How to Make a 52V 20Ah Triangle Battery with 18650 Cells

[@tjacksondolph4026]

Just wanted to pop in after all this time and say I’ve been using this design over the years from my builds. I usually add an extra cell to each series though for to add extra amp draw capability when using mediocre cells. One thing I thought I should note, the extra lead wires connecting the cells are vital in the design. I got lazy and didn’t do it on one of my builds. Ran a 65a controller and the battery almost caught on fire due to current bottlenecking where the cells should have had the extra wires connecting them. Had to cut into the battery to remove the boiling cells otherwise I would have lost the whole pack in a bonfire due to a chain reaction of heat transfer. Spent about 2 hours soldering extra lead wires between cells, and wrapping heat resistant tape on all wires touching the battery. The battery absolutely BLASTS now. Anyway Micah great design!

[@waylmaster7487]

Bruh its micah. Its ok tho.

[@tjacksondolph4026]

@@waylmaster7487 fixed

[@waylmaster7487]

@@tjacksondolph4026 Epic

[@Richarmed88]

The most helpful guy on the web right now ... cheers man !!

[@darkmatter2632]

Ordered your battery book, it arrives today. So excited! Your vids are the BEST! Thank you so much for going fairly slow and explaining everything thoroughly. I'm a newbie and you have helped me immensely. Can't say thanks enough. Thanks Bro !!!

[@shaunhall960]

Your books are a must have for anyone that wants to build their own e-bike. Thank you!

[@hjeffwallace]

I’ve often used the water hose analogy for electricity. But the first minute of your video really shows it. How way you stacked 2 batteries (in series) I pictured a water hose. Then, showing 3 in parallel, I saw a fatter hose. Seeing the 3 batteries laid parallel helps illustrate it. Great work!

[@lithium534]

great stuff, (maybe already asked)Question: 1st: Could you give us an estimate of how much it costed you to make this one. 2de: Could you help us calculate how much AH we would need for a specific distance? The reason is that I want to make one that will take me to work and back on 1 charge.

[@marknorgren2960]

GREAT VID i am an old guy looking for cheap transportation you are giving me ideas and hope i see an e bike in my future . may the adventure never end.

[@bFlattheOriginal]

16,000 subscribers! Wasn't long ago you hit 10,000. Glad to see your channel growing. Thanks for the triangle battery build!

[@artofjcw8488]

Very helpful info thank you! 2 questions : 1- what is the total cost of the battery ? 2- how do you charge it and connect it to your ebike ?

[@desireegaleski9257]

It could. I would begin learning about controllers and how a BMS works.

[@tonyriley5233]

Thanks for the videos and source links. My friend and I are both building bikes and the batteries are the final piece of the puzzle.

[@paulevans4334]

Alot of lights turned on while watching this video. Thanks for answering many questions that I had.

[@config2000]

Hi Micah, I would suggest using BINX nuts instead of the plain nuts. BINX nuts are both low profile and resistant to vibration. However they are perhaps not as easy to obtain from your typical DIY store.

[@davideather5979]

nylock nut would work well too

[@trewmika1869]

Watching the shrinking tube shrink is pretty satisfying.

[@kyleham1916]

I highly recommend it, I’m building my 2kw Sony vtc6 Sony 37 ah battery out of it now and they have amazing customer service! Also video post coming in a day or two!

[@kyleham1916]

I choose this kit because I could not find a trustworthy 2kw 48 volt battery from a maker and biggest I could find was around 28 ah, not enough for me I wanna ride like a maniac lol

[@_DixonCider]

I love the kit. WAY easier than soldering or welding. I'll be making my new battery from your kit.

