Looking for battery holders for hobby charger

[BenjiBot]

I want to get a hobby charger (probably this one http://www.electriflite.co.uk/store/index.php/batteries/chargers-and-balancers/tacc6.html) but I'm having difficulties finding holders for the batteries to sit in while they charge.

I have a range of AW button top li-ion cells – 2x14500, 3x17670 and 6xRC123, as well as some incoming LiFePo4 D cells. Can anyone recommend a place online to get holders for my application? Ideally I would like something that can hold all six RC123s or all four LiFePo4 D while they charge, rather than doing them one by one.

If these are unavailable (not having much luck finding them in the UK, but willing to import from Europe/USA), how can I use the Turnigy Accucel-6 50W 5A balancer/charger on my various AW batteries?

 

[Christoph]

here is something
sorry wrong cells
C

 

[BenjiBot]

Yes, I saw that while searching CPF for holders that would be suitable for recharging 14500, RC123, 17670, 18650 etc. Couldn't find anything, hence my post. Thanks for the idea though

 

[ubetit]

These are nice. http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=240139
He makes 2,3,4 and 6 cell flat pack holders now.

For the ultimate in adaptability http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=241266 these can charge as many cells as your charger allows of any size and capacity.

Here's mine

 

[Meterman]

Problems to find/read this?

Wulf

 

[Vikas Sontakke]

These are nice. http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=240139
He makes 2,3,4 and 6 cell flat pack holders now.

For the ultimate in adaptability http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=241266 these can charge as many cells as your charger allows of any size and capacity.

Here's mine

Do you sell them? My attempt of soldering wire to magnet was only a partial success. The button lost most of its magnetism but I could still stick more buttons to it.

Thanks,
- Vikas

 

[BenjiBot]

Do you sell them?

Yes I might be interested in this as well.

Thanks for the responses, I'm surprised at the amount of DIY solutions to this problem. So if holders to use with a hobby charger and so hard to find in shops/online, how would someone charge six (for example) RC123 batteries at the same time using a hobby charger like the one mentioned in my first post? What's the usual way of connecting various sized button-topped Li-ion batteries to a charger?

 

[ubetit]

Most Li-ions are charged in packs so craddles that do it all don't exist except for DIY.

You could gut 3 DSD chargers and wire them appropriately.

Here's how I charge 2 AW RCR123's

Here is one I did that can charge a slew of different size batteries.

The magnet charger is a simple yet effective solution. I'm don't have the enough supplies to make them at ths point.

 

[KiwiMark]

I have charged 6 x D cells at once with my Accucel 6, to hold them together and to hold the alligator clips to each end I used some of these: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13518

 

[Mjolnir]

If you can't solder the magnets directly to the wires without losing the magnetism, then you could try soldering something metal (and magnetic) to the wires (like washers) and attaching the magnets to the metal.

 

[BenjiBot]

If you can't solder the magnets directly to the wires without losing the magnetism, then you could try soldering something metal (and magnetic) to the wires (like washers) and attaching the magnets to the metal.

I have charged 6 x D cells at once with my Accucel 6, to hold them together and to hold the alligator clips to each end I used some of these: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13518

Is there any safety issues with using magnets to string together li-ion batteries, assuming the charger is set accordingly? Would you, for example, be confident to link four D size li-ion together using magnets and then leave them to charge unattended? And would the batteries be balanced regardless of how many you link together? The dealextreme magnets look like they could be a good fix

Nice work by ubetit, got to love the CPF way of solving problems

 

[KiwiMark]

Is there any safety issues with using magnets to string together li-ion batteries, assuming the charger is set accordingly? Would you, for example, be confident to link four D size li-ion together using magnets and then leave them to charge unattended? And would the batteries be balanced regardless of how many you link together?

Li-ion batteries are a bit different - it will work fine but if 2 cells reach 4.1V and one reaches 4.2V then the fourth one could be 4.4V. It probably wouldn't cause a fire or anything, but it would shorten the life and reduce the performance of the cell that went to 4.4V. I wouldn't recommend this.

I would recommend charging Li-ion cells with balancing leads for any more than 1 cell at a time. See discussion on balance leads and Lux Luthor's balance leads. Read up - lots of good info in there.

 

[BenjiBot]

Some great info there, thanks for the link

 

[Vikas Sontakke]

My Craftsman DMM does not have either manual or auto zero for resistance measurement. When I short the leads, the indicated ohms stabilize at around .3 which sounds way too hight. So I went in our lab and looked at couple of expensive Fluke. They showed .6 ohm for their leads!

How do you measure the resistance of DX magnets???

- Vikas