CALB 200 Amp smoke

[brb58]

Personally I have never seen a hammered crimp pass a pull test. It will either pull out or the wire breaks.

Yep

Making Your Own Battery Cables - Marine How To

Pick Your Crimp Tool FTZ 94284 & Ancor Hammer Crimper TEMCO TH0005 & FTZ Bench Mount BUY FTZ 94284 CRIMP TOOL - BAY MARINE

marinehowto.com

I am only showing the Ancor “hammer-crimp” tool as an example of an emergency use tool kind of like your spare tire.

 

[SilverbackMP]

Yep

Making Your Own Battery Cables - Marine How To

Pick Your Crimp Tool FTZ 94284 & Ancor Hammer Crimper TEMCO TH0005 & FTZ Bench Mount BUY FTZ 94284 CRIMP TOOL - BAY MARINE

marinehowto.com

Oooo. Awesome! I’m gonna order a pair of the ratcheting ones. I was looking at the Harbor Freight hydraulic ones, but buy once, cry once.

 

[MrThisIsME]

So is your opinion that pipe can not be used with success? Because if that is the case YOU would be wrong.

No. Copper pipe can be used with success as a bus bar, but only when you use aluminum foil, left over from last nights lasagna as cable. Granted you have to roll it real tight and scrape all the burnt cheese off. Lot of effort, but when connecting $10k worth of batteries and inverters, well worth it.
Did some quick math here. Foil from a family of 4 lasagna should be good for at least 200 amps.

 

[MrThisIsME]

McMaster carr sells copper bar stock...A 3kW magnum needs 4/0 wire. and an 80A BMS is way too smalll...

Onlinemetals.com has it as well. Lot cheaper last time I bought.

 

[Ozark Tinkering]

Granted you have to roll it real tight and scrape all the burnt cheese off. Lot of effort, but when connecting $10k worth of batteries and inverters, well worth it.
Did some quick math here. Foil from a family of 4 lasagna should be good for at least 200 amps.

I think for DC application a loose wrap would be preferable and increase surface conducting area, plus improved cooling should increase ampacity.

 

[MrThisIsME]

I think for DC application a loose wrap would be preferable and increase surface conducting area, plus improved cooling should increase ampacity.

Sorry I get confused sometimes. DC = loose wrap - AC = tight. My bad.

 

[grizzzman]

No. Copper pipe can be used with success as a bus bar, but only when you use aluminum foil, left over from last nights lasagna as cable. Granted you have to roll it real tight and scrape all the burnt cheese off. Lot of effort, but when connecting $10k worth of batteries and inverters, well worth it.
Did some quick math here. Foil from a family of 4 lasagna should be good for at least 200 amps.

Thank you for your response. I think it is important for people to see who you really are.

 

[ejfluhr]

Is this accurate?
200Ah cells
120A event
80A rated Daly BMS

Are you certain the smoke wasn't from the Daly?

 

[brb58]

Onlinemetals.com has it as well. Lot cheaper last time I bought.

They are super expensive. I have an industrial metals place where I live. I bought 1/8" x 3/4" x 12' for $32 a couple months ago. On that site, $79.92 plus shipping.

 

[MrThisIsME]

They are super expensive. I have an industrial metals place where I live. I bought 1/8" x 3/4" x 12' for $32 a couple months ago. On that site, $79.92 plus shipping.

Agreed, but cheaper than McMaster.

 

[sollap]

Ebay can be a good place for copper bar. Here's 1/8 x 3/4 x 12 half-hard 110 grade for $16 delivered to your door. https://www.ebay.com/itm/293948309890

 

[brb58]

Ebay can be a good place for copper bar. Here's 1/8 x 3/4 x 12 half-hard 110 grade for $16 delivered to your door. https://www.ebay.com/itm/293948309890

For twice that amount I got 12 feet!

 

[sollap]

Wow. That's a great deal!

 

[grizzzman]

I almost went down this road.
But then it occurred to me... $2600 worth of batteries, $1000 for various tools and parts, $1800 for inverters, et al.
Why am I trying to save $30 or 40 on proper, FLAT busbars.
Even experimented with several flavors of pipe. Hammered, used a vise. I was unable to get a flat enough surface on the copper.
Oh, they look great, flat until I put a stainless flat edge across them and inspected with a magnifier glass
No bueno. Especially with high current.

I suggest you get some proper bus bars between the cells.

Well I used a 50 Ton press and 1" plates to flatten the pipe. Then a mill was used to slot them. I agree a hammer will not work.

 

[TomC4306]

Well I used a 50 Ton press and 1" plates to flatten the pipe. Then a mill was used to slot them. I agree a hammer will not work

Few here are so blessed.

 

[brb58]

Well I used a 50 Ton press and 1" plates to flatten the pipe. Then a mill was used to slot them. I agree a hammer will not work.

So you saved $10 or so using copper pipe...congratulations!

 

[brb58]

Wow. That's a great deal!

What city do you live in? There are industrial metal supply houses in most major cities. I love in LA so I have a dozen choices at least.