Electro Dan-O
Current Situation
After searching the forum, robbing ideas, asking questions, and learning a couple things the hard way, this is what I came up with for my first DIY solar boat batteries. Is this the best way? Highly doubtful. This is just how I did it and I feel like it will work great for me. Maybe this will give you some ideas and hopefully something to improve on....
I originally was going to do a few rounds of electrical tape, throw them in a plastic container and call it a day. All was good until I came across the cell compression with springs thread...
I'm all for saving money and using whatever I have on hand if possible, so a lot of this stuff is just leftovers or saved from the dumpster. I'm just a hillbilly with a small garage and a big dream of having a cheap boat that never runs out of fuel and never breaks down.
I started with cutting up some 1/2" Douglas Fir plywood 1" larger than the cell dimensions.
Ordered up some stainless hardware including 5/16-24 threaded rods. Also 10ft of 8mm ID silicone hose. I still have quite a bit left over...
Saved some .030 plexiglass from old picture frames and cut them to cell size. These are insulators to go between the cells.
Decided to round the top corners because..... it looks better?
I saved a UTV/SXS windshield from the dumpster(6mm thick plexiglass) and cut that up for the baseplates and top covers. Also, ordered a couple small stainless hinges from Amazon...
Also from Amazon, these small cast aluminum L brackets. I sanded them for a nicer look...
Next up was sealing/strengthening both sides of the wood with fiberglass cloth and just a touch of tint to make them black.
I had some carbon fiber scraps that have been sitting here for a while. Hmmmmm.... I had just BARELY enough to pull it off! No point in doing this at all but it looks cool and added that much more strength so.....
Getting there...
Ordered up some 135lb springs to hit our goal of 12psi of compression. Also, drilled holes for BMS wiring and used some of that silicone tubing as grommets.
Time for some flexible bus bars! I robbed this idea from member upnorthandpersonal and made my own from 3/4" wide braided copper and 1/2" copper pipe. Very cool! DIY tin plating is on the list BTW.
Made the handles with paracord and spare vacuum tubing. Also, used 1/2" adhesive backed closed cell foam on the bottom to keep vibration down and not scratch my boat!
I know, a lot I'm leaving out. This is all of the pictures for now at least. I'll come back and post links/details ASAP. There's still a few small things I want to do before we call these "done" but they are ready to put in work as is.
I originally was going to do a few rounds of electrical tape, throw them in a plastic container and call it a day. All was good until I came across the cell compression with springs thread...
I'm all for saving money and using whatever I have on hand if possible, so a lot of this stuff is just leftovers or saved from the dumpster. I'm just a hillbilly with a small garage and a big dream of having a cheap boat that never runs out of fuel and never breaks down.
I started with cutting up some 1/2" Douglas Fir plywood 1" larger than the cell dimensions.
Ordered up some stainless hardware including 5/16-24 threaded rods. Also 10ft of 8mm ID silicone hose. I still have quite a bit left over...
Saved some .030 plexiglass from old picture frames and cut them to cell size. These are insulators to go between the cells.
Decided to round the top corners because..... it looks better?
I saved a UTV/SXS windshield from the dumpster(6mm thick plexiglass) and cut that up for the baseplates and top covers. Also, ordered a couple small stainless hinges from Amazon...
Also from Amazon, these small cast aluminum L brackets. I sanded them for a nicer look...
Next up was sealing/strengthening both sides of the wood with fiberglass cloth and just a touch of tint to make them black.
I had some carbon fiber scraps that have been sitting here for a while. Hmmmmm.... I had just BARELY enough to pull it off! No point in doing this at all but it looks cool and added that much more strength so.....
Getting there...
Ordered up some 135lb springs to hit our goal of 12psi of compression. Also, drilled holes for BMS wiring and used some of that silicone tubing as grommets.
Time for some flexible bus bars! I robbed this idea from member upnorthandpersonal and made my own from 3/4" wide braided copper and 1/2" copper pipe. Very cool! DIY tin plating is on the list BTW.
Made the handles with paracord and spare vacuum tubing. Also, used 1/2" adhesive backed closed cell foam on the bottom to keep vibration down and not scratch my boat!
I know, a lot I'm leaving out. This is all of the pictures for now at least. I'll come back and post links/details ASAP. There's still a few small things I want to do before we call these "done" but they are ready to put in work as is.
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