NEC Energy Solutions A123 LiFePO4 Batteries, Cell Harvesting (Battery Hookup)

[@LithiumSolar]

These battery packs have gone on sale since this video was uploaded. They're now $49.99 and comes down to $44.99 when you use discount code "BATTERY". Grab a few before they're gone! batteryhookup.com/products/a123-36v-module-w-48-26650-anr26650m1-b?rfsn=1822232.f1131f

[@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3]

LithiumSolar does anyone know the exact system these were populated in. That will get me the information I need for the schematic

[@brandozerful]

@@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3 Additionally posting here for visibility. These battery modules slot into an EMC 078-000-080, which is a standby power supply for Dell's EMC VMAX storage appliances.

[@vaschnisavain9983]

Do you still have the cases? I’m looking to buy them.

[@LithiumSolar]

@@vaschnisavain9983 I don't, sorry. I ended up recycling them.

[@vaschnisavain9983]

@@LithiumSolar ok thanks

[@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3]

I am close to figuring out the communication on the stock bms soon as I’m able I will post a video showing the workaround

[@LithiumSolar]

If you get it figured out, please do share! There are a lot of people would be very interested in this.

[@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3]

Their 12v emc modules are actually 24 v with the a123 cells they are configured in 8s soldered to the board I’m pretty close to figuring that one out too

[@artblummer5307]

Jail Break - if you solve the communication on the stock BMS it would make these batteries easier to use and would not require a tear down to build back up to be useful. I see too many of these batteries with great enclosures and BMS and connectors but no one can figure out how to take advantage of the existing technology. Jail Break please tell us how to take advantage of this technology without having to break it down!!!

[@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3]

Art Blummer I need another doner I’m real close I know where the cut off is but can’t figure it the signal on input side what you would think is the balance leads on the outside isn’t though pins 3-6 are the communication 7-10 are input I need to know the specific Emc these are used in

[@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3]

Update I can now get the lights to come on all green I need a power supply 46v to test the charging unfortunately I don’t have any that high and nothing to convert over at the moment any help will be appreciated thanks

[@lnxpro]

those cells are not punctured. there is a double layer of metal on the positive end. the one on the bottom would still be intact and good for use.

[@LithiumSolar]

Hmmm, that must be why I didn't smell any electrolyte like I usually do when a "standard" 18650 gets punctured?? I assumed it was just because LiFePO4 were different. I check them out again, thanks!

[@graykimchi]

I looked into this as well he's right I checked a dud cell and its two layers

[@skizzik121]

Lol came to the comments to mention this

[@Redbeard682e]

@@skizzik121 me too. Lol

[@davebartleman1345]

Where did you find this information?

[@DavidPozEnergy]

Very nice tear down. Thanks.

[@LithiumSolar]

Thanks for watching!

[@justinlacapria2898]

I just received the same pack a few days ago but haven't been able to tear it down yet. So thanks for the tip, definitely will save me from some frustration and ruined cells.

[@LithiumSolar]

Thanks for watching! Definitely be careful on the positive end, don't ruin cells with holes like I did with 3 of them :(

[@ОлегТ-ж3ч]

@@LithiumSolar I think the holes didn't pose any threat and could be soldered with tin if necessary :)

[@tonysshadow]

Thanks for the clear views of the configuration. Helped me to rewire into a 15s3p battery without a complete teardown....a few snips and a few wires. Two of these on my ebike will look like 21st century pony express mail bags.

[@rcboosted]

How are you configuring it as 15S3P? did you do a complete tear down then rebuild? I'm trying to figure out how to make it a 8S6P. But without completely tearing it down, the wiring is very complicated.

