18650BatteryStore.com or Sunfunkits.com?

[SalmanFarooz]

What is the best place to get cells for a DIY battery build I'm looking to build 2-3 16s batteries to expand an existing Dual SOK 48v 100AH bank. I have seen some very impressive builds using cells on this forum using a a metal cabinet. I have a 3 story dewalt shelf rated for 4500 lbs so it should be able to handle the weight no problem.

I'm currently looking at https://www.18650batterystore.com/products/eve-lf280k which has a status of re-stocking soon. It includes flexible bus bars and 48 of the fiberglass sheets are $96.00 https://www.18650batterystore.com/p...or-sheet-208-175-0-5mm-lifepo4-cell-separator but they are sold out of the sheets (I'm guessing more will arrive with the cells) so with the sheets and shipping would be: $5160.00 shipping is $530.30 to my zipcode and the tax is $0.00 so total $5786.3

The other option is: https://www.sunfunkits.com/productg...ss-certified-prismatic-cell-32v?ProductID=128 which says over 1 month and this with flexible bus bars and fiberglass sheets is $5596.00 from the international warehouse shipping is $0.00 and tax is $0.00 so total $5496.00 with the high amp terminal + fiberglass sheets.

They have them available in the baton Rouge: https://www.sunfunkits.com/productg...ss-certified-prismatic-cell-32v?ProductID=124 but no flexible bus bars and no fiberglass sheets also it would be $5600.00 shipped to me but appears to be in stock so it would arrive faster. Shipping is $595.00 and Tax is $0.00 total $6095.00

So these are the 2 vendors I have narrowed my search down to as they have manufacturer test reports which is a must for me. I am leaning towards Sun Fun Kits a bit due to it being slightly cheaper and they can provide you with the Pace BMS 200A which will allow them to talk with the 2 SOK 100AH 48v batteries I have.

TIA for your input.

 

[SalmanFarooz]

BTW this is the shelf I am planning on using

 

[42OhmsPA]

18650

 

[Quattrohead]

18650

2nded

 

[Clarson]

sunfunkits

 

[Alkaline]

Either one is fine, but more concerning is where you can get the PACE BMS not many places sell it.

 

[Sam Cho TX]

Your math is a bit off the cells from Sunfunkits would be 5496.00 delivered from the international not $5596.00 so about $290.00 less than 18650batterystore, but I would be more concerned with the V3 with the double hole adapter are not using the octagon terminals and they test 10-14 ah less:

So if going with 18650batterystore.com make sure you ask them about the double hole adapter and if the base is octagon or round.

 

[740GLE]

I would pay more for cells that were landed at a dealer and shipped vs drop shipping from the big rock candy mountain

 

[SalmanFarooz]

Your math is a bit off the cells from Sunfunkits would be 5496.00 delivered from the international not $5596.00 so about $290.00 less than 18650batterystore, but I would be more concerned with the V3 with the double hole adapter are not using the octagon terminals and they test 10-14 ah less:

So if going with 18650batterystore.com make sure you ask them about the double hole adapter and if the base is octagon or round.

Thank you, I did not know the V3 has 2 versions. Some thing to think about. If going with 18650batterystore.com where would one purchase the PACE Style BMS?

I fixed my prices in my original post.

I would like the flexibility of the 200AH but the 100AH will probably work as well as once in parallel they will be able to provide more than sufficient power.

 

[SalmanFarooz]

Either one is fine, but more concerning is where you can get the PACE BMS not many places sell it.

Yes where can you get it by itself? Sunfunkits.com has it as an option you can add if you buy the cells. I must have communication with my existing SOK 48v 100AH so the BMS will need to be Pace.

The inverter is a Victron 48v multiplus.

 

[EastFalcon]

What about the 304 cells? 18650 has these in stock: https://www.18650batterystore.com/products/eve-lf304-grade-a-cells-3-2v-lifepo4-304ah-battery no waiting!

If you are dead set on the 280K V3 then go with sun fun kits as 18650 does not have them in stock so you'll be waiting regardless. No reason to pay more and get less, also looks like the eve terminals are not yet been upgraded to the hexagon style.

On a personal note I do not like eve terminals, they are crocked and usually bend from the weight of the foam above during shipping. Plus you have to sand off the top of them to remove the anodizing in order to get a good contact from the bus bar. Sun fun kits terminals are very nice in comparison and have a stud that can be secured with a nut.

