leave it as it is - either charged first and leave it - or leave it alone till i am ready to put it on the chair for good ? i think one of these are my best options -

[Burgerman]

You got this far. And you cant connect a bulb to two bits of wire, with your fingers. And poke them into the Anderson connector to light up a 24V headlamp bulb?


http://www.truck-parts-online.co.uk/h7-headlamp-bulb I feel sure that you will figure it out in a week or so!

[expresso]

seems simple enough but i feel like when i reach a point = more things pop up that i have to do - i have to find that bulb on amazon or ebay first - wrap a wire to both those ends on the bulb - then stick that ends in the sb50 - a certain way -

pos to pos or dosnt matter - i am not comfortable when i dont know what i am doing for sure - dont want to blow this up after i get done -

i cant just plug it in my chair and use the chair - but then i would have to charge the chair anyway - i believe Shirley said it was fine to leave it connected to the chair - charge as normal and can leave it on float as i normally do

is that not the case ?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IKL ... l_huc_item


i need to add a few more items before i can place an order for free shipping etc, - would this bulb work ?

[Burgerman]

You can. You can also leave it stored fully charged. Or not balanced.

But its better to fully charge and balance, then remove about a third the power if you are going to store it. In the same way its best to store lead batteries full.

[Scollard]

seems simple enough but i feel like when i reach a point = more things pop up that i have to do - i have to find that bulb on amazon or ebay first - wrap a wire to both those ends on the bulb - then stick that ends in the sb50 - a certain way -

pos to pos or dosnt matter - i am not comfortable when i dont know what i am doing for sure - dont want to blow this up after i get done -

i cant just plug it in my chair and use the chair - but then i would have to charge the chair anyway - i believe Shirley said it was fine to leave it connected to the chair - charge as normal and can leave it on float as i normally do

is that not the case ?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IKL ... l_huc_item


i need to add a few more items before i can place an order for free shipping etc, - would this bulb work ?

You might want to add a couple of these:

http://www.amazon.com/GT-Power-Analyzer ... 19AQ4HA_tt

You put anderson connectors on both ends and put it between your battery and the chair and it will measure how much power you have drawn from the battery.

[expresso]

thats just for some info. to tell me how much i used during the day ?

can i leave that attached when charging - that item didnt have good reviews - i have another little item which i got with the BMS - but looking it over - not sure i am even going to use it - have no clue how to connect it - i see alot of little wires bare on one end -

we have a blizzard here now - so wont be going out for some time - i will wait for the caps for the srews and the wrench - i feel like it will take me more time to figure how to wrap this and find a continer to sit it in - then it took to build the whole thing -

i though the hard part was over

[Burgerman]

There isn't a hard part. The more you learn, the more there is to learn.

These watt meters are very useful. You can also put them between the batteries and the chair, and it will show how many total Ah you have used... And batt voltage, and watt hours used, and peak amps etc.

http://www.hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking/st ... lyzer.html

[expresso]

its out of stock - - ok i can add that later on at anytime - its not urgent to get that done now - i really want to figure out how to wrap this up good enough at least - with that meter - if i just make the connector and add it between the pack and my chair -
thats simple enough - once i get it all done and and nothing else i need to do with this pack - i can worry about adding that - i do like to know details and visuals - to see whats going on -

right now i am thinking who is going to deliver food - i may be out of luck here in the city that never sleeps - seems like a city that no one works either today

i think i can find some plastic paper to wrap this in at a Staples ? once i attach the BMS - and all done - i can tape the tops and bottom - wrap it - take it again - with duct tape - and just leave the wires out - and try to leave the BMS lights exposed for some feeback if needed -

this is all after i get this charged for the first time - which i am not sure how thats going to work - i mean the full charge ok - but that other little item i have to bring the cells balanced - not sure how that works -

when i get there - will need more instructions

[Burgerman]

If its all wired. Put it on charge.

You can and should put your volt meter across the different cells as it charges to watch and see which ones are full. They will go from 3.3x volts up to 3.60v fast once full.

[Scollard]

Remember you want to keep the lights on the BMS available. The way it's wrapped up I don't think you will be able to see the lights.

I wouldn't worry about the reviews of the GT Power watt meter. Chances are the negative reviews are all from people who fried it by not knowing what they were doing. Also Amazon has good return policies. I think Flagman bought a couple of these. I remember seeing it in some thread about the GT Power watt meter.

[expresso]

its not - i didnt attach the BMS yet - i want to get it wraped nicely and attach to side of the Pack with tape maybe

i am waiting for the wrench i ordered so i dont over tighten it - once i attach the BMS - hopefully next week - i will post it back to make sure its correct - at this point - its no way i make a mistake now - black on the Neg. 0 and Red on Pos, 8

plug in the balance plug and done - i will remove all the washers also when i use the locktite and thats it - dont want to touch it again - just to charge it - and wrap it up after

but i got a little item Shirley added also - not sure how that will work to balance the Cells after i fully charger it normally with a 8 amp charger - till its green and then i guess have to use that other item to slowly balance the cells -

how exactly i dont know yet -

[Burgerman]

You charge battery with BMS. ONE or two groups will end up charged first. Then the charging slows to a crawl, with the BMS cutting on/off. You then connect the little "thing" to one cell group at a time, and do the 7 sets of cells that are not yet at 3.600v.