[@tonysshadow]

The final revision and now practising my DIY MOT spot welder/resitance soldering unit (using carbon rods)...is a bit hard for me to wrtie out. Im resulting with two groups of 8s3p within the case.. Then I connect them from there as needed. I wanted a choice of 8s6p or 16s3p. The reconfig starts with battery being oriented....Negative (-) on the left and Positive (+) on the right. Ive removed the black and gray cell holders for this part. ..First I physically cut the battery connection in half....making two groups of 6s4p...then looking at the 4p config of each group...I cut (1p) string of cells from the other (3p)..This leaves you with two groups of 6s3p and two strings of 6s1p. The trick after this is to distribute the (6s1p) among the two larger groups in order to result in two 8s3p batteries. I distribute them all to the middle, where I cut everything in half. Where the original battery was cut in half...leaves the left battery ending in (+) and the right battery beginning with (-)...in the middle of the case. I cut the 6s1p strings further into 2s1p. That is to say, I ended up with the two main batteries of 6s3p and 6 @ 2s1p Looking at the 6 pairs of 2s1p ...they are batteries of 2 cells each in series showing negative positive...negative postive...negative positve. etc.. Wiring the first 3 pairs onto the END of the first main battery (6S3p) will result in 8s3p. Doing mirror image on second main battery....wiring other 3 pairs onto BEGINNING. Wiring is done in such a way that no wires cross. HAHA...Now that Ive made a mess of explaining it...I have a picture I drew in sketchup and converted into a JPG if you would like me to email it. Matter of fact, I would welcome a review from someone...Im not all that confident this thing wont melt down.

[@tonysshadow]

My explanation probably doenst make it clear...the resulting battery still uses the original case in the end. Rather important point I left out.

[@roslinyegzotyczne-cytrustv2042]

You have very interesting films, they teach and help inexperienced people like me, I am from Poland and I also run a channel, but on a different subject, what you normally grow every day is a delicacy for me that I have to keep

[@user-mp3eq6ir5b]

This is like getting last week's Investments Advice in the Mail, 3 days after everything's sold out. Oh well, best thing to do is camp out on Battery Hook Up for Incoming Stock!

[@HBPowerwall]

Another great video buddy

[@LithiumSolar]

Thanks for watching!

[@countryside8122]

I found using a box cutter and placing it at about a 30 degree angle and tap with a hammer that in most cases the rest of the tab will come off very nicely. You will go through a lot of blades.

[@kswis]

Well done. I'm going to change brands and go with the opus

[@kennethalmond8922]

Thanks for another great video -OffGridInTheCity

[@LithiumSolar]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@ftshinanigans]

Thank you so much for sharing your hobby, knowledge, and experience.

[@ericcameron760]

i dont mean to be so off topic but does anyone know a way to get back into an instagram account? I was dumb forgot my password. I love any assistance you can offer me

[@korbynharrison5899]

@Eric Cameron Instablaster :)

[@ericcameron760]

@Korbyn Harrison Thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and im in the hacking process now. Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@ericcameron760]

@Korbyn Harrison It did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy:D Thank you so much, you saved my ass :D

[@korbynharrison5899]

@Eric Cameron you are welcome =)

[@eyeswideshut2800]

I'm totally ordering these RIGHT NOW, been eyeing them too, Battery Hookup has a good Return Policy that they pay for shipping back and full refund. They seem to really care about their reputation and give a lot of info... Battery Hookup.. "THIS DEAL WILL PROBABLY SELL OUT FAST AT JUST $1.04/CELL. WE TESTED A LOT OF THESE AND THE CELLS TEST OUT GREAT SINCE THESE WERE USED IN A HOSPITAL SETTING. THE PACK IS BEAUTIFUL AND ALL THE CELLS ARE TESTED. WE ARE GUARANTEEING NO DEAD CELLS!"

[@sreekumarUSA]

Thank you. I will get one on the 12th Mar, 2020. Cheers.

[@LithiumSolar]

Don't forget coupon code "battery" for your 10% discount when you order ;)

[@kieranhiggins1087]

Would you know if it is possible to use these to make a 12v battery to replace my deep cell battery for my battery back up sump pump? If it is possible how would I do it and would the deep cell charger work at keeping it charged? If not these batteries do you know what would work? Thank you for your great videos.

[@frankz1125]

They look good. The can is positive as well. Little pricey but they are good quality cell.

[@LithiumSolar]

I agree on all accounts, pricey but great quality cell. I'm enjoying playing with different cells/batteries other than the "standard" 18650 though :)

[@frankz1125]

@@LithiumSolar i like playing too.

[@chrisw1462]

Dremel-type tool with a grinding wheel. Only have to grind right at the weld marks, and if you're careful you get perfectly re-weldable cell ends.

