PINNED - Lithium battery conversion/info

[expresso]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxZDzXv4fnM


take a look at this - haha - amazing -

[Burgerman]

No its not amazing. Its exactly what you will find in every consumer battery pack. A BMS which undoubtedly is the cause of the demise, and a set of cheap lithium ion cells. (Not lIpo). Not LiFePO4 cells. Lithium ion (cobalt) batteries as used in portable chairs, electric bikes, laptops, many lithium powered devices like my auto mower.

They have a good energy density, and are very cheap. They burn, and can explode, and are charged at 4.2v per cell. They have a cycle life similar to lead. About 500 if treated well. No use in a powerchair, but most portable chairs use them, like the Travelscoot. Or many others.

I have rebuilt manyv laptop packs...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... 0&_sacat=0

All the chinese ones are junk.
Almost all of these have rediculous over inflated capacities stated. Your PL8 charger will measure them and show this clearly.
Most are high resistance.
Most are not worth buying because of that alone. Buy panasonic / Sanyo genuine or similar. Rebuild your laptop battery or whatever cheaply.

Watch this vid. Be VERY careful what batteries you buy! If its not a KNOWN source, and not a brand that has been tested and known to be good you can expect this kind of thing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOshOXcSkDA

[expresso]

whow - that sucks - and i think i have those batteries - for my flashlights - same ones - i bet mines are fake also - all well now i know

they do work - bright light - but not for very long time - a few hours before they dim - but it is a very bright light - i use the flashlight mounted on my chairs -

[Burgerman]

Well set up a LiPo charge algo for one, fully charge and then discharge at 1C and see if it gives the capacity claimed. My bet is about 1/4 of what you paid for! Use that PL8!

[expresso]

is there a preset already made for that in there ?

how would i connect it anyway ? to the battery ? - i am not there yet where i can make my own presets correctly that is -


i have about 8 of those Cells - black ones - i think mines say 6000 mAH - i just charge them up every so often - with there bullshit charger they supply

i never felt there were great - but worked for what i need them for - i know better next time i buy them - i have a very good charger for the AA and AAA models

i keep many AA charged for use in floodlights - with adapters - 3 AA for one D Cell - better than nothing if i need it - have a 60 day latern - - chair batteries with inverter -

since hurricane sandy - i want to have at least Lights - work my bed - etc,

[Burgerman]

is there a preset already made for that in there ?

There are pre-sets for everything. But you will also need to change a few settings because every cell/battery is different.

You buy chargers for $2 on ebay. And use just the holder. Add two wires and 2 banana 4mm connectors.

6Ah cells that size are impossible. Its Chinese speak for buy me...

2.5 to 3000mAh http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-GENUINE-SA ... 0976199190 Is about all you will get. IF QUALITY/GENUINE!

[expresso]

Maybe one day when i am bored and up to playing around with that - - i am still in the very early learning phases with the charger - chairs etc, - but good to know - i guess all the ones i have are fake - black case - 6000mah --

i use them till they are useless for me and just buy the Real ones next time - wonder how long a Real one lasts - the ones i have about 2 hours on high - maybe a little less - if i use them on night - when i ride - i carry a few extra in case i need to change them -

i also found these round Led lights - they wrap around the chair push arms or arm posts - you recharge them - and they are bright - 3 different modes - very cool - out of the way - i have one red in the back - white in the front -

[ex-Gooserider]

If any if your lights are still using an incandescent bulb i.e. anything that is NOT an LED, then they are part of the problem - throw them out and get lights that use LED's... Even the cheapos will give you longer life and more light than a light bulb...

ex-Gooserider

[expresso]

Has anyone had luck in purchasing those Cap Covers for the Cells ? - i found one seller on Ebay - i purchased 100 from him - and used on the ADD ON - there were good - they fit snug in the 4mm Cells and the top was larger and round - -

i went to purchase another 100 and the seller never shipped - - never replied back to my emails - Ebay refund me - so i went searching again and found them from China - and one from the UK -

i got 100 from the china guy - and they fit but the tops are much smaller - - not like the first batch i got which is what i wanted - so i got another 100 from the seller in the UK - which shows the pictures of the one i want - so i got them in the 4mm size - and again - they fit in the cells 4mm - but the top is smaller - about half the size as the ones in the picture -

Does anyone know of a place i can get the 4mm size to fit in the cells but with a larger cap on top ? anyone have any luck in finding them - if so - can you post a link to the ones you found -

the ones i got in are Ok - they fit - but just half the size on the top cap as compared to the first set i purchased which were a nice little tight fit to get them in the cell and a larger cap -

i wonder now if there are 5mm instead of 4mm - i mean being that its a little tight to push them on - maybe a 5mm version would be better ?

the Cells are 4mm the size - maybe 5mm would fit with a little pressure and make a tighter fit ? i dont have enough of the larger caps left - will have to use the smaller ones unless i can find the larger caps -

[Burgerman]

Mine are small but fit fine. 1 bought 1000. Dont even remember where. 4mm. 5 wont work.