[@harveyboy45]

Well I've made my first rectangular 48v ebike battery pack. It's slightly longer take that into account. Don't be fooled into thinking these holders are easy. Problem 1. The Spring metal brackets spin inside caps when tightening nut which compromises connections. 2. Some nuts do not screw on properly 3. Not enough metal brackets to make the connections needed 4. No spare nuts if some get lost. 5. Some connectors are tight some loose. 6. Recycled batteries need to be Dremeled as ends need to be flat. If you puncture the ends while doing this you could have a battery venting problem. In summary I think the best way to solve this is to provide use new cells and different patterns of plastic connectors for different voltage batteries instead of an individual unifix cube system. Providing a press with the deal might help too. A great system though especially if you are on a world tour and have no access to soldering equipment when you really need it. You could provide various metal ladder style connectors and a ready soldered fuse bars to screw into place. Also last of all, battery covers and grooves for the zip ties and ready made charge and discharge connectors. Instruction manuals? Patterns?

[@BrunoPOWEEER]

Yeaaaahhh... so much good info packed in one video!!! Loved all the tips on how to reuse the VRUZEND caps, the silicone wires with ring terminals is electrically the very best way to do (painful and not ideal if you have to solder thick wires to the tabs, here is where the VRUZEND kit clearly shows it's advantages). Also connecting the balancing wires without the need of soldering iron makes everything much easier. You could actually do the whole pack just crimping terminals, even the main charge/discharge leads. =] VRUZEND POWEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRR

[@EbikeSchool]

Haha, thanks Bruno! Yea I started by crimping the discharge leads too but my crimping tool is cheap and I was worried that the crimp wasn't strong enough so I went back and soldered them just to be sure...

[@aidanmcgrath7142]

+ElectricBike and +EbikeSchool.com check out Colorado Universities Circuit Construction Kit (CCK) which is an amazing tool, showing flows, shorts, ohms, ... everything!! phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/circuit-construction-kit-dc

[@Stephen2846]

FYI: Crimping is ALWAYS better for connections subject to vibration. Yep boats and airplanes use crimped connections where it counts and soldering can cause a break due to its inflexibility. Soldering is okay if you can stabilize the leads by mechanical means anywhere they might be subject to stress or vibration. See" "Strain relief connectors." PS: I bought your book and started reading it; it's excellent. I just retired after 35 years in the govt. as Asst. Director of Engineering. Good job!

[@Stephen2846]

Buy a cheap ratcheting crimper for small leads. You can also buy a crimper you hit with a hammer for larger lugs like you'd use on 2/0 wire. See: www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ratchet+crimper Hammer Type: www.amazon.com/TEMCo-Hammer-Crimper-Tool-Warranty/dp/B00E1UUVT0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1517195136&sr=8-5&keywords=2%2F0+crimper

[@acolombo]

Crimping is also used by NASA because high temperatures can melt solder but can't melt a mechanical connection

[@Eff-U-Kay]

New subscriber so congratulations on that 🎉 You have very straightforward and no-nonsense channel format. I'm new to battery building so your tutorials are my brain food after scouring YT for the right teacher. I've bought the CelCapz by Vruzend because they look the bollox and because you use them (apologies if you are affiliated but I will look for your codes/links in future) and therefore a reliable design. I just wanted to suggest a hack for those not confident with a spot welder or solder iron. One you may frown upon but here goes. For joining wires from a bms or jumpers I have used JB Weld putty mixed with graphite powder I harvested from pencils to make connections on lead acid batteries. It's really easy to manipulate, adhears with remarkable strength and has high heat capabilities. Would there be any reason not to use this method on lithium ion?

[@JariJuslin]

Nifty! I'm going to build only the battery enclosure myself, but this certainly helps me to design placement for cells the actual manufacturer can then follow up on.

[@PplEtr]

Micah: I ordered your books from Amazon today. I'm planning to build a Montague Paratrooper + Bafang BBSHD eBike. Your AliExpress sources for the Bafang BBSHD ($627) pencils out to be slightly less than a U.S.-based middleman (Luna; $709). It seems reasonable to pay the extra $80 for the included access to technical support, and Luna's components inventory includes some things that I'm not finding it easy to source elsewhere (like the battery charger that allows you to program partial charges -- saw your video on saving battery life). But it does look like there's reasonable money to be saved in building a battery!

[@marthamryglod291]

Yes! Thank you for the jumper idea! I now can complete my battery primarily using H-pattern nickel strip

[@guruslakkimar12]

Thank-you buddy for all the educations you impart 1) Why not use a copper plate on top and bottom and 2) where do i get to read about the thickness of the wires to use ?