[@scottpetersen2028]

Came here to say the same thing, much less trauma, and less chance of short, and damage, although be careful of inhaling Nickel dust.

[@diyrenewableenergyelectron4996]

I was considering trying these out for an ebike build in the future. Thanks for the video.

[@LithiumSolar]

They definitely put out a lot of current. According to the spec sheet, max pulse discharge is 120A (10 seconds) and I can personally vouch for it being a ridiculous amount of current . You don't want to know how... lol

[@RodneySolarCircuits]

thanks for showing me the LiFePo4 cell switch. I have about 100 cells i need to test.

[@markcollard9326]

Why not keep the nickel strips on the ends of the cells, instead of completely removing them and risking ruining a few cells? You could then solder to the nickel strips, assuming you trim them appropriately. I can't say I have done this myself so it is just a suggestion.

[@caroman6761]

What are you doing with this singe cells others than welder new battery blocks? A very interesting point in your Video is the switch in the charger, I didn't know him. I'm looking forward in your next large project ....

[@LithiumSolar]

I'm not sure what I'll use them for yet. I bought them just to work with something a little different. As for the next project, it's going to be huge! I'm hoping to release more information within the next month - it's still a verbal agreement at this point and don't want to say too much yet; )

[@FlyingFun.]

That's good info and decent cells, I'm thinking about some I've seen on ebay very cheap in the uk 100 for £50 but they aren't categorised at all and are the A version, seller says they are 2 to 4 years old ..

[@nlo114]

05:11 - All my carpentry tools are locked up at the moment. Does it need to be a claw hammer, or could I use a ball-pein hammer of similar size from my engineering toolkit?

[@rcboosted]

I used a large philips screw driver and held it with my fist on top, then hit it with my other palm couple of times. it's not very strong.

[@MrSummitville]

The negative end has 12 Black "-" Dashes all around the circumference - to help identify the polarity when installing ...

[@pulesjet]

First time I came across the A123 cells I attempted to charge one BACKAZZWARDS. That didn't work out so well. LOL

[@LithiumSolar]

They do look backwards. I mixed it up at first too, but it was with a voltmeter so no harm done. What happened to the cell lol?

[@WilliamNewberryTheHandyRealtor]

Would like to see how they were tested.

[@LithiumSolar]

I tested them on the Opus BT-C3100 charger. There is a switch inside the charger you can set to 3.7V instead of the pre-set voltage of 4.2V.

[@jacobhendrickson8935]

Did it say these were only 59 bucks?? Where can I find a deal like this??

[@LithiumSolar]

This is an old video. I haven't seen these batteries back in stock since.

[@corylineback4966]

Really cool video .. I love breaking things down and seeing how they are manufactured. What is the point of doing this though??

[@LithiumSolar]

It's a fun hobby to me. I love seeing how they're built and love seeing what I can build with them myself.

[@WorldChampInfinity]

This pack is perfect for me. I've got one in the mail. I plan on keeping it 36V. I read in another comment the bms on this should not be used. Even if I want to keep 36V? Can you recommend a bms? Project will have max amp draws of 30amps.

[@LithiumSolar]

The problem with built-in BMS is they are usually proprietary and need to be interfaced with whatever the hardware is the battery connects in to. As for a BMS to use in a smaller application, people seem to really like the DALY BMS. I have not used them yet myself though.

[@edporter4208]

I just got two units and am considering this BMS from Aliexpress: www.aliexpress.com/item/32924207294.html

[@eyeswideshut2800]

What I learned about maintaining LiFePO4 thus far so jump in, this gets expensive and I'm a first time right person so any advice is wanted. Heat and humidity are the worst (89f) or lower Cold storage ok and discharge but charge no Store for long period at 50-60% capacity Spot weld best vs solder Do not fully charge or discharge for longer life BMS or ICharger necessary Keep them balanced

[@mondotv4216]

So basically everything for all lithium chemistries. Although to correct you LiFe are by far the most tolerant for depth of discharge to 100%, cycle life and general cell safety (won’t catch fire as easily as NMC, NMCA and LiPos (most flammable)

[@eyeswideshut2800]

49.99 now with 10% off is a great deal

[@jamest.5001]

The voltage isn't a concern, shorting something, and getting a burn is more of a possibility!

