universal charging cradle prototype with individual ballance taps

Data · Mar 24, 2009

The two female banana plug sockets directly behind each battery are both internally connected to their respective lower spring battery terminal. There are two extra paired banana plug sockets on each end for utility. Note that each upper battery terminal is wired to the next adjacent battery.

The clamps I used are craftsman but any kind would do. HF has them for under $2 each. The female banana plug sockets are about $1.00 each on ebay. Banana plugs are on ebay too (you just can't buy these things in a local store and get a good price).

Cheers
Dave

VidPro · Mar 24, 2009

cool, lots of access for meter reading them too. where did you get the bottom springey thing?

Data · Mar 24, 2009

I made them out of some brass I had. I was going to just get some brass screws at the hardware store but it was Sunday evening and I wanted it done right then.

VidPro · Mar 24, 2009

holy cow you got a computerised lathe, now how do we do it with a bench grinder a band saw and a drill, and some sandpaper

Data · Mar 24, 2009

VidPro said:
holy cow you got a computerised lathe, now how do we do it with a bench grinder a band saw and a drill, and some sandpaper

I am sorry about that.

It sure wouldn't hurt to have a drill press to make this rig, but other than that, just the basics are all you really need.

karlthev · Mar 24, 2009

Yeah sure Dave..betcha whipped up this little beauty while you were waitin' for the coffee to perk huh? :devil: Lordy but that is a nice looking charging cradle! Ya know, this could take a first place as a Christmas decoration as well! Nice Dave, real nice! I'm impressed....this uh, charges batteries too... right?

Karl

Russel · Mar 24, 2009

Very nice!

Considering the size of the cells, wouldn't the C10 balance leads provide enough charge current, 1A IIRC, without using the banana jack lead connections to the cells in series on the C10?

I take it that the brass contact has a threaded end that threads into a drilled and tapped hole in the plastic jaw?

Data · Mar 25, 2009

Russel said:
Very nice!

Considering the size of the cells, wouldn't the C10 balance leads provide enough charge current, 1A IIRC, without using the banana jack lead connections to the cells in series on the C10?

I take it that the brass contact has a threaded end that threads into a drilled and tapped hole in the plastic jaw?

For the Sony cells, you are correct, the balance wires would cover it. I also set up the rig for my M1 cells. I have over 150 of those and I need to charge them at a full 10A. The setup is easy to plug together any way I need it and into any charger I want to use.

Your suggestion would have been a good way to attach to the plastic but I just used glue. I tried to rip one apart and could not do it.

There are so many ways to skin this cat. I will say this, the springs really help. Holding the battery in place, I just slide the clamp down without even squeezing the lever.

Cheers
Dave

Data · Mar 25, 2009

karlthev said:
Yeah sure Dave..betcha whipped up this little beauty while you were waitin' for the coffee to perk huh? :devil: Lordy but that is a nice looking charging cradle! Ya know, this could take a first place as a Christmas decoration as well! Nice Dave, real nice! I'm impressed....this uh, charges batteries too... right?

Karl

LOL, it does need some flashing lights.

Russel · Mar 25, 2009

Data said:
For the Sony cells, you are correct, the balance wires would cover it. I also set up the rig for my M1 cells. I have over 150 of those and I need to charge them at a full 10A. The setup is easy to plug together any way I need it and into any charger I want to use.

That makes sense. I should have assumed that that the batteries in the photo were not the only size you have...especially considering this forum and all the RC stuff in the background!

Data said:
Your suggestion would have been a good way to attach to the plastic but I just used glue. I tried to rip one apart and could not do it.

I made a quick and dirty for discharging cells with a CBA II and used hot glue. I works but not very fancy.

Data said:
There are so many ways to skin this cat. I will say this, the springs really help. Holding the battery in place, I just slide the clamp down without even squeezing the lever.

The spring, I must say, is a great idea. When I made the quick and dirty I loaded up lots of hot glue and clamped 1" square stock to set the hot glue with the copper plates as parallel with each other as possible. I works well, but you do have to have a little tension to hold the battery. As soon as you touch the release the battery falls out. I like your idea with the spring. Soon as I get some time to play with my Sherline lathe I'm going to have to make some contacts with a spring on one side and a threads to thread it into the clamp.