[@lachiefulvio7263]

I think an answer on what batteries you can use with certain controllers, motors, ect. would make a great video response. Also choosing the right connections. I haven’t found any videos on the topic.

[@a-aron2276]

If anyone is having trouble sourcing heat shrink wrap, i find black sileage tape Excellent and 100% water resistant if applied correctly, I've cycled in torrential rain and overflowing river banks with no issues, anyway just a tip :)

[@puresoulhealing]

Hey, I have made a folding bike and want to make it electric so your diy battery book will be really helpful. Thanks.

[@michaelchapman7868]

OK! Just subscribed and am going to research the batteries and caps and can't wait to get started! Excellent tutorial! I need your DIY Battery Book in my tech library. I'm so jazzed about finding your channel! Thanks!

[@tecsolint]

Please add the dimensions of triangle bag to place the cells in. Keep up the awesome videos as I've been reading your eBook purchase on Amazon.

[@helios_ja]

Yeah i tried the one from Luna Cycle it's not big enough

[@a_pal9461]

anyone knows the dimensions?

[@joshnabours9102]

Math works here. An 18650 cell is 18mm in diameter and 65mm long. 18 65 0. Count the cells in height, count the cells in length, multiply the number of cells of height and length by 18mm. Then find a Pythagoras theorem calculator to figure out the 3rd side of the triangle. Now you have the length of all 3 sides of the triangle in millimeters. Just about any bag that is 10% to 20% longer and taller than the battery and can hold a volume 10% greater than the calculated battery size will fit.

[@kswis]

The caps seem like a headache. I like welding it's therapeutic. I appreciate the info on the triangle battery. Thankyou

[@mikesullivan007]

Awesome! Exactly what I have been searching for. I will be building a 36v 14.7a battery for my ebike so, I can finally she'd the weight of my SLA's!

[@TeeeTooo2008]

yyyaaaa LG MJ1. monster cells. love them. so happy with them. 48v 21ah 7 month of eating the road with 45kmh.. samsung E35 is a good cells also. but no one confirm how good they are in a long term.. cheers maiky

[@chrissilliker8633]

I got a bike from someone. Its 52v and i think 750 watt bafang motor. I max it out at 45km the whole time and i only go maybe 20 kms distance. How far does yours go because i feel like my battery sucks

[@terrancel1786]

pretty cool man you are officially a battery master.

[@diazwhiskey]

I am an electrician myself and I just got his book. There is an incredible amount on knowledge in it and its cheap! :O)

[@50ShadesOfBeige]

Thanks. Enjoyed seeing a practical example of the battery ends and wiring up the battery pack.

[@Urgachaidol]

Nicely done. I know the science, but you're helping me with techniques and hands-on knowledge. 😊

[@REGNiZZ]

Man, is the book available on Amazon? Cuz I suck at Electronics as of 2018

[@vu123456789]

Awesome video. I’m a newbie to diy battery packs. I’m learning a lot from your videos.

[@francopieruccinifaria9454]

I've been following your channel for a while but enough to realize how much quality and professional knowledge you provide. I always have the doubt of how to do maintenance in a big pack like these if it starts to present some performance problem without having to test cell by cell, among other small doubts inherent as the amount of current to be supplied in the recharge if there are many cells in parallel, how to combine semi-new cells and their analysis criteria such as capacity, internal resistance and voltage! In your book would I get all these answers? Thank you and congrats for the great job!

[@EbikeSchool]

Hi Franco, thank you for the kind words! And yes, I cover all of those topics and more in my battery book. Though for the first question regarding testing for a problem - sometimes if other methods I've described don't find the problem then occasionally the only option left is to remove a parallel group and find the bad cell. But you can usually narrow it down to the problem group by testing and comparing the group voltages, at rest and under load.