 

[SalmanFarooz]

Thank you all for your suggestions I have ordered 48 cells form sunfunkits with 3x of the Pace 200 bms. My total was $5321 for 48 cells with flexible bars and fiberglass sheet. The 3 Pace 200 amp BMS were $495 so grand total $5,816.00

I will let you know when the arrive and may do a small assemble and setup thread.

 

[SalmanFarooz]

To anyone else that has ordered form sun fun kits how long did it take for your cells to arrive, its now been the 45 day mark since my order I don't yet have a tracking number, they told me I will have a tracking number by the 22nd of Feb (which would make it 60 days total). Getting a little concerned...

 

[740GLE]

Challenges with drop shipping across the pond.

It’s all a guess at when they’ll arrive.

 

[Sam Cho TX]

I got my tracking number for my 48 pallet of 304 cells last Friday, its coming from Long Beach, CA to Arkansas and is supposed to arrive on the 19th. I ordered during the black Friday sale. The carrier is Saia Freight Lines.

As for time so far its been about 70 days. If it delivers on Monday the total time would have been about 76 days. So more than the 60 they say but there was also new years and Christmas so it probably added a few days.

I will be fine with this as long as the cells arrive safe.

 

[SalmanFarooz]

Update:

I received the cells today, however, the process needs to be improved around 10:00 am I get a call form Sun fun kits that there is a delivery happening today between 11:00 - 4:00, they had not called or notified me before hand so here I am at work now panicking how am I going to get these cells.

So I took off form work early and just waited and at round 3:45 the cells were delivered by "Mo Trucking" . The company just dropped them off in front of my porch.

luckily inside the crate are 8 boxes which appear to contain 6 cells each and the box in the middles says bus bars & esc. I'll be posting some pictures shortly. This crate was not easy to open it has this looks to be bendy metal latches, better have a big flat head screw driver handy.

So far not bad, SFK needs to improve communication a bit on the delivery. Total delivery time was 66 days.

 

[SalmanFarooz]

Ok Chaps here are some photos, they look pretty good to me. I know have to learn how to setup the bms units. If anyone has instructions for the PACE 200 bms please let me know non of them arrived with the cells.

but overall they arrived and look nice, so from me.

 

[740GLE]

Single post terminals, when dual threaded inserts are too good you reinvent the wheel and slap your logo on it.

 

[Spunky]

If anyone has instructions for the PACE 200 bms please let me know non of them arrived with the cells.

Here's a picture, the long Display cable goes to the backside of the BMS board. The leads that go to the cells are marked on the back of the BMS (pin out), cable #3 is missing a wire because cell 8 is already in cable #2.

BT0 is 1st cell negative then BT1 is 1st cell positive and the rest are cell# positive.
I hope this helps, I don't have any PACE instructions. Large pix, but you may need them that way, I do

 

[EastFalcon]

Single post terminals, when dual threaded inserts are too good you reinvent the wheel and slap your logo on it.

Clearly you don't have either, there is plenty to not like with the dual pole cells:

I asked this a few months ago and never got a striaght answer, it was regarding this video:

So I kept searching and the know-it-all @Alkaline said I was nuts and to check Andy from offgrid garage, well lo and behold he did test these dual poles!

Cheerio sized terminal common grade B terminal, no heating, holds voltage and gets full capacity.

Dual Pole Cells with the eve terminal:
Heats up and drops voltage, Worse than the cheerio sized terminal.

He had bad results because he did not remove the anodizing had he done it the test results would have been much better, I have done my own test and the voltage, heat of the bus bar, all improve significantly if you remove the top anodizing layer with scotch brite / 600 grit sand paper.

Eve Dual Pole Terminals are a pain in the ass vs the SFK terminals:

1) More work to install 16 points to tighten vs 8
2) the bus bars cost more and have less coverage area vs the sfk.
3) have to go and buy your own screws because of the stupid grub screw and nut which is useless (although this may have changed now as they are sending standard m6 screws)
4) My cells had bent crocked terminals, the bending was probably from the foam 18650 used.
5) You have to sand them to remove the anodizing unless you want poor connections.
6) the SFK nylon lock nut is so much better than having to use some type of thread locker on the dual pole to keep the screw in place.

Having had 40 or so with the dual pole and now up to 144 with the sfk terminal no contest the sfk terminal is better. So for me 18650batterystore for the 105's and sfk for the 280k.