PINNED - Lithium battery conversion/info

[ex-Gooserider]

Note 110VAC only, so only good for US users. Also at maximum output will blow breakers on the typical US 15A circuit, as it pulls 17A... (should be OK if you don't crank it to the max...) Otherwise looks like a nice unit.

ex-Gooserider

https://www.amazon.com/Volteq-Regulated-Variable-Switching-Protection/dp/B00PXJHJVQ/ref=sr_1_2/135-1318709-0080950?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1507998873&sr=1-2&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A5573950011%2C4113168011

Solid power supplies I presume. Almost the same as the 2 I have here.

[snaker]

My 150Ah pack is eventually done. It is ready for the first charge

[Gnomatic]

Looks promising snaker!

[expresso]

very nice - will be one hella of a pack - you would be fine - never run out of battery life in a single days use - 150ah is the most so far anyone had fitted in a chair -

[snaker]

@expresso: pics and detail info in your threads of building pack/add-on did help me a lot. Most tools and electrical parts that I bought and used to make cables and assemble cells are based on yours.

[snaker]

I just completed the first charge for my pack.

The cells were full charged 17 days ago. Because before assembling their voltages were equally 3.4x, I did not recharge them. After charging, the total capacity in is only 193mAh. That means each cell only self-discharged 12mAh after 17 days. Is it abnormal?

The volt graph also does not look smooth. Is there anything wrong?

[Burgerman]

Cant tell anything yet.

Set to discharge, and remove say 40 or 50Ah from it. And then recharge.

[Burgerman]

Set more charge amps, appears to be set to 3.

[expresso]

@expresso: pics and detail info in your threads of building pack/add-on did help me a lot. Most tools and electrical parts that I bought and used to make cables and assemble cells are based on yours.

Glad it helped you and hopefully others who decide to take it on - winter is here - now is the time to start a project like these -

[shirley_hkg]

BM , I'm doing another 9P8S pack, with 72 of those 40152 cells .

Bus bars are CNC made , and there are lubricant / cooling fluid on them when arrived .

I'd like to know if I need to clean it thoroughly . If not , any adverse effect on conductivity .

Thanks .

[Burgerman]

Well I would.

[steves1977uk]

This PSU looks a beast... https://www.amazon.com/Volteq-Regulated ... 7XTM7N8QYP

Now if Revolectrix made a 100A version of the PL8, this would be my choice of PSU to power it. Expresso could do a full charge in under 2hrs

Steve

[Burgerman]

100A X 30V = 3000W + 10% EFFICIENCY LOSS. So you will need a 3.3kw wall socket. That will be ok in the UK. But I think will melt the wall in the USA?

I am tempted...

[expresso]

This PSU looks a beast... https://www.amazon.com/Volteq-Regulated ... 7XTM7N8QYP

Now if Revolectrix made a 100A version of the PL8, this would be my choice of PSU to power it. Expresso could do a full charge in under 2hrs

Steve

i got excited till i seen the cost - my $100 PSU does just fine at 35A if i want - since i been using the ADD ON also - i only charge at 20A on Chair pack and 8A on ADD ON - two chargers - i havnt used up the whole pack this summer on a single day - a few 40 miles rides - but mostly between 20 and 30 Miles

[Burgerman]

You are powering one charger though. Theres 3 on my bench. And 2 hyperions...

I charge my tiny 6Ah quadcopter batteries at 40A and sometims have 4 to do. My lead chairs at 40A. My lithium chairs at 40A. Thats 120...

[expresso]

Ok i guess your needs are more complex than most of us - i use 2 chargers when i charge now - one for the chair with 24V PSU - the other for the ADD ON with a 12V PSU - i do easy 15A with the 12V - 19A is max -

when charging the Combined chair lead and lithium - which i will start using now for the winter - short runs - will store my 135ah lithium chair for the winter - i have 10 miles on it - which is good enough to leave sitting now - no need to discharge anything -

with the Combined chair - i use the 12V PSU - charger combo - - If i had another chair to charge - yes then i would get another charger PSU for that one - - i think 2 chargers - PSU is a must - to be safe with a backup unit in the event one fails -

about $150 - i got one 24V PSU - and one 12V PSU - so far they are holding up well -

[Burgerman]

Sounds like you got the hang of this taking control shit now!

You got range, programming sorted, backup chairs/chargers and options. How did you manage in the days of ignorance a few years ago?

[expresso]

Sounds like you got the hang of this taking control shit now!

You got range, programming sorted, backup chairs/chargers and options. How did you manage in the days of ignorance a few years ago?

i am much better off today than i ever was - in control of this - dont know how i did it before - like everyone else did and still does - limited to very short range and constant worry about the green lights - only my indoor chair is lead now - not stressing that chair - never leaves the house -

Combined chair lead and lithium - fine for winter - and short runs around the city - - not worried - and can still do 25 miles easy - i just need to get another outdoor chair to do 40 miles also - lithium - which hopefully will have next year
bounder - if it gets approved -

then i should be OK ish - i plan to keep them all - but i may have to give up my indoor chair for space - maybe - i see -

[expresso]

PSU for the PL 8 - 24V - i dont find many options other than $300 models -

the ones i been using work great and $100 ebay - if i should need another PSU and ebay models are not there - whats everyone using ? besides what you use BM -

do you have a section here on PSU ? maybe thats a good idea - start a PSU section ? everyone can post there PSU and links to different models etc,

[snaker]

I discharged about 40Ah. The voltage graph is as in the picture below. Is the pack Ok? Is there any defect that I should consider and fix.

[shirley_hkg]

Taken into account of such a small load , 3.X amp ( 0.02C of 150Ah ) , variance amongst cells seems large .

Cells may need several cycles to run-in .

I'd perform a deep discharge , down to the first 3.00V , to have a glimpse of a terminal voltage of the pack during daily use .

[Burgerman]

Looks to me like either a loose terminal or a bad cell. On 8.

[snaker]

Does the cell 6 seem abnormal too? I will check the terminals at cell 6 and 8.

The discharging takes too long time. Can I use a 24V lamp or something similar to discharge the pack faster?

[Gnomatic]

The discharging takes too long time. Can I use a 24V lamp or something similar to discharge the pack faster?

Load dump. Something like this.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Divert-dump-lo ... Sw44BYUEl9

But at the very least use the PL8 to monitor and pay attention as to not run a cell to low.

[Burgerman]

I use one of those, 24V 1000W and discharge THROUGH the PL8. However, you need an adjustable voltage power supply to do that.

[expresso]

that looks like it can discharge very fast - -

the one you got - what is the rate it discharged at ? - was more compact smaller - was it not fast enough ?

[expresso]

If i used one of those - i could connect it to my SB50 on my chair pack - and also connect the PL 8 charge cable and just monitor it that way ?

would that work - ?

[shirley_hkg]

I use halogen bulbs , around 8A .

Faster to use it together with the PL8 .

Mount a cell monitor for safety sake .

[Burgerman]

Yes. But how do you know how much you take out? And they get very hot!!!

Answer you can use a Turnigy watt meter.

[expresso]

yes true - need to know how much i am taking out - i figure the PL 8 tells me at least when it gets too low - i am considering the smaller one - just to speed things up a bit - but why would i need it - ? only in the event if i have to drain the whole pack ?

how often would i have to do that - i did it once with the PL 8 when i had the bad cell - took 4 days - - that was too long - i dont mind 4 hours -
its one of those items that will sit around doing nothing till one day you need it

i would have to wire in a Amp montior on the unit itself ?