[@francopieruccinifaria9454]

You're welcome! If the parallel group has more than 60 cells (I've seen this), there's no other way to test than one by one (you said there are other methods, but I do not know exactly)? What about the criteria for combining cells (internal resistance, capacity, voltage), do you detail these characteristics well for a very effective result? It is even possible to find the information about this on the internet but they are not so reliable and because they are very scattered, it is difficult to put them together for a good reading

[@TeslaCanadaEh]

Wow , so glad I came upon this channel ! Great videos for building e-bike batteries ! Thank You

[@michaelaugust7233]

Please give us the source/site where to purchase the snap-togrther kit components, and pricing as well. Thanks, really love the education!

[@KennyFishbone]

vruzend.com/

[@miltondias6617]

Hi Micah. Thanks to share your knowledge. It's very clear your explanation and you didn't lose my time in details. Good luck!

[@michaelramsay5251]

Glad to see this video, Just got your two books on building a Ebike and batteries. Thanks for your help.

[@thefitzyfizz]

Loved the video! I am in the process of building an EAPC in the UK, and for my protype i am going to build a 52V 20Ah battery as you did in this video, could you please tell me what BMS you used in this tutorial?

[@gideonlapidus8996]

I love your Book its great. I love the math behind the charging and discharching of these cells. I'm in love with 18650 cells.

[@randybutera7059]

Thanks for the video Micah. I knew that you had to "cheat" with wires to make a triangle battery with the Vruzend kits. The bus bars were not going to do the trick.

[@williamcarroll5402]

Thank you that was very informative and now I have an idea of how the batteries are made

[@TheM6aae]

Looks like a brilliant book micah! Very helpful video.

[@garrysutcliffe6254]

Thanks Micah I spoke to you on reddit earlier about hopefully a video on the different between your packs and normal solder

[@timdavis7567]

Thanks for the video. The kit you use make it easy and looks great, too.

[@jtlove2wheels958]

I'm from singapore and i a fan of your's. I love to have a copy of your book. I wanna learn building up batteries for my escooter and ebikes. But i'm having problem getting battery that are good and not so expensive, also wires and connectors. Also those clamps and etc. I hope you could advice me where to get those. Make more videos, were learning much from you. Kudos. ☺

[@EbikeSchool]

If you can order from Aliexpress, that can be a good source for inexpensive batteries. I have a link in the description to a good source.

[@Tony0THUNDERCAT0Reynolds]

Good little things,makes replacing a dead cell so easy,what king of wait time is it to the UK for delivery

[@gregc2222]

At 13:47 you show soldering 2 - 12ga wires together. That's bad soldering technique. Not only is it mechanically poor, it relies mostly on the solder itself to carry the current. Solder has a much higher resistance than copper. A much better way to do this, especially with high-strand-count silicone insulated wire, is to strip 1/2" off each end, fan all the stands out on each piece, and then push the 2 pieces together so all the strands intermesh, and then give them a twist. *Then* solder them together. Put a 1" piece of heat-shrink tubing over the finished joint. That's the way to make a good joint.

[@chrischristenson]

I believe that joint is also being crimped into a wire clamps, that he says comes with the kit, as you need that area exposed as a jumper...

[@ryankaul8620]

I've got a joint you two nerds need.

[@jostouw4366]

Have you compared joint heating under load with both types of joint?

[@kalilkibab]

Can you make a video reviewing different battery boxes, especially ones that are designed to be winter and water proof as well as can hold 52 volt?

[@thamesmeadsix5192]

Wow! I need to watch that a couple times to get my head round it.Good Stuff!

[@josephmolino8670]

I plan to make a front wheel 48 volt system I weigh 215# and am using a 26" wheel what volt and amp hour battery pack should I consider making to have a 25-30 mile range. What batteries should I consider using. By the way a very professional and well done video presentation. Thanking you in advance Jomo

[@55Bamaroad]

Great instructional video! I had no idea those kits were available keep up the good work! Jack

[@iamsleepyhollow]

I'm probably just going to buy the book, it looks amazing.

[@TheStuartstardust]

Thanks for the last video with the inside 11.11 sales info!

[@EDBPVIDEO]

great video. looks like my new winter project is a triangle battery

[@EbikeSchool]

Do it!

