JP spot welder

[Wheazel]

Hi Riba

Could you put me on the list and notify when they are available?
I want a replacement/backup for my china spotwelder incase it fails.

 

[riba2233]

Sure, no problem, thank you!

 

[Allex]

Lol that's really interesting I'll send you new ones, don't worry.

Hey! Got the new rod from ya. 20Cm will get me a few years welding
Again, great service from Riba!

 

[ridethelightning]

just found a bit of gold here, really good info for honing spotwelding skills.. , some of the finer points of spotwelding(no pun intended)
http://www.microjoining.com/articles/Downsizing_Resistance_Welding.pdf

 

[Sr.Agaporni]

just found a bit of gold here, really good info for honing spotwelding skills.. , some of the finer points of spotwelding(no pun intended)
http://www.microjoining.com/articles/Downsizing_Resistance_Welding.pdf

That is quite technical but incredible interesting information. Thanks mate.

 

[fechter]

That was an interesting article. Here's one thing I picked out:

Pure copper should never be used for spot welding electrodes because of its poor tolerance to mechanical abrasion and plastic deformation due to repeated heat cycling. Special copper alloys, reinforced with chromium or zirconium, are much more
durable and tolerate heavy heat cycling. These special copper alloys are used to weld thermally resistive metals such as iron, nickel, and stainless steel. Welding thermally conductive copper and brass alloys requires the use molybdenum or tungsten tipped copper shank electrodes. These electrically resistive materials generate a significant amount of heat that is “drawn” into thermally conductive parts to help with the weld nugget formation.

I guess as long as we are OK with "limited" electrode life, the pure copper ones might be acceptable.

I tested the soldering iron tips I had, and they appear to be copper with heavy iron plating. There's enough iron for it to stick to a magnet but the iron is very thin compared to the body. The shape is very nice though.

 

[tomjasz]

I guess as long as we are OK with "limited" electrode life, the pure copper ones might be acceptable.

I tested the soldering iron tips I had, and they appear to be copper with heavy iron plating. There's enough iron for it to stick to a magnet but the iron is very thin compared to the body. The shape is very nice though.

Sunkko references "alumina copper" needle.
But given Chinglish it's hard to know what it is.

The pens appear to use the same.
"The welding needle is import oxygen aluminum alloy,long life cycle."

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/1-5-45MM-copper-aluminum-spot-welding-spot-welding-electrode-materials-needle-Alumina-copper-solder-pin/2053678502.html

 

[Kepler]

Got my Spot Welder a couple of weeks ago. Thanks riba. Been tossing up whether to buy a car battery or use some cells I have lying around. Decided to give a bunch of Headways ago despite the general consensus being that they wouldn't cut it.

Started with a 2S3P setup giving a nominal 6.6V and 30ah. Managed to get a weak weld out of the setup using 0.15 nickel. Cranking up the m/s actually made the weld weaker. A promising start nevertheless.

Added another 4 cells to lift the pack capacity to 2S5P and 50ah. Tried a few more test welds. This time we had some sparks flying. Around 10m/s seemed to give a nice strong clean weld.

Looks like I don't need to spend more cash on a car battery. Very pleased with the result and ready to put together my first pack.



View attachment 2

 

[markz]

Hit up the junk yards, car/truck batteries are cheap. I have not hit up a big rig junk yards yet I think those batteries are 24V plus the cranking amps are probably HUGE!

 

[ridethelightning]

awesome!
I was just thinking about the 30 odd headways i have lying around, still in good shape but i just dont use them anymore.
thanks for the pics.
cant wait to get my jpwelder..when the next run comes.

 

[cwah]

Got my Spot Welder a couple of weeks ago. Thanks riba. Been tossing up whether to buy a car battery or use some cells I have lying around. Decided to give a bunch of Headways ago despite the general consensus being that they wouldn't cut it.

Started with a 2S3P setup giving a nominal 6.6V and 30ah. Managed to get a weak weld out of the setup using 0.15 nickel. Cranking up the m/s actually made the weld weaker. A promising start nevertheless.

Added another 4 cells to lift the pack capacity to 2S5P and 50ah. Tried a few more test welds. This time we had some sparks flying. Around 10m/s seemed to give a nice strong clean weld.

Looks like I don't need to spend more cash on a car battery. Very pleased with the result and ready to put together my first pack.

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Are you saying you can do nice weld with only 10 cells at 2s5p and a 330wh pack?

 

[riba2233]

That looks really nice kepler! Welds look just like they should.


