LiFePO4 Battery Bank Rebuild

[@pulesjet]

Using a Towel to keep your self from being stupid is most prudent. That move has saved me from many fallen wrenches and other.

[@Whereswally606]

interesting that i thought exactly the same as others with the compression with the previous video, in order to compress my calb cells i used laminated chip board (scrap wood) and some cheap clamps i bought from the local middle of lidl. this meant that the compression was not just at the edges. The clamps were thinner than threaded rod but they do stick out proud at the sides of the battery. I would say uni strut is stronger but you may find the pressure might still build above and below it and toward the middle of your pack. I hope it doesn't. Good tip on the brass bolts, I need to do that, in fact i have striped a thread previously because of this. I fortunately carefully drilled using a pillar drill and depth checked before i drilled. then i re-taped the whole a size up.

[@kevinroberts781]

Use plastic dip. That stuff you dip tool handles in for the bolt tops.

[@Eratas1]

Neat setup. I have yellow cells, tightened up about 3 years ago and now even getting loose, so no swelling. For insulation I'm just using piece of glass on top of the pack. You can use thin wire between parallel cells to save more copper.

[@kwamelion270]

Will like to see the finish project and hookup.

[@kaindub]

I worked many years ago manufacturing electrical switchboard. We dipped the busbars in a plastic powder and then set it in an oven. Similar to powder coating. Then used a knife to trim off where the connections went.

[@zogworth]

For my forklift pack have a bit of ply over the battery box. It's hinged for watering and on an slope not flat so people don't use it as a table

[@AdamWelchUK]

The simple solutions often the best. I’ll see what I can find. Cheers

[@zogworth]

@@AdamWelchUK when I say people. I mean me!

[@korishan]

An idea for the bolt caps, you could use Liquid Rubber. The stuff that's used for putting a coating of rubber on tool handles. There's a spray on, and also a pint paint can size. Just brush it on like you would regular paint

[@pulesjet]

We can still frequent the Hardware stores here. I've been twice in the past two weeks. Building my self a 8 * 10ft tin man cave. Part of my system will be in the house and the inverter and Nissan Cells in the shed.

[@AdamWelchUK]

Some hardware stores are reopening now. Sounds like you’ve been busy! Cheers

[@gustersongusterson4120]

Looks great! Why is it advantageous to compress cells of this type together? They are sensitive to heat and generate a fair amount under a high discharge. If you're going for maximum number of cycles wouldn't you want to allow some airflow? I suppose if you're in a cold or below freezing environment not having airflow might be desirable.

[@AdamWelchUK]

These cells can expand under sine conditions and this reduces capacity. Any pressure build up needs to vent from the valve and not disform the case.

[@jontscott]

Looks very good :-)

[@AdamWelchUK]

Cheers

[@cncdavenz]

Hi Adam, How about a 6mm acrylic sheet over the whole battery with 3D printed brackets to support it. Cheers Dave.

[@AdamWelchUK]

I think this is a decent idea - thanks

[@Magic-Smoke]

You would do well to use some NoOxid paste on the busbars and terminals. We have an Aluminium to copper to brass connection there. Ripe for corrosion.

[@timpin6317]

Just starting to get interested in battery banks... How much current is the flattened copper tube good for?

[@threeparots1]

Very nice work...the liquid electrical tape seems like a good option for electrical insulation, but perhaps some snap on plastic covers may work found in the bulk nut and bolt sections of a hard ward store or possibly online. I am not sure if they ship the liquid electrical tape at this time as they use some pretty nasty (flammable) ingredients.

[@AdamWelchUK]

Cheers - a couple of people have suggested bolt caps - I’d like to find some red ones though :-)

[@threeparots1]

Adam Welch totally understood...never seen those in red so far..red liquid electrical may be available. You probably already found these, but in any case.......Perforated Mix Plasti Dip® USA Original Liquid Tape (Electrical) - Red www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079JZ8N9N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_M4jPEbDCMM5FZ. Aramox Nut Caps, 20Pcs Car Wheel Nut Caps Screw Cover 19mm Bolt Rims Exterior Decoration Dust Proof Black (Red) www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07QHSK6KV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_xekPEbK59XV6F

[@CalmeRyowl]

Are the terminals tinned copper or aluminium?? is there a risk of corrosion if you connected copper to al??

[@ROBK636]

I have used Plasti Dip on the backs of my Arduinos and other PCBs to protect tables from scratches and prevent possible shorts.

[@electronic7979]

Very good

[@sortofsmarter]

I had a gentleman with a large yacht pay me $200 because I saved his very large 400lb AGM battery. Someone before me had crossed the threads one of the bolts, and it was almost $1000 to replace the battery. I drilled it our and used a stainless steel thread incert. It only took me about 20 minutes and I tried to tell him $100 for the service but he was so happy he doubled it..lol

[@JackButlerVideos]

Looking great! good job!

