E-bike Powered by Tool Batteries?

jmwhite151

1 mW
Joined
Jun 6, 2015
Messages
19
Location
Delaware, USA
I was wondering if anyone has made an e-bike powered with batteries from any of the battery powered tools (e.g. Greenworks, Ego, Ryobi, etc). Seems like an interesting way to save on cost (if you already have the batteries) and make the power system modular (e.g. put in one battery pack for a short ride, two battery packs for a longer ride, maybe even put two in series when you enter a race... ha, just kidding).

I've been looking into battery powered tools. So, it got me thinking about it and I was just curious if anyone has tried it or if there are limitations that prevent it from being effective.
 
Not very practical, unless you have many that are the same and don’t bother the room required to mount them on a bike. One won’t give any interesting speed nor range. I’d say 6 of them are required at least.

It is much better to strip them apart and to build a battery from the salvaged cells. It would be more compact, shaped to fit the bike, and charge as bulk.

Buying new tool packs to make an ebike battery is more expansive than buying bare new cells. Recycling used tool packs is the only interesting alternative.
 
I have heard good things about EGO packs, My input is to avoid Ryobi's "40V" packs. I used my Ryobi batteries 36V 2AH and 36V 5AH to run around on my little 250W ebike motors, but they're not cost effective and unable to deliver more than 10A.
 
jmwhite151 said:
I was wondering if anyone has made an e-bike powered with batteries from any of the battery powered tools (e.g. Greenworks, Ego, Ryobi, etc).
There's probably dozens of tool pack (toolpack) builds on ES, going back to the old DeWalt A123 packs, to the earliest days of the forum (and probalby before).

There was even a commercial design using those; I forget the name now but it's also posted here on ES somewhere.

One recent build thread using them is APL's APPEL cruiser.

Theres's a schoolteacher with a recent trike build thread that's going to use toolpacks, not much detail yet though.

If it helps you find the info you need to decide whether to do it or not, this search finds a few, though as usual not everything is relevant:
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/search.php?keywords=toolpack*&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=firstpost&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

This one finds some others:
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/search.php?keywords=tool+pack*&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=firstpost&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

and a few more
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/search.php?keywords=tool+pack*&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=titleonly&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

different terms:
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/search.php?keywords=powertool*&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=titleonly&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/search.php?keywords=powertool*&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=firstpost&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/search.php?keywords=power+tool*&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=titleonly&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search



Specifically the dewalt pack stuff
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/search.php?keywords=dewalt&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=titleonly&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/search.php?keywords=dewalt&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=firstpost&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search


A general google search on powertool battery ebikes
https://www.google.com/search?q=ebike+powertool+battery&btnG=Search&num=100&newwindow=1
 
jmwhite151 said:
e-bike powered with batteries from any of the battery powered tools (e.g. Greenworks, Ego, Ryobi, etc).

My first purchase was lipo from Hobbyking, but now I am using Makita tool pack batteries. Actually just today I made a 10S16P pack and tried to slide it in the triangle and it did not fit. They are small 1.5Ah 18650's my City Glide Norco has a second top bar I plan to grind off. I found this bicycle so it really does not matter to me.

The battery that's in that summer time pic, well the one now is double the length. Plus I don't have no spare battery on the rear rack. That is my kicks right there. XT90 connectors, cheap generic controller, greentime throttle and no chain for 6 months now! The chargers are MW HRP 24V in series, huge mofo's those were, now I am using Laptop chargers from Lenovo on a split pack two 5S. Same charge rate, way smaller!

 
jmwhite151 said:
I was wondering if anyone has made an e-bike powered with batteries from any of the battery powered tools (e.g. Greenworks, Ego, Ryobi, etc). Seems like an interesting way to save on cost (if you already have the batteries) and make the power system modular (e.g. put in one battery pack for a short ride, two battery packs for a longer ride, maybe even put two in series when you enter a race... ha, just kidding).

I've been looking into battery powered tools. So, it got me thinking about it and I was just curious if anyone has tried it or if there are limitations that prevent it from being effective.

I only use tool batteries (Makita style) for my builds using a simple battery buss mounted on the bike. The batteries mount just like on a drill; charge off the bike in an hour or so using Makita dual rapid chargers. Both batteries and chargers are cheap by e bike standards. You've figured out how flexible using them is. Consider also the build quality and ruggedness, huge amps, heat dissipation, and safety. The BMS circuit in the battery and charger is pretty fool proof. They also ship with much less cost and paperwork than large ebike batteries. I started using them 3 years ago using 4.5ah batteries; well over 2000 miles+ and they still test over 4ah. I now have 15 cell 18v10.5ah custom built using LG MJ1 cells. Most of the tool brands are now making high capacity (9 to 12 ah, 18v) batteries. The batteries and chargers are often available at crazy low prices from dealers breaking tool/charger/battery sets. (Most handy guys need a big variety of tools, but only 1 or 2 batteries and chargers for all.)

Limitations? you bet, but easily manageable.

1. Since 2(36v) or 3(54v) batteries are connected in series, you must use matched batteries (same ah and age). They should be labeled ##a and ##b so I don't get mixed up. The matched pair must used in the same charge state. if you were to connect a full charged battery in series with a discharged one, the charged battery, during use, would drive cells in the discharged battery negative and do damage. The simplest method is use a dual charger and only mount fully charged batteries on the bike.