Russ

Data · Mar 25, 2009

Russel said:
That makes sense. I should have assumed that that the batteries in the photo were not the only size you have...especially considering this forum and all the RC stuff in the background!

I made a quick and dirty for discharging cells with a CBA II and used hot glue. I works but not very fancy.

The spring, I must say, is a great idea. When I made the quick and dirty I loaded up lots of hot glue and clamped 1" square stock to set the hot glue with the copper plates as parallel with each other as possible. I works well, but you do have to have a little tension to hold the battery. As soon as you touch the release the battery falls out. I like your idea with the spring. Soon as I get some time to play with my Sherline lathe I'm going to have to make some contacts with a spring on one side and a threads to thread it into the clamp.

Russ

Those "Quick-Grip" clamps work even better than the Craftsman ones I got. The quick-grip is smoother and has a smaller "step".

I also use the M1 cells in the Data Bank 70.

Cheers
Dave

Russel · Mar 25, 2009

Data said:
I also use the M1 cells in the Data Bank 70.

Wow! A battery powered LED version of the solar death ray! I'm very impressed!

Russ

LuxLuthor · Mar 26, 2009

Very creative and perfectly functional design, Data. Bravo!

milkyspit · Mar 26, 2009

Dave, that looks like some sort of portable little pipe organ! Very impressive... and who knew you could charge batteries with the thing, too?

Hope you're bringing it to PF12... I'd like to have a look up close and personal! :naughty:

Data · Mar 26, 2009

Thanks guys.

I have charged about 130 batteries in the last 3 days on it and it is functioning very well.

I plugged in the PC interface to the Cellpro, it works well. With it I was able to input real names for the presets. And it simultaneously shows all 10 battery voltages updating real time with the current going to each battery (they were all different). Fun to watch but not really useful I guess.

I am so looking forward to PF12. I will probably bring Mike again, he got hooked on all the fun stuff we did at PF11 and he is not even a flashlight nut . . . yet.

Cheers
Dave

LuxLuthor · Mar 26, 2009

I have balance charged 12s cells using:

3 x Voltcraft cradles
12AWG Red/Black power supply leads
16AWG interconnecting wires with plugs joining 3 cradles
20AWG balance leads going into Anderson PowerPole connectors
22AWG from PowerPoles to 2 x JST 7 pin balance connectors
Hyperion 1210i
2 x Hyperion LBA-10 6s Balancers
LBA-10 Network interface connector to marry two LBA-10 6s units

Verifying that from terminal to final JST connection has close to the same wire length/thickness milliohm resistance.

Once it was setup, using it is very quick, and can be adapted for 2s to 11s by using/ignoring unused leads going to PowerPole, and/or disconnecting 1 or 2 cradle(s) from others. The LBA-10's can also be used to balance equalize all cells even if not using charger. They bleed off high voltage tap cells to equal lowest cell.

rizky_p · Mar 27, 2009

holy, that is a HUGE charging cradle.

I wish i had a table large enough.

donn_ · Mar 30, 2009

:goodjob:

Color me green with envy!:green:

Any chance of a photo of the bottom of the rig?

I sure wish someone would come up with a marketable solution to this. I'm running around 6 dozen A123s now, and making do with two 2-place Joe Chargers.

Data · Mar 30, 2009

donn_ said:
:goodjob:

Color me green with envy!:green:

Any chance of a photo of the bottom of the rig?

I sure wish someone would come up with a marketable solution to this. I'm running around 6 dozen A123s now, and making do with two 2-place Joe Chargers.

Donn,

Each bottom battery contact is wired straight to the two banana plug sockets that are in-line with it. I cut the wood out on my mill because it was easy but it would be easy to build this up out of some thin plywood and build a boxed in bottom for it. Those banana plug sockets need a 0.2" thick board to go through. You can get away with 1/4" plywood and counter sink it just a tad where the nut goes on.

For the bottom battery contact a 1/4" brass screw with a spring soldered to it would work good.

This is what the PC interface software looks like. It shows all battery voltages and charging currents.

Cheers
Dave

donn_ · Mar 31, 2009

:twothumbs :thanks: Looks like a row of commas.

Is there a reason, other than artistic, for the curved wire channels?

If you decide you want to build a newer and better model, I'd happily buy this one.

universal charging cradle prototype with individual ballance taps

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