Terminal free cells???

[littleharbor2]

OK, this is a first for me. A friend ordered these cells from a US seller called AOLithium. Open the boxes and here's what I get. Terminal free and, of course no Bus Bars. Sure enough their site mentions this in bold red print. Had I known I would have stopped her but, shit happens. Here I sit, in Baja wondering the best thing to do.
Ideas? Most likely, carefully drill and tap them but I figured I'd ask first.

 

[SomethingAppropriate]

There is a thread on here about drilling new holes. It's pretty dangerous and unlikely to succeed without a drill press.

Good luck

You need someone to laser weld something on there

 

[AntronX]

If you drill all the way trough the terminal the cell will be ruined. You can try to drill a blind hole (not all the way through) and use special flat tipped thread tap. But we don't know exactly how deep those terminals are.

 

[littleharbor2]

There is a thread on here about drilling new holes. It's pretty dangerous and unlikely to succeed without a drill press.

Good luck

You need someone to laser weld something on there

Odds of finding a laser welder here in my area are not good at all.

 

[AntronX]

Spot welding may work using high power capacitor discharge spot welder. But you'd have to experiment on a piece of 1/4" thick aluminum first. Micro pulse TIG welding may also work but you have to be expert welder not to melt plastic around terminals.

 

[Bananaman321]

OK, this is a first for me. A friend ordered these cells from a US seller called AOLithium. Open the boxes and here's what I get. Terminal free and, of course no Bus Bars. Sure enough their site mentions this in bold red print. Had I known I would have stopped her but, shit happens. Here I sit, in Baja wondering the best thing to do.
Ideas? Most likely, carefully drill and tap them but I figured I'd ask first.View attachment 246296View attachment 246297

There is no way I would attempt to do drill and tap. That material only goes maybe three quarters of an inch into the battery you will need precision drill bits and a series of probably three taps to tap that shallow of a hole plus that material is soft and difficult to machine.

I would recommend downloading the specs for the battery and take to a machine shop and asking them if they would attempt it.
It is also highly unlikely successfully do all of the cells without messing up at least one or two.

Personally if I could not get my money back.

Healy coils or time certs are best

Must also be careful not to put much rotational torque or force on the terminal post in any direction.

Maybe these pin type anchor bolts obviously a very short one you would also have to assemble a press to install these without hammering on the battery obviously.

I think it's obvious but anything you decide to go with or attempt you need to find some practice material as there will be zero margin for error.

blind hole tapping multi stage

I know this is not relevant but I thought it was interesting

 

[littleharbor2]

There is no way I would attempt to do drill and tap. That material only goes maybe three quarters of an inch into the battery you will need precision drill bits and a series of probably three taps to tap that shallow of a hole plus that material is soft and difficult to machine.

I would recommend downloading the specs for the battery and take to a machine shop and asking them if they would attempt it.
It is also highly unlikely successfully do all of the cells without messing up at least one or two.

Personally if I could not get my money back.

Healy coils or time shirts are best

maybe these pin type anchor bolts obviously a very short one you would also have to assemble a press to install these without hammering on the battery obviously.

I think it's obvious but anything you decide to go with or attempt you need to find some practice material as there will be zero margin for error.
View attachment 246311
blind hole tapping multi stage
View attachment 246359View attachment 246361
View attachment 246360

She is trying to get a return set up and have a friend haul them back to the states. I appreciate all everybody has offered, including all the photos. I really don't want to modify these cells.

Sure wish I had seen this ad for these cells, I could have averted this fiasco in the beginning.

Why do they even sell these things?

 

[tinyt]

I don't know what cell model the OP has.

For what it is worth and maybe for reference:
I am working on EVE LF105s. They came supplied with M4 screws and bus bars.

I don't have a depth gage but only a caliper. I cut one end of a Q-tip , inserted it in the threaded hole, used an x-acto knife to mark the Q-tip flush at the terminal surface.
Then measured between the Q-tip mark and its cut end with the caliper: 0.23 inch.
I also measured the threaded part of the supplied M4 screw: 0.23 inch.

 

[SomethingAppropriate]

There is no way I would attempt to do drill and tap. That material only goes maybe three quarters of an inch into the battery you will need precision drill bits and a series of probably three taps to tap that shallow of a hole plus that material is soft and difficult to machine.

I would recommend downloading the specs for the battery and take to a machine shop and asking them if they would attempt it.

You rock Bananaman.

 

[Rednecktek]

Odds of finding a laser welder here in my area are not good at all.

Go talk to your local jewelers. Many of the higher-end-non-franchise shops will either have or have info on whoever does their laser welding repairs.

As to who buys those cells? Those are probably 2nd grade from the same people who make Chins/LiTime/PowerQueen/Djwkrp/etc that weld their stuff together inside.

 

[littleharbor2]

Go talk to your local jewelers. Many of the higher-end-non-franchise shops will either have or have info on whoever does their laser welding repairs.

As to who buys those cells? Those are probably 2nd grade from the same people who make Chins/LiTime/PowerQueen/Djwkrp/etc that weld their stuff together inside.