[@LithiumSolar]

I've grabbed a 7s 24V battery before and can feel it. Everyone's tolerances are different so I don't take any chances. And yes, you're right, burning is a possibility as well.

[@n3glv]

I want to use this pack for my ebike. When I test the outputs with out anything connected to the bms it shows 0volts. Any info on the internal BMS, vs converting it over to an ebay bms board?

[@bryanmengwasser3925]

I am using 2 of the 12s3p packs, same BMS, just 12 less cells on my ebike. I ended up soldering an xt60 connector to the negative busbar and the positive terminal. This bypasses the BMS controller. The balancing function still works, but it gives off a lot of heat, so I'm switching to my own active balancing BMS. The BMS in the pack is proprietary and I cannot find any information online.

[@dananderson6459]

Another great video! For that nickel sticking up, I give it a few taps on my wooden work bench and it seems to flatten out pretty well. Would there be any negative effects of doing it that way? New to the hobbie and not sure what I'm doing Haha

[@LithiumSolar]

Hi. I don't see any reason why tapping on the work bench would be of any harm. You just might end up with ding marks in your work bench after processing a few dozen cells :)

[@JesseWright68]

I just ordered one of these modules. How many amps discharge per cell would you suppose the spot welds are good for? I'm looking at splitting it into four 6S2P packs. I assume that the nickel strips are solderable so I can add a balance connector. Also, what was the low voltage cutoff you used for testing for capacity?

[@LithiumSolar]

I'm not sure what the welds would be rated for. They're on there pretty good so it has to be quite a few... Yes, the strips are solderable. I'm fairly certain the Opus BT-C3100 cuts of at 2.8V for testing.

[@JesseWright68]

@@LithiumSolar I think I may remove the welded tabs and use silver strips to solder up packs from them for a model airplane I'm working on. Lots of modelers have assembled packs using this method.

[@sable7687]

@@LithiumSolar its nickel plated steel. so not so good for high amps at all.

[@amerkhafagiable]

I always wanted to buy few of them but on Aliexpress they market them as Li-ion and not LFP, So what is it exactly ? Li-ion with max v of 4.2 or LFP with max 3.65 v. TIA

[@LithiumSolar]

LFP is Lithium Ion. It's one of many chemistries that fit under the "lithium ion" umbrella.

[@monono954]

Primo content, man. Keep it up.

[@brantgoose]

I want to use the bms that came with it but I can't figure out how to work it.

[@Kevin.OBrien44]

Did u figure it out

[@brantgoose]

@@Kevin.OBrien44 nope

[@electric_rider2044]

I remove the built in bms on mine and wired up balance leads instead, made it 2 6s balance leads and use a active balancer when charging, i also made a charger for it so i can charge it to 44 volts 5 amps, i only require max of 45amps from them once in a while so bms for me is not neccessary.

[@scottpetersen2028]

www.youtube.com/@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3 figured it out

[@treehitzgonzaga4275]

Have you tried testing it for remaining capacity?

[@LithiumSolar]

Yes. I tested the cells towards the end of the video.

[@darkfur18]

Oh man, those are some nice looking cells, too bad they sold out

[@LithiumSolar]

They'll probably be back in stock again eventually :)

[@edporter4208]

They are back in stock 5/2020

[@a2cryss]

It is disappointing that the Opus can change Ni-Cad and NMH but not LiFePO4 (without opening) They should put the switch on the outside or have some detection method. It will take a LiFePO4 to 4.2v which is bad for it if not dangerous.

[@panospapadimitriou3498]

36 +36 makes 2x 48 // a nice extra battery for power stations!!!!24v is even better if you no need fast charge em

[@SheikhN-bible-syndrome]

I wish someone would test the panisonic honda Insight 18 S battery modules that battery hookup was selling for a while They look like 5ah c-max cells but looks can be deceiving

[@njfulwider5]

Crazy, I was wondering why I don't get your notification here on KZbin...Only on Facebook...I watch all your videos.....Then I just noticed, I was not subscribed. What the What.....Just curious, did you say you used a T10 to take this apart? I used a T8, wonder if maybe I was using the wrong T???