[@carlseiz1266]

That's awesome it looks like something you bought from the store

[@audreymitchell1410]

Very good video and a great teacher ,I would like the lithium battery book

[@chippagangaiah811]

Sir you are extreme talented person sir I have a question your 72v 45ah battery how much range will give to a ebike 72v 3000w hub motor

[@jevforsberg4766]

Doing the Lord's work. Great content!

[@JohnClulow]

Even though I don't plan on making a bike battery, there's lots of useful information here on using the Vruzend system. Can't wait for mine to arrive. Could you sometime offer ideas on using PTC resettable fuses for each cell with the Vrezend system? I thought of maybe soldering rings on the terminals of each fuse and substituting them for the serial bus bars.

[@EbikeSchool]

You can definitely use ring terminals, or just wrap the fuse legs around the terminal post and bolt it down. But why resettable fuses for cells? If the cell is bad enough to trip a fuse, you probably don't want it going back into your system, right?

[@JohnClulow]

Makes sense! I'm a total novice in this technology, so thanks for pointing that out. I'm using new name-brand cells so I wouldn't anticipate any problems. Maybe I'll just keep it simple initally and set it up per your examples with regular monitoring.

[@dalehall7139]

Man I need that huge battery!!! Definitely saving this video as a reference for when I can build my own. Good stuff as always, Thanks Micah!!

[@wolfe1970]

Would it be worth checking the battery once build before sticking all the heat shrink on it ? maybe a complete drain and charge cycle....

[@Takeover738]

Very good tutorial but my question is will you save any money by building one of these 52 volt batteries instead of just buying one from a company?

[@eye4sight557]

Great vid for a diy battery. Now I have to watch it 50 times to make sense of it . Lol

[@Zanthanee]

Very cool, making one myself and your so right about a triangle pack being a brain pain... lol😂

[@REDFUNDUH]

how likely is this to blow up

[@harrrytoool1391]

Great video and I get such a lot of value from your teaching Micah. I really don’t understand the jumper leads though. Is it just that you are connection the next cell group? Thanks. Also I find that the balance boards actually don’t work so I tend I but individual leads on the cells to charge up any waywards

[@daletwedell3323]

Hi Micah. I wonder about security / theft. Obviously leaving a triangle bag on a locked bike is loosing an expensive battery pack. Is there a locking hard case that will accommodate a rectangular 52v x 4p or 5p built with the Vruzend end caps? If none exists, are you considering selling similar?

[@fletcher3913]

Learned a lot thanks. How do you determine what size heat shrink to use for a particular size battery pack?

[@EbikeSchool]

With triangles and weird shapes, its best to just have many sizes so you can play around with it. But if you need to calculate, then measure the perimeter of the battery and double that number. You want something about half way between those two numbers (since the heat shrink will shrink to half its size).

[@paulselka7410]

Cool project dude! What does it cost in materials?

[@GUARD14N]

Hello, great vid btw. I was wondering how many 18650 batteries I would need to build a 52v 48ah battery pack. Thanks

[@516throwapot]

HOLY COW, LOOKS COMPLICATED

[@vipdentaltraining]

Great book and video series. I have an E-Joe Gadis that's a few years old and the battery is shot. Probably my fault because I didn't charge and store the battery properly, now that I've read your book. I am going to build a new one. I have seen reference to voltage and over-voltage. My original battery has 5 sets of 13 cells. As I see it, these are 54.6 volts each. I don't know if you;re familiar with the Gadis, but I'm wondering if this is properly powering the bike. Also, as I build a new one, which BMS would you recommend? I don't know if the original one is good, since the battery is shot. Also would like your recommendation for a good charger. Thanks for your help.

[@hamidhossain2961]

Make a video on bikes load carrying capacity. This one was informative. Thanks

[@sanjayt5978]

Its really use full to my project..... I have a doubt sir how to combine 3 while motors as one.....

[@mailbox3762]

love your channel and i learned a lot from you about diy battery i build e skateboard and because your videos i succeed to build a good 18650 battery pack

[@EbikeSchool]

Congrats on your battery! I'll be building an eskateboard battery soon too!

[@greenz59]

A bit of coconut butter makes these things fit better. I broke so many of them the first time. Order more than you need.