2. if your also wiring batteries in parallel (for extra range and watts) you must also use batteries in approximately the same charge state. Example: a 2 in series 36v9ah set can be connected in parallel to a 36v5ah set to yield 36v14ah of power. If both sets are fully charged or the same state of charge, no problems. If 1 set is empty and the other is full then the full will charge the empty at very high amps. Again, the simple and safest is to only mount fully charged, matched batteries. BTW, the batteries all have LED charge indicators so it's easy to know their charge state.

Below is a 6 battery mounting buss I just built for a very powerful tandem 54v@21ah, 36mph, about 50 mile range at 23mph flat. A picture finished tandem is next. A simple 36v10.5ah 500w single bike conversion follows.
 

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This looks like another good reason to consider tool packs for ebikes...an easy to build, cheap (as solar charging goes) and efficient solar charge station for your tool packs..from box store parts (mostly)

https://www.greenbuildermedia.com/buildingscience/power-your-jobsite-cordless-tools-with-this-diy-solar-charging-station
 
Andy Kirby over on YouTube has run his bike on 4 36v Bosch tool packs. He's got a pretty fast bike, seems to go alright.
 
Ebay has lots of 36v Bird scooter batteries for $50 shipped now. These at 10s3p LG cells. I bought 4 and running it 72v. Cheaper than tool batteries
 
On my Makita tool pack battery, I just went from 36V (10S) to 55.5V (15S) and damn its fast, 50% faster :wink: all because I am using Dell laptop chargers that are 20.50V, yup its 0.50V off but its good to have some safety margin. Another reason is my Greentime controller is 48V and last night I had one section of my battery at 10.50V the other two were 18V and 17V, so I had to walk home for a mile. Because I split my pack into 3 sections and charge each section individually, have to be careful that one section is not too far off, otherwise there is the possibility that one section can get too low, which 2.00V is, but if I catch it early they bounce back. Lost half my capacity, and now going to brand new cells, which are the same chemistry and yes still doing the 3 sections. Its just a faster way to charge without dropping a ton of cash on a 25A charger to charge entire pack. Just $10 Dell chargers rated for 8A, while the Dell Alienpower chargers can do 12A each and probably the same voltage but those ones are expensive.

Lots of people do power tool batteries, some even buy brand new packs from Home Depot, like the EGO 5Ah or 7.5Ah packs which are 56V. I just saw a Milwaukee 12Ah pack, shelf price stated $350 Cdn, and most likely 21V.

You could use Laptop batteries, but those are not meant for high discharge, meaning you just put more in parallel, meaning a larger pack. Depends on your needs I guess.

Lead Acid you lose like 25-30% off whatever Amp-Hour you built, but could be good for a go cart, or mobility scooter.

RC Lipo is an option, the Multi-Star from HobbyKing do go on sale every now and then but you gotta know what you are doing, triple check everything. A guy named Icecube57 did a ton of tests on them a few years ago, he even did a podcast for awhile. Interesting stuff.

I wouldnt trust anything off ebay, aliexpress, alibaba unless its a known and trusted seller.
 
I ran my trike on 6 36 volt Bosch packs a while back. Then they were $40 apiece and had about 3 amps each. Soon after the price shot up to about $100 per pack and made the venture non-functional. Oh well!
otherDoc
 
cthetoy said:
Ebay has lots of 36v Bird scooter batteries for $50 shipped now. These at 10s3p LG cells. I bought 4 and running it 72v. Cheaper than tool batteries

Greetings, are the Bird batteries still holding up?
 
interesting
so how do you charge 6 power tool packs mounted on your ebike?
with one charger?
it all this make such setup not very practical in my book.
 
I read an article or post that said that each port is not independent. Might be each bank is, if your lucky.
As an example, I dont know what the charge amps are in real life.
If the total is say 60A, and each bank is 30A, and each port is 10A. You might get 10A charge if only one battery is installed, but if two are installed you wont get 10A+10A=20A. More like 8A each, and if 3 are plugged in 5A each.
But people needing to know would have to find that info. I have Ryobi's but I use a totally different charger.

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miro13car said:
interesting
so how do you charge 6 power tool packs mounted on your ebike?
not with one charger for sure.
it all this make such setup not very practical in my book.
 
EGO lawn tool batteries are called "56V", and they have been verified several times to be 14S, so ebike forums generally call 14S a "52V" pack.

They have been used on the fairly popular BBS02 and BBSHD. They should also be fine on a TSDZ2.

Anything with a label for 48V at 1500W is rated for 30A, and EGO packs would be fine.
 
I didnt know RYOBI sells 6-pack chargers?
for sure RYOBI never thought anybody would use this pack in series
I know it has been discussed before in threads here but every time you take them out for charging , you must secure attach them for riding one by one.
that is complication to me too much complication.
 
Evidently many of the tool pack batteries are popular with the competition robotics folks, so you can get prewired 3D printed docks for most of them, for very little ($5-$10 ) With the Ryobi 6AH HD packs available slightly used, and tested good for about $50 each, and capable of at least 25amps sustained, they make a nice upgrade for older 24v SLA ebikes. For less than $175 you could have two batteries, a charger and a new controller to wake up that old garage sale find (faster and lots lighter)

That particular pack mount is solid,click in and out, no extra straps needed.
 
Here is my 3D printed EGO battery mount. It's a bit of work to fabricate the metal tabs and such but it works great. They are 52v batteries and the 5 and 7.5Ah versions are plenty to drive an e-bike. The other easier way to do this is to harvest a battery mount from a dead EGO tool. Pic below is my TSDZ2 with 5 Ah EGO and regular shark batteries aboard. I have it set up to be able to extend range by swapping the plug from one to the other.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3415459

E-bike_both_batteries.jpg
 
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