DIY battery pack making

I show how to solder a battery.

As prep work to soldering use a file, or maybe just sandpaper, to scratch up the surface you're soldering to.

Next, smear on a bit of soldering flux on the solder point. This lowers the temperature and helps it adhere. It will boil of with the heat of the iron.

I pre-tinned the wire I used. Then you simply connect the wire and iron with a solder blob on it to connect them.

When it's done well you will see the solder start to flow a bit on the surface. Always test it by pulling... if it comes off like my first one did, redo it.

DISCLAIMER: USE A GOOD HOT IRON, but only for a few seconds. The heat is bad for batteries and if you use too much solder, or heat it too long it WILL damage the battery. Basically the whole battery acts as a heatsink so if the connection isn't made at first... you're not making the joint hotter by keeping it there... you're heating up the battery cell! BAD!!!

This process is applicable to a whole pack. I take solid wire and do the same thing to connect them. Sometimes it's a pain to fold them, but plan ahead and use your head and it will work out well.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• soldering
• batteries
• pack
• flux
• li-ion
• nimh
• diy

[gmcjetpilot]

2:25 Houston we have a problem.

Your solder tip is too small & too low power. 30-40 watts min is needed. It will heat the local area quickly and be better than low heat which may NEVER get it. The large metal surface wicks the heat way.

You melt the solder on the hot surface not melt the solder with the iron on a cold surface or you get a COLD SOLDER JOINT. Be more aggressive with roughing & cleaning the surface for no contaminates. The wire should be tinned first as well.

[xwingband]

It's not some radioshack iron... It IS a 40W iron blasted all the way up. The tip may be thinner, but I've got bigger ones for it.

It's also not a good idea to heat up batteries before soldering, especially li-ions like in the video. Yes, it helps the soldering, but the batteries have seals which could be compromised by prolonged exposure to heat.

I tin my wires, I just don't state it. I also use flux to help lower the temp it melts at and adhesion.

[gmcjetpilot]

@xwingband

No offense but 40 watts is what it says? How do you know it does that. It looks like it is for PCB. What is the temp at the tip?

That small TIP has LOW THERMAL MASS. 60 watt with a big flat tip will heat that local area up fast, up to temp so you can solder quick and remove the heat. You held it on there for a long time and really heated up the whole thing. Trust me use a bigger ass Iron iron, it will be better. There is no substitute for a BIG MF Solder iron for heavy stuff.

[xwingband]

Yes, it's the specs. 40W and goes up to 900F. I agree it's meant for PCBs more. It comes with chisel tips and much larger ones I just didn't use them. I had been doing other stuff with it and didn't want to wait for it to cool to change tips. It has worked plenty fine and results in good joints the camera can't convey well, nor did I solder it for more than a few seconds.

This is not the be-all-end-all video. I didn't show tinning the wires or scuffing the cell surfaces, etc...

[bbrmotosports]

ok, if you are going to solder packs together, you are going to want a solder iron or gun of at least 80 watts of power to do a good job, if you want to see a good job done type in "how to assemble a battery pack" by Squirrelod, this guy does it the right way!

[xwingband]

A huge honking iron isn't needed, it can actually bad for people that don't know what they're doing. As long as your not using some little 10W pencil iron and it gets hot you can do it. I made this for the people in my hobby that maybe need to do 2-3 cells.

[ortizlgnd1]

So, you solder the other end of the wire from the + terminal to - terminal? Or do you just solder one wire to the + terminal and a different wire to the - terminal?

[michael10725]

What ever.... I Liked it.... Hell,,, Whats not to like about a LiL Info..... Peace Man!!!

[mjottman]

You really don't want to use an oil based flux for electrical soldering...this is for plumbing. You should use a water based flux for elecrical soldering.

[jeff7972242]

jeff@bbrmotosports is a butt fuck squirl in that video is a dumbass he isn't soldering a li-ion battery witch you don't want to heat for too long. Xwingband is right and has a better video

[nicknatpacker]

hello x-wing, my name is william and i'm needing more info about the how to on battery packs. i get the basic concept of it but can i put 4 of the 123 battery together with out over loading the board, and i have some questions about the recharge ports i'v been asking around about these things to the other saber builders but most are too busy to answer my inquiries so would you be willing to have a sit down with me. if so please let me know. thank you.