[@LithiumSolar]

Subscribe! LOL. Yes, I used a T10. I just tried and it looks like my T8 would work but is very loose. The T10 fit nice and snug.

[@njfulwider5]

@@LithiumSolar I'll have to try the T10 when I put the case back together on my 12S4p pack. I only got 3 of these, one had some bad cells, so I had to take apart to make sure all cells were ok. 2 nd pack was near perfect, each 12V pack I built with BMS gave me 10,250mah per pack. Im testing the 12S4p pack right now and so far its on 8,500mah. Fingers crossed I get at least 9.5ah. Going to use the 12V packs in an up and coming boombox with 12" woofers. Not really sure if I have a use for the 12S yet? But I may have a solar gen I may use them on. Great Video, I always like how detailed you are when you explain how to....Way better than I could do....Can't wait to see what you come up with next!!!

[@heribertohuizar1837]

If I need 24v, could I cut 1/3 off the pack off leaving me with 8s4p 24v?

[@sthomas7211]

Yes

[@stanb990]

noob question Could yoou seperate into 12v cells then rewire them in parallel to get a 12 v36ah battery, cuz that's what I need

[@LithiumSolar]

Absolutely. The only welds you need to break to remove the cells from the holders are the two 4p groups on the ends where the terminals are because they have big nickel plates on top. After that, you can remove all of the cells as one big block, cut them in to 4s4p blocks, then put them back in and wire the three groups together :)

[@stanb990]

@@LithiumSolar I deally I would put the new configuration back into the provided case, and possibly make provision to daisy chain two or more together. Still learning about BMSs but this is one possibility for my truck, Thank you for the fast reply

[@LithiumSolar]

Yes, good thing is you don't have to break anything to get it open, it's all screws you can put back. However, you would have to figure out a way to balance the batteries and/or stringing the balancing of multiple cases. The BMS board it comes with can't be used and would have to be removed regardless of which configuration you go with.

[@stanb990]

@@LithiumSolar yep, that's the fun part I'm learning about now. But I need as much as I can get and nothing ready bult suits my application Ideally and eventually I want to create something that can fit in a hollowed out tailgate or back door For right now , I'm just trying to get ready for hurricane season

[@brantgoose]

I used 2 of these on my ebike

[@eyeswideshut2800]

Ok I'm back to watch this again and read some more reviews because another KZbinr had sets from elsewhere and they were at 73%, isn't a 100ah battery dead at 80ah, what does that mean someone?

[@MountainParameters]

I was trying to think of an analogy, this is the best I can come up with, hope it is correct. Let's imagine your battery capacity is the same as the bank account you fund your debit card from. A 100AH in your battery is similar to the purchasing power of $100.00 in your bank account. When you spend 20% of it, you'll still have 80% of it left to spend. So your account is not 'dead' at 80, it is dead at 0. Now if your bank account does not have overdraft protection, your debit card is shut off until you recharge your account. When your battery reaches the low voltage shutoff threshold, your battery may not be the same as a leveraged debit car: EG:, it will no longer provide any power until you recharge the source with funds (or stored amp hours). (Where your battery is different from your bank account, is you cannot 'leverage' it with some form of what would be equivalent to overdraft protection where the bank gives you a temporary loan to cover your overdraft.) So no, your 100AH batery is not dead at 80AH, far from it, it still has a lot of power to yield to you. How close you are to that shutoff point is an indication of your cell voltage, not your amp hours.

[@GoatZilla]

There's really no reason to separate the cells "for testing". If they're already in the configuration you need, then test them in that configuration first before ripping them apart. Seeing as you can put probes at the series junctions, that should give you what you initially need before ripping into everything for no particular reason.

[@LithiumSolar]

The purpose of this video was to teardown and test the individual cells. You're right though, don't need separated for use as the pre-configured 4p blocks.

[@GoatZilla]

@@LithiumSolar You don't need to test the individual cells *unless* the first round of testing, all together, indicates a reason to do so. Just log the individual series taps and inspect the data.

[@DavidPozEnergy]

Gentle... Gentle. LOL

[@LithiumSolar]

Haha yes because you know someone is going to call me out the use of a hammer!

