diy solar

diy solar

Custom aluminum battery compression enclosure

Two layers of shrink wrap keeping a battery cell from shorting out? You really think that is not a potential catastrophic issue?
Well, if the cells have no possibility of chafing or otherwise allowing the wrap to wear through two layers, yes. I would add a more durable insulation in a mobile setup. I also said that I will probably add the baggies to mine even though it is a static system (and the box will weigh over 300 pounds). It is pretty simple to do, so I probably will do it even though 660 pounds of compression on the cells is likely to keep them from moving at all.

Rather than sarcastically quiz me about it, why don't you answer my question? How much insulation is enough? You didn't suggest a thickness or a type. I note that the potential from cell to cell is less than four volts, so it isn't like it is ready to arc through from cell to cell without provocation. Given that the dielectric strength of plastics starts at about 15 volts per micron, it doesn't take much plastic at all to keep your catastrophe from happening.

If you are going to add insulation, consider the bottom of the cells also if you have a conductive floor in your box. The bottoms of the cells only have one layer of shrink wrap protecting them.
 
Well, if the cells have no possibility of chafing or otherwise allowing the wrap to wear through two layers, yes. I would add a more durable insulation in a mobile setup. I also said that I will probably add the baggies to mine even though it is a static system (and the box will weigh over 300 pounds). It is pretty simple to do, so I probably will do it even though 660 pounds of compression on the cells is likely to keep them from moving at all.

Rather than sarcastically quiz me about it, why don't you answer my question? How much insulation is enough? You didn't suggest a thickness or a type. I note that the potential from cell to cell is less than four volts, so it isn't like it is ready to arc through from cell to cell without provocation. Given that the dielectric strength of plastics starts at about 15 volts per micron, it doesn't take much plastic at all to keep your catastrophe from happening.

If you are going to add insulation, consider the bottom of the cells also if you have a conductive floor in your box. The bottoms of the cells only have one layer of shrink wrap protecting them.
If this is for a non mobile environment, then you might be ok. For anything that goes into a boat, car, truck, trailer or motorhome...no way!

I 3d printed my spacers but since I am building a 3d printed case, they needed to be thicker than necessary. 2mm would have been fine with the material I was using.
 
Last edited:
I'm on the fence here. I don't have my cells yet, so I don't know how thick the blue layer is on them. You get two layers between cells, so how much is good enough? If it is just blue paint, I get it. If it is shrink wrap, it should do.


The box I am planning will be very similar to yours (except bolted instead of welded). I am currently looking at 1/16" Poron between each cell, but that will be about $200 more for all that foam. I like the baggie idea, so I will probably switch to that and just 1/4" Poron at the ends of the batteries. Very nice work!
yeah the blue film is more of a shrink wrap so it's thin, but with good compression I just don't see how they will be moving around or chafing.

For the padding/poron I actually ended up using a mix of 1/8" and 1/16". It doesn't compress much at. I used 1/16" on the bottom, and 1/8" on all sides except the left side on each case. The reason I used the 1/16" only on one side was because the sides were about 1mm off (too wide) after being welded. and due to them not compressing too much it was too very difficult to squeeze the batteries in side by side. so I switched one side to 1/16" and that still gives me a nice tight fit side-to-side.

I would say if it's going to keep you up at night, the easy answer is to just add a layer in between each cell, if anything it's not going to hurt anything. I based my decision off of what made sense to me and also off of others personal experiences.
For example, @HRTKD is using his in a similar application (RV) and has stated he's been down quite a few pretty rough roads for I believe over a year now. he has his cells in a compression enclosure but no padding in between each individual cell. Theory is good, but I also take into account practical use cases and his example was a perfect example for me.

To be clear, I'm not saying that I don't recommend it. I just didn't see a good enough reason with my compression enclosure to add it.
 
haha no problem.

the first photo shows me applying MG 847 (the black paste) on to the top of the cell terminals. Only half of the cell terminals have it applied in that photo. so you can see some appear black and some are still the raw aluminum silver color.

The second photo is the top-down view of the busbars all installed. The little circuit boards on each cell are for my BMS (Batrium) They will monitor temperature and voltage of each cell and can balance them by dissipating heat according to my settings. The cell monitors are called Blockmon's from Batrium.

Hope that helps! If not, happy to clarify or answer any further questions. and thanks or the compliment!