About electrode material - pure copper is easy to find and really cheap, and works just fine but wears faster. But since most people don't weld that much, I think it's a rational choice, because it would be unrational to bump up the price, and not everybody will benefit from that. Someone who welds more can buy better electrodes from sunstone, 3/16 inch is the right measure, almost 5 mm like my electrode tip are. Also, if somone wants, I can always sell welder only, and one can buy whole electrodes with cables from sunkko (around 80$ plus shipping and tax) or sunstone, they have various models, but are around 300-400$. But for most users my electrodes and tips are more than enough 8)

 

[bigbore]

Got my Spot Welder a couple of weeks ago. Thanks riba. Been tossing up whether to buy a car battery or use some cells I have lying around. Decided to give a bunch of Headways ago despite the general consensus being that they wouldn't cut it.

Started with a 2S3P setup giving a nominal 6.6V and 30ah. Managed to get a weak weld out of the setup using 0.15 nickel. Cranking up the m/s actually made the weld weaker. A promising start nevertheless.

Added another 4 cells to lift the pack capacity to 2S5P and 50ah. Tried a few more test welds. This time we had some sparks flying. Around 10m/s seemed to give a nice strong clean weld.

Looks like I don't need to spend more cash on a car battery. Very pleased with the result and ready to put together my first pack.

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I'm going to buy one of these spot welder too as soon as the new batch will be ready. I have some zippy 5000 40C LiPo that I do not use any more and I thought that a 3S would be good. Anybody tried a 3S or a 4S with the welder? Is too much 16,8V for the circuit?

 

[district9prawn]

I'm going to buy one of these spot welder too as soon as the new batch will be ready. I have some zippy 5000 40C LiPo that I do not use any more and I thought that a 3S would be good. Anybody tried a 3S or a 4S with the welder? Is too much 16,8V for the circuit?

I'm getting by fine with 2s of nanotechs despite my connections not being particularly fat.

 

[Kepler]

Are you saying you can do nice weld with only 10 cells at 2s5p and a 330wh pack?

Sure seems that way. Will do a bit more testing today but the welds look superb. A might add another 2 cells just to give it a bit more headroom seeing I have the cells lying around doing nothing.

 

[Rodney64]

Im going to use a 12 volt car battery from my lancer. Changed it about 3 months ago. It's still ok so I'll see how I go. All I need to do is buy the clamps for the batteries. I feel comftable building the pack. My old concern is then adding the ballance wires. I'll be using 4S JSTs so I'll plug into the adaptto BMS.

 

[Mammalian04]

Im going to use a 12 volt car battery from my lancer. Changed it about 3 months ago. It's still ok so I'll see how I go. All I need to do is buy the clamps for the batteries. I feel comftable building the pack. My old concern is then adding the ballance wires. I'll be using 4S JSTs so I'll plug into the adaptto BMS.

Right there with you Rod. That seems like the part that is easier to mess up.

I'll probably be doing 4s as well to keep things simple for the adaptto.

 

[mrzed]

I've been wondering about this. I'm a newb/hack with basically no electronics experience or skills. Still, just got my welder, and I would've thought it would be much easier to solder the balance wires on before spot welding the pack together.

 

[riba2233]

@bigbore - thanks, I've added you on the list! 3S is maximum I recommend with lithium batteries.

@mrzed - you could add balance wires later, but it's questionable whether that's worth doing, there's no problem in adding them later. Just solder between cells, on nickel, that way you're not heating cells at all. Also, use paper washers on top of cells if you are going to do any soldering on nickel that's on the cells. Another approach is to extend nickel tapes past the cells, flop it so it's on the side of the cell, and solder balance wires there.

 

[Kepler]

Gone to a 2S6P config now giving 6.6V and 60ah. Not sure if it was really necessary but I feel happier with a bit more headroom. The test welds are strong and consistent. Fitted dual charging leads so I can charge each 1S cluster of a separate charger.

 

[ridethelightning]

ooooH!
that looks sweet!

i wonder how it would work on 0.10mm copper sheet with tungsten tipped electrodes....

 

[riba2233]

Looks very nice!

 

[Rodney64]

I have my spot welder working now, The battery is powered and not making a good welds. But as Kepler said its working so a good first effort.m



I'm not sure what the amps are but here's the battery.



setup as it is currently




Ribba, my power supply's 9 volt and 500Mamp. Will 9 volt be ok or do I need the 12 volt supply?

 

[riba2233]

9 volts should be fine. But the problem could be that really thin cables on your battery. You should buy proper clamps and use their bolts to connect welder and electrode.

Also, be sure that your battery is fully charged If none of this works, it's possible that the battery is half-dead.

I also recommend that you practice welds on some scrap batteries before going onto real pack.

 

[Rodney64]

9 volts should be fine. But the problem could be that really thin cables on your battery. You should buy proper clamps and use their bolts to connect welder and electrode.

Also, be sure that your battery is fully charged If none of this works, it's possible that the battery is half-dead.

I also recommend that you practice welds on some scrap batteries before going onto real pack.

Yes I was thinking that riba. I'll get those clamps tomorrow before buying or finding another battery and I'll find on old laptop battery to practise on.