[@nilobualoy117]

Thanks adam for the video its true if make seperate its other it will expand or become bolted

[@sjdtmv]

The good old Step Drill

[@dash8brj]

I did exactly the same with my bus bars - I slipped a piece of blue heatshrink over the middle and shrunk it down. I didn't need to do any fine cutting though, as my cells came with nice caps that cover both the bolt head and the area of bus bar over the terminls. These things certainly have some power in them. I had a bad bms wire with some not so great insulation (which I had not seen) short out one cell during installation and it smoked like crazy before the wire broke. Funnily enough, didn't even make a dent in the cell voltage! What bms are you planning to use? DIYBMS v4? I'm going to give the Chargery and the DIYBMS v4 a try.

[@AdamWelchUK]

Glad to hear you’ve had success with a similar method. I’ll be using the diyBMS - I’ve just the controller to build now. Not heard of chargery, interesting product line. Cheers, stay safe ;-)

[@grumpyjohntxredneckrc6346]

Very Nice L@@Kin, I'd Just Use Liquid Tape Or Grip Dip On The Bolt Heads, Then It Can Be Peeled Off Easily Ifin You Need To Do Any Future Repairs or Changes? Thanks

[@AdamWelchUK]

Thanks for the idea. Cheers

[@Peter_S_]

Looks excellent. Well done! 😎👍

[@paulyoung8165]

Could you use wire for the parallel jumper busses? My thinking is also provides a "fuse" in the event of a short inside or out

[@AdamWelchUK]

I’m lead to believe this isn’t so much of an issue with lifepo4 but yeah - there’s no reason why those connections couldn’t be wire.

[@sparkiekosten5902]

I see you have an apprentice helping you out!..... be warned!....Apprentices grow way too fast. First they ask you questions and before you know it they will tell you all the answers! Usually with a "I KNOW,DAD" at the beginning! Enjoy it while it lasts. Keep up the good work!

[@AdamWelchUK]

She was checking I’d measured correctly - she’d let me know if I’d got it wrong. :-)

[@j.badinter988]

Compressed in one direction only..?

[@torstenb5248]

Interesting Electric Energy Enclosuring Installation. Ok, I‘m sorry

[@davidwilker4795]

I get it! LOL

[@davidwilker4795]

Works on two levels, actually

[@Scicluna83]

Liquid electrical tape footprint of bolts

[@kapegede]

There's insulating spray paint at a well known online warehouse ... 😉

[@SuperElbandi]

Ez milyen kötés?Sorba kötés és párhuzamba?

[@McTroyd]

And in a thousand years, archaeologists will unearth this battery bank, and wonder about the religious or cult significance of IEEEI... 🤣 Looking good though!

[@1981dasimpson]

welcome to the eee by gum battery pack haha

[@jasonmonk7336]

What does that pack weigh?

[@RobinHagg]

Calb 200 cells are just under 6kg per cell

[@igorkvachun3572]

👍 Yes Akb LiFePo4 100A!

[@cheetahkid]

Rather than cover each of the nuts, why not make a top cover using plastic or better with silicon? That keep the damp out.

[@AdamWelchUK]

Interesting idea. Let me have a think.

[@Magic-Smoke]

@@AdamWelchUK It is a good idea and one that is often employed especially when the cell link aren't as well insulated as yours. Typically a plexiglass sheet with some drop-down side to make a lid. It may have cutouts in the sides for connection cables and BMS wiring. Smoke grey is quite cool :)

[@stevemcgowan3017]

this life'po4 don't like the cold do they unless u got heater there

[@martink9785]

My sinopoly have expanded and are now broken. Lesson: don't leave a pack with a Bluetooth BMS and Bluetooth victron battery connect without solar for two months. Found my 4s2p pack at 3.2v that's across the main positive and negative. Oops.

[@jessyterpoorten7197]

So the bms was dowing the thing that he needs to prevent low voltage cuttof thx fore the tim i only have daly bms system they don’t consume much power

[@AdamWelchUK]

Ouch

[@martink9785]

@@jessyterpoorten7197 the BMS had turned off the outside connection, but it was still drawing power from the battery. The victron battery connect is also 'inside' the battery, as in directly connected to pack + and -. Not after the BMS. That one could be my mistake, but I took it that it should be directly on terminals

[@pulesjet]

Always best to leave your cells some elbo room. At least you can inspect and see how they're feeling.

[@MrThomBeck]

The original setup was fine. The problem with calb cells expanding is they break the terminals due to the busbars being made with the cells touching. The way you left room for expansion in the first video would’ve prevented that issue.

[@james10739]

What was the Ah again

[@AdamWelchUK]

They tested at 65Ah each cell so this is about 195ah.

[@james10739]

@@AdamWelchUK so like 2.5 kw not bad I have I think like 3.5kw in 18650s in 7s I have a big inverter but still need some solar and a charge controller

[@simplethings3730]

While I do tend to think that insulation is for wimps, you could toss a sheet of plexiglass on top of it.

[@AdamWelchUK]

It’d keep the dust off too. :-)

[@tl1024]

This is what I did. Protects terminals & keeps stuff clean. Plus, checking individual cells isnt s hassle.

[@Sprengi86]

IEEEI

[@alexandrebelangerlamonde2647]

You take the time to put towels and heat shrink on the complete thing but you work on the battery with a ring on.....basics come on

[@AdamWelchUK]

I had gloves on most of the time, to be fair.