[@allenmckinney9533]

Use lube got it 👍

[@markwise7914]

I love you videos .how much did you spend total on this build ? Also where is the best place to buy these cells.thank you mark wise

[@lgm8114]

would like the book.. need to convert my bike from old SLA batteries

[@pff335]

I would like to ask if it would be a bad idea to use the thermal insulation for the batteries to prevent damage due to frosts in winter or high temperatures ???

[@mferg26]

Hi. Great video thanks. I am going to make this. Do you have more detailed instructions or perhaps pictures of final product? Just need some more clarification of bsm and final connections. Little confusing towards the end of video

[@aadmonk]

I am curious why these kits are no longer available? They seem like a good idea.

[@normawingo5116]

Going to get the books and give this a try. I’m old now and would like to make my favorite trek into an electric beast. Sure would like 2 motors on it.

[@jobmariano348]

Nice. Can i know what is the recommended battery chargers for that?. Before i make it. Thanks

[@bradgiffen7028]

So I want to make a 48 volt 20ah triangle battery ....how many cells would I need ? Are you going to do a video on 48 volt triangle battery version ?

[@tjstoner64]

Thx for taking the time to teach us!

[@larrybowers64]

Very interesting and informative video Micah! I now know much more about these e-bike batteries, thanks to you.

[@hendog3894]

Brilliant tutorial !! I've learnt so much already ! I'm curious to learn more about what gauge of wire to use for a 14s12p Battery I'm building a Vurzend kit and need a few jumpers. My battery is rated 180a discharge 36ah capacity 50.54v ?

[@quentinparker8333]

Why the 52V version and why the difficult triangle geometry pack? I believe you should try to maximize space with flat, rectangular packs that can be stacked or used as sliders into a base flat frame 'drawer". Appreciate comments!

[@James-j3e8n]

I have completed this part of building the battery I need help now with finding a case for it and how to fit the case

[@gregjupp1209]

Great video! I'm still having problems wrapping my head around the math in these batteries. Question if you had 250, 18650 batteries and wanted a 48-volt battery how many amp hours would it be, I'm looking for range not speed. Collecting the parts for a 3 wheeler all drive using 20-inch fat tires. thinking 1 battery per wheel, I'm handicapped and cant hardly walk, but want to get to the beach and fish!

[@jeffbeasley8235]

In theory you could build a 13S19P battery with 247 cells. Assuming a capacity of 3000 mAh per 18650, you end with a 57 Ah 48V pack. But it would be enormous...

[@gregjupp1209]

Yeah big and heavy, but I would have a space of about 28"x40"x12" and that not including the space between the wheels and the back of the seat above the axial line.Thanks for responding!that should cover the range issue, I live in the panhandle of Florida no hills and only a few bridges, almost 100% sidewalk. thanks again!

[@waynebutler9547]

Another great battery, have 2 of you books.

[@pivotmaster861]

I'm almost completely clueless with this stuff but stubborn enough to want to make my own so will this book be a complete guide or should I just buy a premade one? I'm planning to build the bike over a year so I don't need to rush anything, thanks.

[@GapRecordingsNamibia]

Hey Micha, cool build will be doing mine in a couple of weeks I hope, also with the vruzed connectors, Would you think that using copper bus bars would work better than the supplied SS stips? I would use pre cut and drilled buss bars and use them "like" the nickel strips that would be spot welded. My reasoning 1: copper is a better conductor, 2: less plate height on the posts, also, would you suggest using some lock tight on the threads as a safeguard to nuts maybe coming loose? Shalom Charles Gibbs.

[@gerardlewis3098]

Please make a video building a 52v 27ah battery using the Queen Battery QB26800 Version. I'm very interested.

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

This is truly awesome, Micah! What an awesome book, but how could I get such a resource?

[@sureshkumars7957]

I recently bought battery kit will be building it.

[@EbikeSchool]

Good luck and enjoy!

[@jackdohurty517]

I do a lot with 18650 but I'm finding it hard to find quality cells. Can you do a video on what you should be looking for in price and quality. I get most of my batterys from old laptops. Also where do you get your BMS's. I'm making a battery with 300 cells and can't find anything supporting that.