[expresso]

Oh ok i think i see -- each group - like the numbers i labled - 0 2 4 6 8 - each number is a group - so first i charge with BMS on charger till its Green on my charger like normal -

then unplug from BMS - connect the little thing to one group - for example - 0 - neg on top and pos on bottom - i have to use with the little thing and plug the charger in that - till the charger shows green again -

i will post a picture first to be sure i am connecting that little thing correctly when i get to that point - but i get it - just have to double check it before i do it - to be sure -

[Scollard]

Ok

hows this ?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QD ... _mrai_2_dp

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0074I ... l_huc_item


let me know if any of these are good - so i can place an order - i wish i new i just placed an order yesterday -

is there anything you can think of that i may need to cover this or wrap the whole thing etc, - i like to place an order for everything else i may need to get this finished and covered protected safely -

i guess i have to wait now to get all the items before i finish it up ? No use connecting the BMS now till i can wrap it safely

Maybe something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Styrene-Butadiene ... 0B27A60_tt

[expresso]

Ok i saved it in my wish list to not loose it - i should get two of them - to be sure i have enough

Now with this - When i am Finally all done - - i should wrap the whole thing with this and tape it - just leave the BMS exposed but padded also so its not touching the pack at all -

i guess i might as well place a little order then for this and solder kit - will need it for later on anyway - maybe i get duct tape also while i am at it -

after i cover it with this - then i should put in a plastic container of some sort also - and in the back pack when ready to plug it in chair and use it -

it may just sit on my kitchen table for a while - till i get it all done - charged and wrapped - anther month now

[expresso]

But if i wrap this up this good - dosnt it have to breath - the Cells ?

[shirley_hkg]

Cut an opening on wrap for the plug to get in.

The LEDs should face outside. It's on the opposite side of the aluminium plate.

BTW, please seek MY advice first , before stepping further .

Don't get distracted.

[Burgerman]

The cells only breath if overheated severely, and only need cooling if used hard. So wrapping them up in an add-on shouldn't hurt them.

[expresso]

Cut an opening on wrap for the plug to get in.

The LEDs should face outside. It's on the opposite side of the aluminium plate.

BTW, please seek MY advice first , before stepping further .

Don't get distracted.

Ok sure no problem - once i get the material to wrap it etc, and the rest of the tools - wrench - caps - etc, - i will then connect the BMS - - i wont wrap anything till i am completely done -

once i connect the BMS - i will post picture again and you can explain how to start the charging process -

thanks

[expresso]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L8N ... PDKIKX0DER

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IKL ... PDKIKX0DER

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WE ... PDKIKX0DER

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0074I ... PDKIKX0DER

Ok if i get this items now - would this be all i need left to finish this pack - to wrap it and cushion it etc, - once i locktite it all connected correctly - wrap it up - and start the charging or charge it up first and then pack it up last

i would have to leave the bottom and top roll of cells exposed to balance charge it - so wont pack it till the end - i wont have to rebalance charge again each cell group after the first time ?

before i place this order - anything else i may need ?

thanks -

[Burgerman]

i would have to leave the bottom and top roll of cells exposed to balance charge it - so wont pack it till the end - i wont have to rebalance charge again each cell group after the first time ?

Depends on...
1. how fast the BMS can balance, and how long you can wait.
2. How long you leave it unattended, and how equal the self discharge is between different cell left unatended.

For eg if you leave it sat months, and one group has a higher self discharge, and loses say 1Ah more than the rest, then the BMS may only be able to balance at 100mA and so will take 10 hours at the end of charge to balance. The little charger that shirley sent charges at 1A so will take an hour on the lowest cells to put 1Ah back.

After initial charge and balance, if you dont leave it longer than a month between charges you should be fine.

[expresso]

Ok so should be fine after the first charging process - i would never leave it a month with out charging anyway - worst case if i didnt use the chair for that long - like maybe the winter time - i still charge it either way

so its safe to wrap it all up after the first charge -

those items i linked too - would that be it - or am i missing something i may need before i order ?

[Burgerman]

No idea what most are for.

I would just put it in a bag of somekind and hang it on the back of your chair starting today!

[expresso]

haha - ok - i though i needed to cushion it - protect it from vibrations - etc, -

i will get it for cushion at least - but wont get crazy to wrap it all up sealed then - just to cushion the BMS - the pack a bit - tape it around and place in a bag - - good idea - simple plastic bag

i wont do it till i get the wrench - bolt caps - next week before i attach the BMS - and locktite everything for the last time - then start to charging process - once i hear from shirley to make sure i do the charging correctly - how to connect etc, the charging plugs for balance

i realize i was wrong - i though i had to plug in the charger in the XLR for the balance - but both those XLR are Female - so that wont be working that way - will need instructions to get started once i am ready from shirley i guess -

should i get the 24v bulb - or just leave it alone - ?