Your blockmons are not correct; you only need one per parallel cell group. In your setup each pair of two will get the same voltage reading.

I am not sure if it will work to double your balance current capacity in this setup or not.
 
Your blockmons are not correct; you only need one per parallel cell group. In your setup each pair of two will get the same voltage reading.

I am not sure if it will work to double your balance current capacity in this setup or not.
Yes you can use less blockmons but this way works correctly as well to give me temperature readings of each cell since that can change between cells even if paralleled. in the Batrium software you can configure it quite a bit whether series/parallel or a mix, as well as control the balance current dissipation.
 
Last edited:
Yes you can use less blockmons but his way works correctly as well to give me temperature readings of each cell since that can change between cells even if paralleled. in the Batrium software you can configure it quite a bit whether series/parallel or a mix, as well as control the balance current dissipation.

Thanks, please let me know if you get more balance current capacity in your setup.
 
Yes you can use less blockmons but his way works correctly as well to give me temperature readings of each cell since that can change between cells even if paralleled. in the Batrium software you can configure it quite a bit whether series/parallel or a mix, as well as control the balance current dissipation.
Nice!
 
More progress today and done! For one, my extra busbar heat shrink arrived so I was able to build my second battery.

Second, I made the short cables that connects to my Class-T fuse. It sucked since they are so short, didn’t leave much room for error haha but everything worked out great.

This was the last and final step related to the compression enclosure build! Now I get to actually start installing/connecting the other components and start testing!

p.s. totally meant to use my red wire haha but since I was heat shrinking the whole thing it didn’t matter luckily ;)
 

Attachments

  • 5D6086AF-9743-4930-9EBF-C5705362B992.jpeg
    5D6086AF-9743-4930-9EBF-C5705362B992.jpeg
    276.4 KB · Views: 47
  • AF49AA07-FA6E-492A-A248-1DBAB6A7BA22.jpeg
    AF49AA07-FA6E-492A-A248-1DBAB6A7BA22.jpeg
    308.3 KB · Views: 37
  • C0A8E793-D0C3-4DAC-A569-0CDB94EA866E.jpeg
    C0A8E793-D0C3-4DAC-A569-0CDB94EA866E.jpeg
    320.1 KB · Views: 48
  • D224C548-8B6F-4F05-8A5B-82F5DF744479.jpeg
    D224C548-8B6F-4F05-8A5B-82F5DF744479.jpeg
    199.8 KB · Views: 54
  • D4FE9A2F-A9DB-4194-935B-B8ED3E0E3BAC.jpeg
    D4FE9A2F-A9DB-4194-935B-B8ED3E0E3BAC.jpeg
    412.2 KB · Views: 55
I was thinking cooking parchment paper would be an ultra cheap but effective separator for the cells.... silicone impregnated 450 burn temp ...
 
I was thinking cooking parchment paper would be an ultra cheap but effective separator for the cells.... silicone impregnated 450 burn temp ...
How is that much better than the blue shrink wrap that people are already having problems with it wearing through? Definitely not for a mobile application.

Why are people so against putting a substantial insulator between the cells. What am I missing?
 
Last edited:
How is that much better than the blue shrink wrap that people are already having problems with it wearing through? Definitely not for a mobile application.

Why are people so against putting a substantial insulator between the cells. What am I missing?

Trying to be cheap.

I use SmartWool fireproof material good to 2100F.

They make a paper and a board style - I use the paper between cells and the board style under the cells.

 
Just too pile on to the heap, and to not really say it is or isn't necessary.

One thing to keep in mind, is even if the enclosure doesn't move, the cells contract and swell. I have some cells compressed that have moved a bit over time.
 
I was thinking cooking parchment paper would be an ultra cheap but effective separator for the cells.... silicone impregnated 450 burn temp ...
A roll of Kapton tape is cheap enough, and the genuine stuff is polyamide film. That stuff is slick, very durable, and temperature resistant. Read reviews so you don't buy some knock off that isn't good, e.g. people saying it melted easily.
 
A roll of Kapton tape is cheap enough, and the genuine stuff is polyamide film. That stuff is slick, very durable, and temperature resistant. Read reviews so you don't buy some knock off that isn't good, e.g. people saying it melted easily.
Ahh , yes that's my speed. Thx
 
Back
Top