PINNED - Lithium battery conversion/info

[Scooterman]

Surely it is in the interest of the cell company to sort out with UPS?

They're not going to want the cells coming back to them and having to refund your money.

[terry2]

Surely it is in the interest of the cell company to sort out with UPS?

They're not going to want the cells coming back to them and having to refund your money.

You would think so.
But this company sales9 has no licence\paperwork for the cells to be imported.
They knew they need the paperwork, but took a chance and it failed.

I have been emailing sales9 all morning. But all they say is wait!
If they can't get the things needed since yesterday. I can't see them getting anytime soon.
Oh well. Shit happens


EDIT=I may have good news from UPS in 10 mins

[terry2]

They have just turned up

I've got a friend to bring them in for me. And so far so good.

There are some scratches and marks on the cells. But no bulging.

Now to find out what to do next

[Burgerman]

Charge each one individually.

Or connect all of them together, and charge the lot at once in parallel till full. Or do say 2 or 3 at a time.

[terry2]

Charge each one individually.

Or connect all of them together, and charge the lot at once in parallel till full. Or do say 2 or 3 at a time.

Thanks BM

The cells are 3.335-3.339 volts. That's if I have done it right.

@Burgerman

So I get a profile.
Press upload on the PL8
Set my PL8s charger to 20amps
Then charge it?

Please treat me like a 1 year old. Electrics scare the POOP out of me

[Scooterman]

They have just turned up

I've got a friend to bring them in for me. And so far so good.

There are some scratches and marks on the cells. But no bulging.

Now to find out what to do next

We're they well packaged?

[terry2]

They have just turned up

I've got a friend to bring them in for me. And so far so good.

There are some scratches and marks on the cells. But no bulging.

Now to find out what to do next

We're they well packaged?

There was a smaller box which had foam around the 4 (top\bottom and sides)
Then that box was put in a bigger box with bubble stuff around. So yes very good.


I am going to charge each one. When I find out how lol

[Burgerman]

Yes.

Connect the PL8 to the computer. Dont press any buttons on the charger, now or at all.

Open the PL8 CCS software. Set the comm port to AUTO and wait. It will load all the stock presets.

Select position 1 and add my preset to it. (will upload it here later).
Once you have it in position 1 on the CCS software click UPDATE. It will load tgat preset to the PL8.

Connect a cell, and charge it. Control it with the CCS including charge amps etc, but also check the supply tab settings, and the other tabs... First!

And questions ask!
Be sure 3.33 firmware. Be sure advanced box ticked.

[Scooterman]

I was disappointed with how mine were packaged. I'm not blaming Shirley as I think they came direct from his battery guy. But it was the box with no polystyrene that had split. Perhaps if they'd been packaged similar to yours they would have survived?
But then as Steve said, smaller boxes probably mean cheaper shipping. I've just started testing each cell individually at the moment. My dodgy power supply seems to be able to cope with a single cell at 3.6v 18A without smoking.

[Scooterman]

Charge each one individually.

Or connect all of them together, and charge the lot at once in parallel till full. Or do say 2 or 3 at a time.

To charge say 4 in parallel.
Is it 1S,
40A CC,
TC (total Ah/500)

[Scooterman]

It comes in 1 foot / 1 metre , that I'll cut it into bits .

The full set below for 16 cells , costs merely enough for two pints of in happy hours only .

£8. ≤

Hi Shirley, once I've cut mine into studs and am ready to assemble. I'm going to drop them into a cup of white vinegar with a dash of bicarbonate of soda. Apparently it's really good at removing any surface oxidation and makes the copper really shiny new

[terry2]

Yes.

Connect the PL8 to the computer. Dont press any buttons on the charger, now or at all.

Open the PL8 CCS software. Set the comm port to AUTO and wait. It will load all the stock presets.

Select position 1 and add my preset to it. (will upload it here later).
Once you have it in position 1 on the CCS software click UPDATE. It will load tgat preset to the PL8.

Connect a cell, and charge it. Control it with the CCS including charge amps etc, but also check the supply tab settings, and the other tabs... First!

And questions ask!
Be sure 3.33 firmware. Be sure advanced box ticked.

Thank you.

I am shaking like a leaf

[Burgerman]

What are these cells?

I will do yu 2 presets.

[terry2]

What are these cells?

I will do yu 2 presets.

Mine are these BM

https://www.lifepo4-batteries.com/sale- ... f-car.html

I have 8 of them.

[Burgerman]

Heres 2 presets.

One for 1 cell. Or 2 in parallel if in a hurry.
One for all 8, with balance wires etc.

[terry2]

Heres 2 presets.

One for 1 cell. Or 2 in parallel if in a hurry.
One for all 8, with balance wires etc.

Thank you very much BM

So to charge one at a time I use LiFe Charge ONE 90 to 200Ah Cell.PS8
And use the other once I have built the pack.
Sorry for asking a lot.

[terry2]

Will the PL8 know when to stop charging or do I have to watch it?

