Connecting bare cell lipos

[RicModMaker]

So Hobby King finally came through and I've got a stack of 1000mah cells. I'm sure some would like me to have a firework display in ModMaker HQ but maybe there are a few experienced modders here that can advise me on the best way to put together a pack without the usual Seedy pyrotechnics.

I like the idea of being able to take the pack out and swap if needed so what, if there is one, are the ideal male and female sockets I could use.

Thanks in advance.
Ric

 

[bob salter]

Ric.
Im at about the same place as you with modding. I have just made my first lipo pack. Go to your local RC shop and ask for xt60 connectors. You get a bag of 5 male and 5 female for not much money.

Bob

 

[video61]

Hi Ric there was some on ebay but ebay is down at the moment outrage!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_sBFhtEzxs
@Seedy will you be selling these ; )

JST Connectors 10 Pair Battery Charger Cable with silicone wire 220mm | eBay

 

[RicModMaker]

Ric.
Im at about the same place as you with modding. I have just made my first lipo pack. Go to your local RC shop and ask for xt60 connectors. You get a bag of 5 male and 5 female for not much money.

Bob

Thanks bob. It'll have to be online for me. No ric shops around my town.

Hi Ric there was some on ebay but ebay is down at the moment outrage!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_sBFhtEzxs
@Seedy will you be selling these ; )

JST Connectors 10 Pair Battery Charger Cable with silicone wire 220mm | eBay

If I can suss out what the norm is. So guys. Xt60 or JST video61.

Pros and cons?

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[Chegs]

To build a 4 cell parallel pack,I used my multimeter to identify the positives on each cell,then CLEARLY marked them so as to be nigh-on impossible to get the connector wrong.Then cut a small rectangle of copper strip,that was the same width as the lipo contact & tinned it completely.Then I set to and tinned each of the lipo cell contacts(should have 2 pieces of copper strip,positive+negative)both positive & negative.

Then carefully squeezed the positive contacts together & then crimped on the copper strip before soldering the copper to the cell contacts,repeating for the negatives.

Once this was done,I could then solder any connections to the copper strip more easily than the cell contacts(as these tended to separate when I was soldering on wires etc)

If you are planning on a parallel cell pack,then you can use 1 of the USB charging boards to recharge the pack(can take a long time though)

To hold the cell pack together,I use pieces of double sided carpet tape & then stick the pack down in the box with a larger piece.This might sound a little flimsy,but I destroyed a cell trying to get it back out my box(fortunately,had 2 spare)The tape held the bottom cell so well that the cell when it finally came out had deformed really badly.

If you are building a series+parallel pack,I use similar method to above,only with 3 pieces of copper strip(or you can use 4 & simply solder the 2 strips together on 1 side of the pack)

To recharge my 2 series+2 parallel pack,I have added a JST socket on short leads,which exit through the enlarged hole where I originally had the USB port & plug in my balance charger through the JST socket.


I'm presuming the lipo pack is for the Raptor build,so you will be wanting the 2 series,2 parallel configuration.

In this picture,you can just about make out the negative/positive copper strips soldered together


This one shows the leads to the JST socket



This one shows the JST socket epoxied in place

If you are careful & check each part of the assembly before you make any joins,then you shouldn't risk any sparks/flames or frantic throwing of items through windows.

 

[video61]

Thanks bob. It'll have to be online for me. No ric shops around my town.

If I can suss out what the norm is. So guys. Xt60 or JST @video61.

Pros and cons?

Thanks for the advice guys.

Jst are a lot smaller so fit better in mods : )

 

[RicModMaker]

To build a 4 cell parallel pack,I used my multimeter to identify the positives on each cell,then CLEARLY marked them so as to be nigh-on impossible to get the connector wrong.Then cut a small rectangle of copper strip,that was the same width as the lipo contact & tinned it completely.Then I set to and tinned each of the lipo cell contacts(should have 2 pieces of copper strip,positive+negative)both positive & negative.

Then carefully squeezed the positive contacts together & then crimped on the copper strip before soldering the copper to the cell contacts,repeating for the negatives.

Once this was done,I could then solder any connections to the copper strip more easily than the cell contacts(as these tended to separate when I was soldering on wires etc)

If you are planning on a parallel cell pack,then you can use 1 of the USB charging boards to recharge the pack(can take a long time though)

To hold the cell pack together,I use pieces of double sided carpet tape & then stick the pack down in the box with a larger piece.This might sound a little flimsy,but I destroyed a cell trying to get it back out my box(fortunately,had 2 spare)The tape held the bottom cell so well that the cell when it finally came out had deformed really badly.

If you are building a series+parallel pack,I use similar method to above,only with 3 pieces of copper strip(or you can use 4 & simply solder the 2 strips together on 1 side of the pack)

To recharge my 2 series+2 parallel pack,I have added a JST socket on short leads,which exit through the enlarged hole where I originally had the USB port & plug in my balance charger through the JST socket.


I'm presuming the lipo pack is for the Raptor build,so you will be wanting the 2 series,2 parallel configuration.

View attachment 33325 In this picture,you can just about make out the negative/positive copper strips soldered together


View attachment 33326 This one shows the leads to the JST socket



View attachment 33327 This one shows the JST socket epoxied in place

If you are careful & check each part of the assembly before you make any joins,then you shouldn't risk any sparks/flames or frantic throwing of items through windows.

Thanks Chegs. No, the lipos going parallel for a mosfet build. The raptor build will have to be 2x18650s and the sx350 v100 will again have to be 18650 for ease of charging. So many mods to build and not enough time ;-)

 

[Chegs]

Thanks @Chegs. No, the lipos going parallel for a mosfet build. The raptor build will have to be 2x18650s and the sx350 v100 will again have to be 18650 for ease of charging. So many mods to build and not enough time ;-)

Parallel mosfet builds are very easy then,simply cut two strips of copper,folded over all the + & same on - connections of the lipo.Few pieces of sticky tape(carpet double sided thin strips between each cell)& a piece the same size as the bottom cell facing the enclosure,solder on your wiring,and a USB charging board wires,epoxy the USB in place & Bob's your cross-dressing freaky Aunty Joan.

Total time can be a couple hours of double-checking before joining to an hour of "sweat-on,phew that's ok" Your choice

 

[RicModMaker]

Jst are a lot smaller so fit better in mods : )

All the jst connectors I've found have wires. What gauge would be suitable in your opinion?

 

[RicModMaker]

Ric.
Im at about the same place as you with modding. I have just made my first lipo pack. Go to your local RC shop and ask for xt60 connectors. You get a bag of 5 male and 5 female for not much money.

Bob

I do like the idea of being able to add whatever wires I like to these connectors. Those xt60 look spot on.