[a900]

Hello all,

I don't post on here so often but thought I would share the success of my lithium battery build following on from the ideas given on the forum many months ago for DIY electric reels. (Been using my reel for around 8months) I know this is very specific and many wouldn't be interested but one or two may find this information useful.

First off why did I make a lithium battery. . .With my lead acid battery I needed to charge up after every days work to keep the battery cycle life. While only taking a few minutes to place on charge it was a pain doing this daily. I also didn't feel a split charge or solar panel would work for me. My lithium battery gets charged around ever 2 weeks saving time and lugging a battery around. Secondly lead acid battery's have lasted me 3-4 years then died. Lithium battery's can last much longer and weigh considerably less than the lead acid battery.

My lithium battery is rated 16.8 max voltage (stepped down for 12v pumps) and 92ah. This gives it roughly 1.5kw total capacity. Much more than my old battery weighting half. This has proved capable of running 2 pumps and an electric reel for a couple of weeks. The battery was made from 160 individual 18650 lithium cells. They all came from old laptop battterys sourced for cheap and half for free. All this is cased in a ammo case leaving a surprisingly professional looking battery. I've attached a photo showing some of the stages and overall size being very similar with much of the space in the case not being used.

The battery also has the ability to be charged very fast compared to lead acid. Might be useful for those days you forgot to charge your battery.

Thought I would share with the aim of inspiring others  ...

[a900]

.

[paul alan]

Looks and sounds great mate, why didn't you post this yesterday before I shelled out £220 today for something that sounds inferior in comparison??

Good work.

[P @ F]

Spruce is gonna love this one 

[paul alan]

They look like the batteries I use for my my ecig.

[P @ F]

It also makes my latest little project seem a little bit lame 

[p1w1]

Spruce is gonna love this one 

isn't he just 

[a900]

Not really been on the forum much the past few weeks but got the vibe people have battery issues Lol. For most people it's defo easier or the only option to just buy a battery off the shelf as it was a fair bit of work to build. But was a sort of winter hobby.

I'm genuinely expecting it to last 10 years and would say it cost around £100. Plus £30-50 for a suitable charger. Could have been a lot cheaper if I got all the cells for free. (Computer repair shops give them away)

[P @ F]

How do you even get that plastic battery body ?
It looks like it is purpose made , but before you dabbled there was no purpose to produce them surely

[Plankton]

Sounds like a fire hazard! Good thing it's in an ammo case...

[Spruce]

Not really been on the forum much the past few weeks but got the vibe people have battery issues Lol. For most people it's defo easier or the only option to just buy a battery off the shelf as it was a fair bit of work to build. But was a sort of winter hobby.

I'm genuinely expecting it to last 10 years and would say it cost around £100. Plus £30-50 for a suitable charger. Could have been a lot cheaper if I got all the cells for free. (Computer repair shops give them away)

Can't exactly blame you. Putting 160 batteries together correctly and 'soldering' links must have taken you ages. My dyslexic brain would have got very mixed up and confused.

[Perfect Windows]

Don't know why you bothered when you could just buy one.  And this one's 260Ah not a piddling 92!

https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/12v-relion-260-ah-deep-cycle-solar-storage-lithium-battery/

I've just ordered one.

Vin

[paul alan]

Don't know why you bothered when you could just buy one.  And this one's 260Ah not a piddling 92!

https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/12v-relion-260-ah-deep-cycle-solar-storage-lithium-battery/

I've just ordered one.

Vin

Don't know why you didn't just buy one??

price???

[Spruce]

Don't know why you bothered when you could just buy one.  And this one's 260Ah not a piddling 92!

https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/12v-relion-260-ah-deep-cycle-solar-storage-lithium-battery/

I've just ordered one.

Vin

 

[Spruce]

How do you even get that plastic battery body ?
It looks like it is purpose made , but before you dabbled there was no purpose to produce them surely

I would guess that its shrink wrap that shrinks with the application of heat.

My next question is the varying quality of these used, reclaimed batteries. I appreciate that each of them has been tested to a level but they won't perform as they did when new. So if there is one of these 160 reclaimed batteries that fails prematurely, how does that effect the rest of the pack?

If your torch takes 4 batteries and you use 1 old one because you only have 3 new ones, the flat one drains the 3 new ones, doesn't it?

[a900]

How do you even get that plastic battery body ?
It looks like it is purpose made , but before you dabbled there was no purpose to produce them surely

There is already an entire sector around the world of people that built there own 'DIY tesla power walls'. So things like the cell holders are cheap and easy to buy off eBay. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F152247261009

Everything used to make the battery was easy to get hold of.

[a900]

Sounds like a fire hazard! Good thing it's in an ammo case...

Each cell has been tested beforehand to make sure it matches up with the others with it and to weed out duff ones. Then they have all been soldered with  individual cell fuses so if one did decide to short it would be isolated. Then there is a main fuse before the outputs. I would expect it to be much safer than a gas boiler but that's another subject 

[Og]

Brilliant!

[a900]

How do you even get that plastic battery body ?
It looks like it is purpose made , but before you dabbled there was no purpose to produce them surely

I would guess that its shrink wrap that shrinks with the application of heat.

My next question is the varying quality of these used, reclaimed batteries. I appreciate that each of them has been tested to a level but they won't perform as they did when new. So if there is one of these 160 reclaimed batteries that fails prematurely, how does that effect the rest of the pack?

If your torch takes 4 batteries and you use 1 old one because you only have 3 new ones, the flat one drains the 3 new ones, doesn't it?

Yep these cells are used and reclaimed. Many come from laptop battery's that no longer work. But often this isn't because all the cells are bad or most of the cells are good. I've testing around 300 cells and picked the best 160. Most perform as new. (Was really surprised when I first realised 5 year old cells were like new) People think lithium battery's don't last long because of the experience of like phone battery's. These are cycled hard everyday and last a couple of years before they start to get weak and Any loss in power is noticed because it's only one cell not 160.

My pack will be charged up around 26 times a year not 365 like a phone battery. Also being so big if one cell  deteriorates it will just not hold so much capacity but we are talking an insignificant  amount. As I mentioned in a previous post if a 'cell goes bad' it will pop a little fuse and disconnect that cell.

I'm sure there are window cleaners like me that find the job dull and want to improve their set up for efficiency and speed. Hoping to inspire someone like minded. 

[stevieg]

Batteries being the bane of my life,I say well done mate..