[@danielw855]

Good video

[@Colaaah]

How many of these to make 100ah 12volt Battery?

[@LithiumSolar]

Each cell is 2.5Ah at 3.2V, so you would need 40 cells for 100Ah. Multiply by 4 to reach 12V = 160 cells. There are 48 cells in each module, so that comes to 4 modules giving a total of 120Ah at 12V :) Don't forget the discount code "BATTERY" for 10% off if you decide to order batteryhookup.com/products/a123-36v-module-w-48-26650-anr26650m1-b?rfsn=1822232.f1131f

[@Colaaah]

Thank you for your reply. I'm guessing that they shouldn't have a problem fitting into that 'Ammo Box' like the 18650 battery that you recently made, would you think? And if so, in your opinion what kind of BMS would be best for those batteries as that type of set up (Want the possibility of utilising as high of amp draw/charge as they are made for) and how many batteries would fit in 1 X Ammo box? I am really interested in building maybe 4 if it would all go together as nicely as when you did the 18650's. If all goes to plan, I will definitely use your code and support your channel anyway possible. Thank you for your valuable informative videos 😉

[@LithiumSolar]

If looking for a small BMS, the Daly BMS is much better over the no-name generic boards like I used here. I have several Daly on order but it's going to take a while for them to get here from China and didn't want to wait. Unfortunately, I don't think you can fit anywhere near 160 cells in an ammo can. I'd guess 40 or so, but am not sure without having one to try.

[@eyeswideshut2800]

I'm totally splitting this pack and soldering some connects in the same configuration to see if spot welds or solder have an effect on cell degradation. I hate electronics but I Woodwork, Hydroponics, make wine and cheese and can sprout the most nutritional food in a day with little water on a paper towel so no way I don't get to wield hot stuff and possibly blow something up..ijs

[@guruprasadgawali]

You are working with those cells like a baby.

[@loudcoringa1947]

Vou tomar um pouco

[@MrSummitville]

The A123 is a larger 26650 cell, which is 100% larger volume than the 18650 cell, but not double the capacity ... hmmm?

[@LithiumSolar]

Right, because these are LiFePO4 cells. They are not as energy dense as your "standard" lithium ion (Lithium Cobalt, Lithium Manganese, etc) but are a much safer chemistry.

[@sable7687]

yea but more than double the amps almost triple the amps of the best 18650. no voltage sag on these like 18650 lion.

[@MrSummitville]

@@LithiumSolar OK, got it. But they do make 18650 LiFePO4's (1400mAh) ... www.batteryspace.com/LiFePO4-18650-Rechargeable-Cell-3.2V-1500-mAh-4.8Wh-5A-Rate.aspx

[@loucinci3922]

dremel + metal cut-off wheel will eat up that nickel

[@LithiumSolar]

Yeaaaaaaaaah I thought of that option as well, but was afraid of accidentally nicking/cutting the cells in the process!

[@newstart4jim]

So.... you making a Tesla battery?

[@antonetwork3833]

India not received i am very feeling

[@TheAiwnt]

these battery have 3,3 v nominal voltage not 3,7... google it.

[@LithiumSolar]

Yes, that's correct. Where did I say 3.7V?

[@E-BikingAdventures]

It takes 120 volts DC to get a shock.

[@LithiumSolar]

No it doesn't? I can feel 24V if I grab both terminals...

[@josephsvensson6637]

It takes a 9v battery on the tongue to get a shock

[@oldmgbs2]

I have been popped with 24v many times working in cell phone cell sites. 48-52v can really put a hurting on you (or make you hurt yourself). You need to be careful with any voltage. Even 5v can burn you if you get a piece of metal between you and it (like a ring).

[@jimthvac100]

Can't believe you tore this all apart. Kind of defeats the purpose of buying these packs where you only need to do minimal soldering and adding a BMS to have three nice 10AH packs. By breaking these all apart individually you risk tearing holes in the ends of the cells where these were spot welded. I would not tear them all apart unless I was looking for a suspected bad cell.

[@LithiumSolar]

I use the individual cells for random small projects around the house. I don't necessarily have a use for 4s4p blocks, although they could be vary handy to the right person.