Where do you buy your batteries for ebikes for making cheap good batteries of 36-72 volts??

E-driver_

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Where do you buy your batteries for ebikes when you want cheap, but good batteries of 36-72 volts?

I live in the European Union so I would appreciate any tips on cheap shipping within Europe. But also Ali and so on from Asia if that is better.

I have seen a lot of people talk about "lipo-packs" or something in here. So tips on that would be nice as well since I haven't tried those.
 
Depends on your definition of "good".

If you mean one that provides the specified voltage and capacity, many do that...but they may either not provide them at the current-rates they say they can, or they may not provide long lifespan, etc.

If you mean one that can provide everything the seller's specs say it can, for it's whole long lifespan, with well-matched cells that don't require frequent rebalancing, those aren't that common, and generally not cheap.


With batteries, cheap rarely equals good, and usually just means cheap (cheap parts, sometimes including recycled garbage cells possibly remarked as new, cheaply made, often with poor interconnects, cheaply handled and packaged, untested (because that costs money to do); cheap BMSs often with no balancing function, which makes the results of the other problems even worse as unmatched cells quickly get out of balance and keep getting moreso with no built-in way to fix this).

Basically, the cheaper you go, the less likely you are to get good batteries.

More expensive doesn't necessarily mean they're any better...but it increases the chances.



Sometimes you can tell a good seller by how "smart" the seller is about their products; how much detailed info they can give you about them (not what they parrot off their webpages, which may simply be copied off someone else's product page). Many have no idea what they are actually selling, but will tell you anything you want to hear about them (rather than the reality).

One potential hint of avoidable sellers is those with pages that contain conflicting information about their products. Or are for multiple products instead of a good page with detailed info about a single product, for each one they sell. Or anything with an unlikely or impossible claim.
 
I’ve had good luck buying scrapped battery packs from battery recyclers from vacuum cleaners, ebikes, escooters etc. often a manufacturer will do a recall for an entire model for faulty BMS board or similar and hundreds of perfectly good packs will be scrapped, as there is too much risk for them to repair. You can then extract the cells or just cut the packs to size and retain the factory welds (some creativity required).

You do need to ensure they have not been run to zero volts by the BMS though as this can kill the cells; and avoid any that are too old or low capacity.
 
E-driver_ said:
Where do you buy your batteries for ebikes when you want cheap, but good batteries of 36-72 volts?

That's an oxymoron ... like saying "accurate estimate" or "awfully good" ... :mrgreen:

Unit Pack Power batteries aren't all that "cheap" and some say not all that "good" ... BUT ... as a Middle-Of-The-Road battery it's NOT bad. IMO, the reason some don't consider them "good" is because they don't use popular brand name cells BUT that doesn't necessarily mean the Chinese cells that UPP uses aren't "good" enuf.

According to Citi, Amazon’s investments in Europe’s logistics and delivery infrastructure highlights the company’s focus on growing its same day (Prime) and 2-hour (Prime Now) delivery services there. Prime Now is now available in 9 UK cities and 6 European cities, Citi said.

Amazon delivers to over 50 countries in Europe and has made its Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) delivery eligible in 26 countries. In aggregate, Citi estimates Amazon has grown its global fulfillment property footprint by over six times since 2010 - 2017.

Europe is Amazon’s largest overseas market, and Germany and the UK -- the company’s two biggest countries after the U.S. generating more than $23 billion in revenue last year ('17). The company has also announced an investment of $550 million in Italy last year, and plans to open 1,300 new warehouses in the region.

Still, Amazon’s international business only accounts for roughly 30% of its business. In order to boost the growth, Amazon has pledged to invest $5 billion in India and recently bought Souq.com to go after the Middle East. (2017 article)

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=unit+pack+power&crid=2ZADV706Q72FO&sprefix=unit+pack+power%2Caps%2C137&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

I mention this because a 1st time DIYer (if they would admit it) would have been better off (IMO) purchasing a UPP battery THAN purchasing (?good?) salvaged cells or a (?good?) mixture of Grade A/B cells from Alibaba or Aliexpress etc.
 
