Daddy Tanuki
Solar Wizard
Warning I am dyslexic so you might see some weird spelling (I have to trust auto correct most of the time.) If this question seems foolish, then please bear with me, the cost of these cells causes me to want to be very careful.
so I am building my first LiFePo4 battery bank in a 2p16s configuration. prior to top balancing i measured all of the cells and they were all within reason, 2.232 was the lowest and the highest was 2.236. (calb plastic cells)
I then constructed a quick stand to hold all of the batteries in a 32p configuration while top balancing and started my top balancing with a small charger that self limits to 3.65 volts @ 5 amps. I left the cabin and the batteries to their own devices and came home. then i started thinking, they are all held in place via the stand that while offering no additional compression, will not allow them to swell (2"x12" lumber clamping at the sides with the all-thread torqued to 3 inch pounds.) once they are top balanced I will need to remove the batteries from the clamping system and move the batteries to their new battery box with the permanent clamp, compression and heating pads. If I do remove them from the clamp system will they swell after releasing the clamps? or will they stay the same basic size until I can transfer them to the new battery box... If they are going to swell it might be better to move them to their permanent box first and use jumper wires to wire them in 32p and then buss bars for the final 2p16s when top balancing is finished.
the final battery box will look similar to Zwy's battery pack in this post :https://diysolarforum.com/threads/another-cell-compression-thread-this-time-about-foam.16537/page-3 6mm aluminum plate with all thread rods and heating pads on the bottom.
should I stop top balancing and move them first? or can I release them from the clamps and just move them?
so I am building my first LiFePo4 battery bank in a 2p16s configuration. prior to top balancing i measured all of the cells and they were all within reason, 2.232 was the lowest and the highest was 2.236. (calb plastic cells)
I then constructed a quick stand to hold all of the batteries in a 32p configuration while top balancing and started my top balancing with a small charger that self limits to 3.65 volts @ 5 amps. I left the cabin and the batteries to their own devices and came home. then i started thinking, they are all held in place via the stand that while offering no additional compression, will not allow them to swell (2"x12" lumber clamping at the sides with the all-thread torqued to 3 inch pounds.) once they are top balanced I will need to remove the batteries from the clamping system and move the batteries to their new battery box with the permanent clamp, compression and heating pads. If I do remove them from the clamp system will they swell after releasing the clamps? or will they stay the same basic size until I can transfer them to the new battery box... If they are going to swell it might be better to move them to their permanent box first and use jumper wires to wire them in 32p and then buss bars for the final 2p16s when top balancing is finished.
the final battery box will look similar to Zwy's battery pack in this post :https://diysolarforum.com/threads/another-cell-compression-thread-this-time-about-foam.16537/page-3 6mm aluminum plate with all thread rods and heating pads on the bottom.
should I stop top balancing and move them first? or can I release them from the clamps and just move them?
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