According to the seller's site, they are Eve 280s.

Was able to find a friend to take them up to north of the border and will be shipping them back

 

[Steve_S]

M6 Tap

OK, this is a first for me. A friend ordered these cells from a US seller called AOLithium. Open the boxes and here's what I get. Terminal free and, of course no Bus Bars. Sure enough their site mentions this in bold red print. Had I known I would have stopped her but, shit happens. Here I sit, in Baja wondering the best thing to do.
Ideas? Most likely, carefully drill and tap them but I figured I'd ask first.

LF280 Cells:
You can drill into the center of the pad down to 6mm and NOT 1mm more and you can break through the bottom.
You Drill & Tap for an M6 Thread
Using a Drill Press with cell "fixed" so it does not move, Predrill with a 5mm HSS bit and then TAP the threads by hand using light oil. Remember to back out & clean the TAP bit as the aluminium can bunch up. Once threaded and cleaned out (Q-Tip with rubbing alcohol in the hole) move onwards.

TIP ! Set Drill speed to SLOW and Take your Time ! Tap by hand so you can feel it bottom gently.

NOTE: Metric Sizing, don't play games with Metric & SAE !

The RISKS, if you break through the bottom of the contact pad, the cell is scrapped. Period.
If you don't get it straight in, you "will" have issues.
Do NOT use any form of Solvents for cleanup. Rubbing Alcohol only and ensure no oil residues remain before assembly.

Take it slow & easy, engage maximum Patience Mode !

Hope it helps, Good Luck.

PS: If you can swap the cells, do try and get the cells with the new Double Screw terminal blocks, they actually do perform better during charge/discharge. Couple those with the Laminated Copper Flexible busbars and it's an excellent match.

 

[littleharbor2]

M6 Tap


LF280 Cells:
You can drill into the center of the pad down to 6mm and NOT 1mm more and you can break through the bottom.
You Drill & Tap for an M6 Thread
Using a Drill Press with cell "fixed" so it does not move, Predrill with a 5mm HSS bit and then TAP the threads by hand using light oil. Remember to back out & clean the TAP bit as the aluminium can bunch up. Once threaded and cleaned out (Q-Tip with rubbing alcohol in the hole) move onwards.

TIP ! Set Drill speed to SLOW and Take your Time ! Tap by hand so you can feel it bottom gently.

NOTE: Metric Sizing, don't play games with Metric & SAE !

The RISKS, if you break through the bottom of the contact pad, the cell is scrapped. Period.
If you don't get it straight in, you "will" have issues.
Do NOT use any form of Solvents for cleanup. Rubbing Alcohol only and ensure no oil residues remain before assembly.

Take it slow & easy, engage maximum Patience Mode !

Hope it helps, Good Luck.

PS: If you can swap the cells, do try and get the cells with the new Double Screw terminal blocks, they actually do perform better during charge/discharge. Couple those with the Laminated Copper Flexible busbars and it's an excellent match.

Steve, Thanks for the thorough description on the process. Being as I'm not a very patient guy, I'm very glad to find out the cells are going back. She has to pay shipping and 20% restocking fee. Expensive lesson for her.

I fully agree with you regarding the double tap terminals and flex Bus Bars.

 

[ohmboy]

Why do they even sell these things?

For paper weight?

 

[littleharbor2]

For paper weight?

They were a good traction aid while I was carting them around in the back of my car. This is one case where lead acid is superior. More weight per amp hour.

 

[ArthurEld]

I fully agree with you regarding the double tap terminals and flex Bus Bars.

Me too!

 

[wpns]

Why do they even sell these things?

Because people will buy them, and worst case scenario they get the 20% restocking fee.

 

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[littleharbor2]

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$5,700 buys a whole lot of batteries WITH terminals.

 

[Alkaline]

But think of all the chicks you will get when you can weld you own terminals

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Why do they even sell these things?

Because this is how they're made at the factory. The EV builders weld bus bars directly to the terminals.

 

[Bananaman321]

$5,700 buys a whole lot of batteries WITH terminals.

This is likely not enough power to make the weld fast enough to prevent overheating the battery terminal.
This needs to be done by a robotic welder to get consistent results as any inconsistencies will likely effect resistance, balance, degradation, ect.

Please be reasonable.

 

[Rednecktek]

Please be reasonable.

Have you MET our members??



Good thing they were returnable, a laser welder wouldn't be worth it...

Except for the lol's...

 

[HRTKD]

But think of all the chicks you will get when you can weld you own terminals

If Will ever comes out with a line of merchandise there needs to be a shirt that says, "I weld my own terminals."

If I could get a set of those terminal-less cells at a dirt cheap price, I would try tapping them. I would find a set of dead cells first to test the process.

 

[littleharbor2]

If Will ever comes out with a line of merchandise there needs to be a shirt that says, "I weld my own terminals."

If I could get a set of those terminal-less cells at a dirt cheap price, I would try tapping them. I would find a set of dead cells first to test the process.

We're considering soldering a stack of big tabbing wire to them for the serial connections.
Thoughts, anybody??