Xuba Electronics: DEAL - 280AH LiFePo4 cells. Purchase & Review

[sremick]

Is any of it available on Amazon?

You can get 1" copper braid on Amazon. If I were making them myself I'd probably used the tinned version as copper likes to oxidize. A little bit of copper pipe at each end, hammered flat. Then drill a 6mm hole.

 

[Sharky722]

Well, I'll be using them in a 'mobile' situation as well, a campervan buildout, so I'd like to do it the 'right way' for that situation, but it's not like I can go to Walmart and pick this stuff up, right? Is any of it available on Amazon? Is the supplied free aluminum busbars and screws the wrong way to go? I can understand the desired flexible ones for 'mobile' use....

I've decided not to use the fixed busbars in my mobile unit.
Most EV stores would have them.

 

[gdpetti]

EV as in electric vehicles? Of course, I live out in a rural area.... so these EV stores would be online? Can they be sized for this 8s fit and ordered from them? OF course, I'm also moving in a few days to city for a month or so... so that might help with locating such a store, but who knows who is open these days. You are suggesting online sites, right?

 

[sremick]

What if I used enough loctite to form a seal to prevent any electrolyte getting in.

I'd be more inclined to use something meant for the purpose, such as Noalox, No-Ox-ID, or DeoxIT G100L. I've heard ZipChem D-5026NS would be a great choice but I can't find that anywhere and shipping a can would cost more than the product itself from the few online places selling it.

 

[Sharky722]

EV as in electric vehicles? Of course, I live out in a rural area.... so these EV stores would be online? Can they be sized for this 8s fit and ordered from them? OF course, I'm also moving in a few days to city for a month or so... so that might help with locating such a store, but who knows who is open these days. You are suggesting online sites, right?

I was looking at my local one here in oz and there was heaps of sizes to suit different amperage.

 

[gdpetti]

So, I should look online for an EV 'shop' selling copper flexible busbars to fit this 8s battery setup? That is your suggestion?

 

[Sharky722]

So, I should look online for an EV 'shop' selling copper flexible busbars to fit this 8s battery setup? That is your suggestion?

It's just the way I'm going with the busbars. I can't suggest whats right for me is right for you.

 

[Dzl]

So, I should look online for an EV 'shop' selling copper flexible busbars to fit this 8s battery setup? That is your suggestion?

If you are in the US try electriccarpartscompany.com or evwest.com

 

[gdpetti]

--electriccarpartscompany only had solid ones.... one of which only sold busbars to those purchasing the batteries. At least that's what came up when I searched 'busbars'.
--as for evwest.com, nothing came up when I did a search for 'busbars'.

 

[Dzl]

Found this site selling the copper and tinned copper braid itself for what seems like a super reasonable price, but no finished braided busbars

 

[Airtime]

Here's what Nordkyn Design has to say about cell links:
http://nordkyndesign.com/assembling-a-lithium-iron-phosphate-marine-house-bank/

Cell Links
Consider sourcing cell links and stainless steel bolts in the same time as the cells. Cell manufacturers nearly always offer those. Use solid copper links in marine installations. Braided straps, such as earthing straps, even tinned, are not a good idea. They have a lesser cross-section than a solid conductor and will not age as well in the marine environment. They are bound to corrode and heat up severely one day.

Alternatively, source 40 x 6mm (1 ½ x ¼’’) aluminium flat bar, cut it and drill it to suit. Sand the contact areas bright to remove the thin oxide skin. If using DIY links, consider insulating the sections between cell terminals using heat shrink tubing; it will greatly reduce the risks of causing an accidental short while working around the cells afterwards. Such home-made long links are particularly effective when dealing with blocks of cells in parallel and work out much cheaper than copper single links.

In all cases, the bolts must be long enough to thread deep into the cell terminals and be fitted with locking washers.

 

[Luthj]

If you order the right sized braided ground strap, then you could crush some copper pipe over top of it, followed by a bit of solder for security. That would make a poor mans flexible bus bar. If you have the space you can always make a short cable with ring terminals at both ends. Not pretty, but gets the job done.

 

[gdpetti]

So, no 'finished' product online... just the DIY material.

Alternatively, source 40 x 6mm (1 ½ x ¼’’) aluminium flat bar, cut it and drill it to suit. Sand the contact areas bright to remove the thin oxide skin. If using DIY links, consider insulating the sections between cell terminals using heat shrink tubing; it will greatly reduce the risks of causing an accidental short while working around the cells afterwards. Such home-made long links are particularly effective when dealing with blocks of cells in parallel and work out much cheaper than copper single links.

So does that mean aluminum is ok to use in mobile situations? Does other factors come into play, such as how 'tight' the battery cells are contained in a 'box'? I'm currently crafting wood sections around the cells, that I made a little pocket in the van's composite floor with... .underneath is the 'vanrug'... to cushion and insulate them from underneath... seems ok... but how 'tight' do I make the 'box' or wood supports around the battery? How snug? Should I put in some of the styrofoam packing they sent them with to cushion the vibrations of driving etc? I don't want them too tight, right?

 

[Dzl]

So, no 'finished' product online... just the DIY material.
So does that mean aluminum is ok to use in mobile situations?

Aluminum will just be less conductive and require more material than copper. I can't think of reasons why it would be better or worse for a mobile context (but I don't know a lot about this topic).

Does other factors come into play, such as how 'tight' the battery cells are contained in a 'box'?

Yes, well secured, tightly strapped cells that can't shift around should make braided busbars superfluous. Many battery banks used in extreme conditions (probably the vast majority) do fine without braided busbars.

I don't want them too tight, right?

Some compression is good, how much is an open question, but at the very least snug, probably more than snug, obviously don't crush them. What cells do you have? EVE spec's compression (but we have yet to figure out how to translate that into usable info).

At least with EVE cells there are two purposes of compression (1) keep the batteries from shifting around and/or flexing in a way that will stress the terminals via stress from the busbars, (2) health of the battery itself, longer cycle life

MORE INFO HERE

 

[Dzl]

So, no 'finished' product online... just the DIY material.

There is a new alibaba seller on this forum that stocks them. Not sure how cost effective ordering busbars from china would be though if they are not part of a larger order.

 

[John Frum]

Clamping may mostly stop your batteries from deforming but aluminium and copper still expand/contract.
Maybe elongated holes is the way to go?

 

[gdpetti]

I think the aluminum busbars they sent out are elongated, perhaps for this purpose or just for easier installation.

Alibaba shipping from China is only by boat still..... so 6 weeks out.... interesting how they are outing the OWO anyway.
So, if aluminum is ok to use, and I double the busbars, like they sent with the batteries, then I'm down to just one other busbar needed... and making it aluminum to match the others, seems a good idea, no? Just get a piece the same thickness as two of the others should suffice?... like one of those straight pieces in the angle section....

 

[Dzl]

Clamping may mostly stop your batteries from deforming but aluminium and copper still expand/contract.
Maybe elongated holes is the way to go?

Elongated holes, or the "CALB style" busbars maybe:

 

[John Frum]

Elongated holes, or the "CALB style" busbars maybe:

I was thinking of easy diy fabrication.
Does any one have a fab tip/trick for elongated holes?

 

[gdpetti]

Too bad they don't offer those when buying, but everyone can't do everything. Do those Caleb style busbars come in length? You cut and drill the holes after determining how long you want them? Peel back the rubber over the ends and drill, right? Probably not worth buying unless you plan to use a few feet at least, no?