I have never purchased a bad EV highway car battery. I have purchased and built many batteries from them. Very very good battery that is very powerful, very hardy and very long lasting for a very little bit of money. You might have interest in traveling that path. Even since my first time as a DIY ebike builder, they have never ever let me down.


They are GOOD, CHEAP and FAST.

I paid 77$ for my first 1,270 watt hour DIY battery. It has lasted years and been through all climate.

I cut apart electric car modules and test, built and fit to the application I need. I can show you some simple methods for connection and contacts and bus design.
 

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DogDipstick said:
Anything reasonable ebike size ( read, legal, as an ebike) really could use smaller cells, with a better energy density, that would take you farther. I drain my 15Ah ( old, recently replaced, much older cell, 165wh/kG cell.. ) pack in 13 miles in 15 min. I would do this two or three times a day with only 1.2kWh capacity on my QS motor. ~100A load.
How did you know E-driver also wanted to run like the wind -- 13 miles in 15 minutes -- :wink:

We would really appreciate your opinion on these "NEW Samsung INR18650-33G 3150mah 18650 Cells" (MCD rating of 9.75A) from Battery Hookup -- one popular ES source for cells ... https://batteryhookup.com/products/30-100-new-samsung-inr18650-33g-3150mah-18650-cells?variant=42204178514082 ... 100 for 190$ ... that's less than 2$ each ... but not as POWERFULL as your salvaged EV pouch modules.

Voltaplex has them in stock from "$2.35 - 5.77" depending on quantity (via Hong Kong) ... https://voltaplex.com/samsung-33g-18650-battery-inr1865033g ... BATTERY bro also has them in stock ... https://batterybro.com/products/samsung-18650-33g ... (same as Voltaplex).

It's like buying a used car. The more you research the choices the more confusing it can get .
 
Aa nice answers.

Are there any good batteries on aliekspress for like 60 dollars and such? Or are they basically crap most of them?

I have heard the ampers are often overstated(?) there. They often build them in rows of threes which means they end up pretty weak or something like that(?) someone told me.

I have no idea what I am doing when I am looking for batteries so I appreciate the input. I basically understand what watt volt and amper is in relation to each other. So when those are faked it is pretty easy to trick me :)
 
DogDipstick said:
I have never purchased a bad EV highway car battery. I have purchased and built many batteries from them. Very very good battery that is very powerful, very hardy and very long lasting for a very little bit of money. You might have interest in traveling that path. Even since my first time as a DIY ebike builder, they have never ever let me down.

Ah that is pretty cool. Where do you find those batteries? Those old car batteries I mean.

Would be cool to make something with those
 
I started with used scooter packs sold by US battery recyclers. These were from failed bikeshare startups, so the batteries didn't see much use, were well constructed and used premium cells. No welding was necessary. I would repackage them to fit on an ebike, rather than in the long frame of a scooter. Cut them in half and fold, or join two small packs to double the capacitry. After getting a low cost spot welder, I bought a few scooter packs to take out the cells, which I would use to make a bigger battery. It works OK, but I've decided to move on from used cells.

Lishen and Eve were getting favorable reviews, so my next step up the battery food chain was to buy new Lishen 21700 (4Ah-5AH for $4-5 USD/cell) and Eve 18650 (3300 mah for under $3/cell), to make a couple of batteries.I bought them from US vendors. I don't trust cell sellers from Aliexpress. Initial tests on those batteries is favorable. We will see how long they last.

I quit with building the shrinkwrapped rectangular batteries. I am using Hailong cases for current batteries. They come with cell spacers, which I think are important for safety. I have two Dplphin packs that are seven years pld, and I expect they will need to be recelled. I've got new Samsung and Molicell cells for that. Found them on sale, but these will not be cheap batteries any more.
 
Do you know of any good tutorial on video, which goes through the exact way in which one can build a battery like this? I see some tutorials on youtube but some of them requires that you already know some stuff about battery technology. Would be nice to see one that is very basic and goes through every step thoroughly.

You did not want to buy battery cells on aliekspress then? Better to buy batteries in western countries and then try to make batteries with those perhaps?
 