[expresso]

ok mines fit fine also the new ones - but the caps on top are much smaller - the first batch i got were 100 and the caps on top covered more area - they were 4mm also and fit a bit tight -

now i keep getting the smaller caps on top - i ordered twice - and both times - different sellers - i get the small caps on top - same 4mm and fits - but not as tight fitting as the first ones i got which had a larger cap on top -

i guess i use them - not a big deal i guess - they fit in easier - where the first ones i got - i had to push harder to get them in and they stay put -

if you have link to those caps you got ? i will take pictures tomorrow to show the difference -

[Burgerman]

On my green chair thread. Very tight, need a hammer. Dont fall out without pliers...

[expresso]

do you have a link to the place you got them from ?

[expresso]

just so i understand - those screws on the Cells - inner size is 4mm - - the outer size - would that be 6mm ? i found caps that cover the whole screw - not only inside -
i am not sure of the sizes i need -

those screws are M5 4mm ?

http://www.nutcaps.net/products/Bule-Co ... t-caps.htm

if i cant find the others - something like this isnt bad either - i am just not sure what size i would need

[Burgerman]

1 bought 1000. Dont even remember where.

[expresso]

ok thanks - do you know more or less the size i would need - i found others - that cover all of it - which isnt bad either -

http://www.pro-dec.com/Black-Bolt-Caps- ... P-7-16-180
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NUF ... o_pC_S_ttl

they dont give me enough specs to know for sure -

[Burgerman]

Neither of those!

One is imperial, one is for x head screws...

[expresso]

i figure i can force it in and make it fit

i will go to the Homedepot around here and check in person if they have anything - or else i am just stuck using the small caps - they fit fine but have a smaller Cap on top - as opposed to the first time i ordered them - they were the same as the ones you have BM - larger Cap on top -

the smaller ones i have - they dont seem to have a tight fit when you push them on - would it be ok to use just a drop of Locktite ?

[Burgerman]

Test one.

[flagman1776]

I went back in my ebay purchases to find where I'd purchased mine... and I couldn't bring up the link anymore? Guess the seller has vanished.

[expresso]

I went back in my ebay purchases to find where I'd purchased mine... and I couldn't bring up the link anymore? Guess the seller has vanished.

yes your right - because that seller is the link you gave me the first time - i purchased 100 and it was fine - then i went to get more - and he was gone - he emailed me the other day - he was sick i believe in the hospital - i asked if he had more - he said yes etc, - i asked how can i get them - and never heard back again -

so cant count on him - i have a others that fit fine - but the caps on top are just smaller then the originals i got first time which i liked -


any - back to trying to make this cable and today i did my worse one yet - i am now concerned for real about getting this cable made - i manage to tin the wires - i manage to tin the cups i think decent - and then when i try to add the wires - thats it - cant get it done - i make a mess out of everything -

i cant seem to find a good way to hold my hands - the iron and wire etc, - i keep trying one way then the other way and seems worse each time -

heres the best one i did today -

[Burgerman]

Thats good enough. Strip a little less would be better still.

[expresso]

hey - whow i didnt expect to get thats a good enough from you BM -

i though it was very bad - that was the best one i did today - i will try again on friday - or thursday - suppose to be 70's tomorrow - will take a ride instead -

i got very depressed not being able to get this done - i didnt think it was going to be easy - but not this hard either - i have a few more connectors - will keep trying

back to my computer desk instead of kitchen table -

[Burgerman]

Tiny bit more solder and tiny bit less insulation stripped and its as good as you will get.

Practice soldering some larger cable. Takes more heat, easy to see.

[Scollard]

Yep, looks like you figured it out Expresso.

Add some heat shrink and it will hide everything and make it look perfect. I like using the heat shrink because it insulates the entire connector in case there is a stray strand lying about.

[Burgerman]

I never use it in those connectors because it makes space and seperated wires harder to work with. So either way is OK.

[expresso]

Yep, looks like you figured it out Expresso.

Add some heat shrink and it will hide everything and make it look perfect. I like using the heat shrink because it insulates the entire connector in case there is a stray strand lying about.

oh ok - i though i was going to hear alot of Neg. things about that one - will try again still to see - i have more connectors to practice on - and i will use the heat shrink for sure -

i will try the larger wire this weekend maybe - just to get a feel of that - it seems i have to check my cables with the butt connectors i made - i would hate to make a cable and have it not work because of the butt connector -

i used a rachet crimper and seems well made - but just maybe the wire end was a bit too short - and maybe not in the butt connector end enough ?

[Burgerman]

Measure resisistance.

[expresso]

Measure resisistance.

and how would i do that ? we need to keep it as simple as can be - remember i am not any expert in anything -

[Burgerman]

Wrong! Confusion remember...

Its easy. Set your meter to resistance. Lowest scale probably 200 Ohm. Measure from the connector at each end. To the other end. Do black. Then do red. What does it say. Nothing means a faulty cable. Low figure like 0. something means its good to go! Should be the same as just connecting the test leads together almost.

If it does continuity with a buzzer thats even easier. Test the meter first by touching the tips together.