Also. Which graph in the software is best to watch.
Thanks

I'm still pooing myself

[terry2]

That my first try. Is that ok?
The little spick at the end is when I accidently touch the power supply knob.

[Gnomatic]

Looks like that one at least arrived fairly full, unlike swalker's. No buldging either.

You and he ordered the same cells from the same company, correct?

[terry2]

Looks like that one at least arrived fairly full, unlike swalker's. No buldging either.

You and he ordered the same cells from the same company, correct?

As far as I know Yes.

The second cell is charging the same. The first one took 25 mins.
My charger is set at 20V. It can go up to 30V.

[Burgerman]

That would seem to be correct. And also slightly amazing. They SHOULD be shipped around 30 to 50% full. But some are shpped at full charge. Not the best way. Those look to be 99% full. The swalker ones were 1% full...

I would bet that swalkers were a set that had been returned or warrantied for some reason and resold. The fact that they are bulged means that they were likely abused in either load or charge voltage (BMS or some other abuse). I expect them to be fairly high impedance. Although hard to measure. I would be demanding a refund. Or replacement as a matter of course. Or a refund from my credit card or paypal.

[terry2]

That would seem to be correct. And also slightly amazing. They SHOULD be shipped around 30 to 50% full. But some are shpped at full charge. Not the best way. Those look to be 99% full. The swalker ones were 1% full...

I would bet that swalkers were a set that had been returned or warrantied for some reason and resold. The fact that they are bulged means that they were likely abused in either load or charge voltage (BMS or some other abuse). I expect them to be fairly high impedance. Although hard to measure. I would be demanding a refund. Or replacement as a matter of course. Or a refund from my credit card or paypal.

Thank god!

Cell 2 is the same(it's still charging)

[Burgerman]

My charger is set at 20V. It can go up to 30V.

Thats the power supply. The charger is set to 3.600V per cell, and 30A and it will do that whatever the power supply is set to.

In the supply tab, set AMPS to the same or a little less than your supply can do.

[terry2]

My charger is set at 20V. It can go up to 30V.

Thats the power supply. The charger is set to 3.600V per cell, and 30A and it will do that whatever the power supply is set to.

In the supply tab, set AMPS to the same or a little less than your supply can do.

Doing that now.

Charging my 3rd Cell. I am to scared to leave it alone

After all 8 are charged.

Should I diss-charge each after?

[Burgerman]

I wouldnt bother. The used ones did well. So those will be better still. Take say 20Ah out of each one since they shouldnt be stored full. Then assemble the pack.

To do that, connect, choose discharge, and watch the mah counter on screen. when it hits 20,000mAh or 40,000mAh press stop. Make sure you do each the same give or take a tin=y bit. Or it will take an age to balance after you assemble the pack.

So now you need to figure out how its going to be separated, as each case is "live". If they can ever touch you will get fireworks.
Others will tell you how they do it. Dont forget the bottom. Or sides.

[terry2]

I wouldnt bother. The used ones did well. So those will be better still. Take say 20Ah out of each one since they shouldnt be stored full. Then assemble the pack.

To do that, connect, choose discharge, and watch the mah counter on screen. when it hits 20,000mAh or 40,000mAh press stop. Make sure you do each the same give or take a tin=y bit. Or it will take an age to balance after you assemble the pack.

So now you need to figure out how its going to be separated, as each case is "live". If they can ever touch you will get fireworks.
Others will tell you how they do it. Dont forget the bottom. Or sides.

Thanks BM.

I am wrapping each one in Kapton tape https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wildlead-Resis ... tape+100mm

Then wrap the lot together once I make the pack.

[Burgerman]

Its not very thick...

[terry2]

Its not very thick...

It's the same as expresso used.
I was going to use electrical tape. But kapton is high heat stuff.

I will look at 1mm plastic sheets if I can get them the right size.

[expresso]

Glad to hear you finally got them - yes i used the same Tape to wrap each cell - i also used silicone sheet between each cell that would be touching - mines was an ADD ON - i have foam around the edges and in plastic box - on a full pack - i would use the silicone around the whole pack also sides front back etc, or something plastic after the tape of each cell also

this was my first in chair pack going on 4 summers now - its not the best wrapped - these are headways so they dont touch each other - and sit in a plastic tray - i havnt looked at it in years now just use and charge -

[swalker]

Terry, I am really encouraged that your cells seem to be in good shape.

Mine clearly were not. The bulging was obvious, as were signs of prior use (though I tried to talk myself out of that notion early on).

I charged the first of my cells with the 30 amps setting in BM's script. That took a bit over 5 hours. 30 amps made some wires too hot for my liking, so I backed off the charge rate to 25 amps. At 25 amps, it took close to 8 hours to charge each cell.

Like BM said, my cells seemed to arrive pretty empty (though I think they had more like 10% to 15% rather than 1% charge).

I have an email into lifepo4-batteries with pictures of the issues with my cells and am hoping we will be able to work this out amicably.

Steve