There's a book out there lithium battery building I'll look it up but what we need to know what exact controller do you have what exact motor do you have what are you going to put it in are there many Hills or is it flat land what of battery you will need. Talk to text I'm at the beach I can't really read my screen to well . No such thing as a battery. Even one cell vipe pipes need a special battery. So what for ?
Plus you aren't going to get that car battery in a vape pipe ask Dog he's tried.
 
Do tell me what the voltage, ah and discharge is for the cigarrette disposable vape thingies :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :thumb:

That sucks having many different batteries for different tools. I just have a drill and an air pump rigged to work on 12v, 2 drills yellow one old nimh dewalt with one battery, and new lithium ion ryobi. mini 1.5ah? , plus two up 6ah, two different chargers. Snagged it on sale at the Homeless Despot, came with a mini mechanics drill and a regular drill. Lost a Dewalt battery somewhere, should have two. Its so old, dropped so many times, used as a hammer on its back, sober as a whistle bruh.

Nkon
Home Depot/Lowes - Yes people use tool batteries
battery Grintech
battery and probably cells Luna, they used to sell cells.
battery Leafbike, Leafmotor, mxus website official and alibaba,
Battery Clearing House, if your handy :wink: :bolt: :kff: :lowbatt: :lol:


999zip999 said:
lithium battery
 
E-driver_ said:
Do you know of any good tutorial on video, which goes through the exact way in which one can build a battery ... ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3eRv_FZjBc ... part 1/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ublFs7IU05c ... part 2/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-4mKh1WaLo ... part 3/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALshbpGkMtc ... part 4/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H12_yTx0uYg ... part 5/5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3tUuiXXA1Y&list=RDCMUCRMrqzsrPIWvY3PINkLKs-Q&index=4 ... do you need a BMS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBdA-Glj_0o&list=RDCMUCRMrqzsrPIWvY3PINkLKs-Q&index=6 ... checking quality of Hailong battery


512LHBu2JbL._SX260_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/DIY-Lithium-Batteries-Build-Battery/dp/0989906701/ref=sr_1_2
 
eMark said:
E-driver_ said:
Do you know of any good tutorial on video, which goes through the exact way in which one can build a battery ... ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3eRv_FZjBc ... part 1/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ublFs7IU05c ... part 2/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-4mKh1WaLo ... part 3/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALshbpGkMtc ... part 4/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H12_yTx0uYg ... part 5/5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3tUuiXXA1Y&list=RDCMUCRMrqzsrPIWvY3PINkLKs-Q&index=4 ... do you need a BMS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBdA-Glj_0o&list=RDCMUCRMrqzsrPIWvY3PINkLKs-Q&index=6 ... checking quality of Hailong battery


512LHBu2JbL._SX260_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/DIY-Lithium-Batteries-Build-Battery/dp/0989906701/ref=sr_1_2

I really like his videos. Only trouble for me is I live in Europe and the links he states below for what I should buy to do this are all links to stuff I would have to buy in the U.S. I need to buy them within Europe, from ali or Ebay to avoid extra shipping cost
 
E-driver_ said:
eMark said:
E-driver_ said:
Do you know of any good tutorial on video, which goes through the exact way in which one can build a battery ... ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3eRv_FZjBc ... part 1/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ublFs7IU05c ... part 2/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-4mKh1WaLo ... part 3/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALshbpGkMtc ... part 4/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H12_yTx0uYg ... part 5/5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3tUuiXXA1Y&list=RDCMUCRMrqzsrPIWvY3PINkLKs-Q&index=4 ... do you need a BMS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBdA-Glj_0o&list=RDCMUCRMrqzsrPIWvY3PINkLKs-Q&index=6 ... checking quality of Hailong battery


512LHBu2JbL._SX260_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/DIY-Lithium-Batteries-Build-Battery/dp/0989906701/ref=sr_1_2

I really like his videos. Only trouble for me is I live in Europe and the links he states below for what I should buy to do this are all links to stuff I would have to buy in the U.S. I need to buy them within Europe, from ali or Ebay to avoid extra shipping cost. If I order from the US the shipping cost would dwarf my original buy.
 
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