SignatureSolarJames
Try Solar, the Grid will always take you back
No standard user is re-opening their packs after install, bolts have the potential to loosen, welds do not.Over 20,000 SOK 12v & 24v batteries sold, which are specifically for RV's and boats where vibrations are high, we have never had a single issue with a bolted connection whatsoever. SOK also can attribute this to extreme attention to detail during assembly.
Bolts can be easily inspected and re-torqued to ensure connection strength. In fact due to the user-serviceable nature of the SOK products, a customer could do this maintenance on a scheduled basis if they were worried of this issue or their facility required such inspection. If a connection did fail causing damage, only the few parts affected would need to be replaced rather than the whole entire pack, drastically reducing downtime.
The bolted connections allow for a much thicker and far more conductive flexible copper bus bar, which more than makes up for the increased connection resistance claimed. The flexible bars also allow for far less stress on the terminals. For a laser connection, an aluminum connector must be used in order to actually get it to weld together (can't weld copper to aluminum). We all know copper is more conductive than aluminum.
When a laser weld develops a crack due to fatigue, game over. The issue now relies on warranty to deal with, assuming the company providing the warranty will honor it. It seems across the board no company wants to honor their warranty when things go wrong...
The bolted approach allows for preventative maintenance and user service whereas laser-welded connections only allow for full replacement, reactive maintenance, with serious downtime, and it requires the assumption that the company selling the product will honor fatigue cracks as a warranty issue, not blame the customer for using it in an unsuitable environment.
I bring this point up because it isn't just SOK vs EG4, it applies to all the big names, Jakiper (bolted), Trophy Battery (laser), fortress power (laser) etc....
No circumstances should a new cell be mixed with an old, any company that does that is not professional.
we expect that in the cases of failure the packs will be reclaimed, and binned according to resistance, then the units can be reassembled as refurbished and resold.
Of the 100 courtesy return/exchanges we have done only one was a cell issue.
No cracked welds in our history, don't even know how that would happen if not a red herring in this convo
We've been on the bolt side of the fence and got off of it, if you're focused on long term you should too.