DIY assembly kit for 18650 without spot welding/Soldering

[mlt34]

... and so you were offered a complete refund or replacement.
...

complete? The kit was 21 USD and mailing 19 USD. Do you mean these costs would be refunded or a complete new good set sent? What about the cost of mailing the whole kit back to India ( if required) ?

Hi Optimistx,

Sorry, this might not have been clear in the first email, but the offer included free shipping - you don't have to ship your pieces back, since we know that international shipping is really expensive, and you don't have to pay for shipping for the second kit. We cover the shipping of the replacement kit. No matter the issue, you can always email us and we'll take care of it. We aim to be as helpful and responsive as possible. (Sorry I didn't see this post for a few days, I haven't been as good about checking ES as much as I check email)

[tomjasz]

The complainers need to quit whining when something goes wrong. This isn't 3M or Dupont manufacturing. It's a small India based EXCELLENT company. SHEESH....

Patience gresshoppers

[reptilian]

So I have a series of cells that went bad. Does anyone have a good suggestion on how to get my pack apart? It takes so much effort to get the cells into the blocks that they are just stuck like that as far as I can tell.

[999zip999]

Reptilian where'd you get the cells are they brand new and name brand

[fechter]

So I have a series of cells that went bad. Does anyone have a good suggestion on how to get my pack apart? It takes so much effort to get the cells into the blocks that they are just stuck like that as far as I can tell.

I've never done it, but it seems like you could use a couple pieces of wood like pry bars with a 3rd piece between them to get the right spacing, then pry them apart along the edges.

[macribs]

When launched there was some talk about a version with different bus bars then stainless steel for increased current handling abilities. Is that a done deal by now? I noticed a while back they got plus and minus caps color coded, but I forgot all about this thread until now. What is the max current people draw from these batteries now?

[reptilian]

Reptilian where'd you get the cells are they brand new and name brand

They are a mixture of new, old stock batteries. Not sure how that info will help though.

[reptilian]

So I have a series of cells that went bad. Does anyone have a good suggestion on how to get my pack apart? It takes so much effort to get the cells into the blocks that they are just stuck like that as far as I can tell.

I've never done it, but it seems like you could use a couple pieces of wood like pry bars with a 3rd piece between them to get the right spacing, then pry them apart along the edges.

I can not picture what you are describing. How would all this be held to the edge of the pack?

[reptilian]

So I have a series of cells that went bad. Does anyone have a good suggestion on how to get my pack apart? It takes so much effort to get the cells into the blocks that they are just stuck like that as far as I can tell.

Also, I would like to add that I had a single strip of the blocks that I thought I could use to charge a bunch of cells all at once by placing them in a single series. When I pulled them apart, all the blocks came apart as well since they could only be pulled out one at a time. They were all still connected by the metal tabs, but the plastic links all came apart. They are just too tight to get apart all in one piece as far as I can tell.

[fechter]

I can not picture what you are describing. How would all this be held to the edge of the pack?

Img_0583.jpg (69.3 KiB) Viewed 3557 times

Not the best picture, but hope you get the idea. Instead of using a piece of wood between the two levers, it would be better to use a long threaded bolt with nuts on the inside so you can easily adjust the width. Just pry a little at a time and work your way around the edge, then repeat.

[reptilian]

So here is an idea of what I did. It did not go well at all
I tried the two pieces of board and it wasn't working well. After that, I tried a different method. I found a powder coated churchkey (flat bottle opener) that would fit in between the cells. I did my best to clamp down the bottom caps and pry up from the inside with it. It didn't go very well. The more it came apart, the more difficult it became to get off in piece. I was just trying to remove one side, but since it is all flexible, it didn't hold up. Cells from the bottom popped out instead of the top and then the clamping force of the bottom caps was compromised. Here are some photos of the process/disaster:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Bur0s ... G49fCnpuKq

I think I am just going to go with the black trays and just solder the cells together. I don't want to have to mess with these anymore. Either that, or get the BatteryBlocs

[VRUZEND]

The more it came apart, the more difficult it became to get off in piece. I was just trying to remove one side, but since it is all flexible, it didn't hold up. Cells from the bottom popped out instead of the top and then the clamping force of the bottom caps was compromised. Here are some photos of the process/disaster:

Hello,

The simplest way would be to undo the connections from one side for the part that needs replacing. Pass in a flat wooden stick and leverage it upward. While doing this keep the pack flat on a hard surface so that the other side does not come off as shown in the pics. (Keep the bus bars on the other side on) Start from one corner of the pack and do this skipping 2 columns. Do it gently a couple of times and the top will come off.

Or

You could undo the connections on both for just one column from where the pack needs seperating. Place the pack at the edge of your work bench with the part that needs replacing sticking out. Hit with the butt of your palm and that part will slide off and separate itself from the pack. Or just lay the pack on its side, hold it firm with one hand and slide the part out Or just gently tap on the cap legs with a wooden mallet and it will slide off. Just undo the busbars on both the sides for this. The only bus bars that you would need to undo is for one column from where you need the pack to slide off. Once it slides off opening and re-assembling a smaller part is easier and a lot less messier and time consuming.

Email- help(at)vruzend(dot)com

Its specifically for addressing issues. Feel free to contact us anytime.

It might help to visit http://vruzend.com/faq/#replace-cell

The FAQ section does address a host of commonly asked questions.

Just let us know if there is anything else.

Thank you.

[VRUZEND]

When launched there was some talk about a version with different bus bars then stainless steel for increased current handling abilities. Is that a done deal by now? I noticed a while back they got plus and minus caps color coded, but I forgot all about this thread until now. What is the max current people draw from these batteries now?

Hello Sir,

The current version can withstand 3.5A of continuous current per cap. The present version of the kit is for low and medium amp draw applications.

The switch over from white to coloured was done due to the overwhelming feedback asking us to colour code the caps for ease of assembly.

As for V2, Micah and I have been working on it tirelessly. Its not just going to be swapping out the bus bars, We have been working one a whole lot of stuff and a lot of action has been going on behind the scenes.We will keep all of you updated.

Sincere thanks to a lot of people here for their continued show of strength and support for us. Its highly appreciated.

Thank you so very much.

[macribs]

thx4 quick relpy.

any timeline for the v2? like a prediction of how many months away v2 is.

[reptilian]

Hello,

The simplest way would be to undo the connections from one side for the part that needs replacing. Pass in a flat wooden stick and leverage it upward. While doing this keep the pack flat on a hard surface so that the other side does not come off as shown in the pics. (Keep the bus bars on the other side on) Start from one corner of the pack and do this skipping 2 columns. Do it gently a couple of times and the top will come off.

Or

You could undo the connections on both for just one column from where the pack needs seperating. Place the pack at the edge of your work bench with the part that needs replacing sticking out. Hit with the butt of your palm and that part will slide off and separate itself from the pack. Or just lay the pack on its side, hold it firm with one hand and slide the part out Or just gently tap on the cap legs with a wooden mallet and it will slide off. Just undo the busbars on both the sides for this. The only bus bars that you would need to undo is for one column from where you need the pack to slide off. Once it slides off opening and re-assembling a smaller part is easier and a lot less messier and time consuming.

Email- help@vruzend.com

Its specifically for addressing issues. Feel free to contact us anytime.

It might help to visit http://vruzend.com/faq/#replace-cell

The FAQ section does address a host of commonly asked questions.

Just let us know if there is anything else.

Thank you.

I would really like to see someone demonstrate these methods. I basically did what is described in the first suggestion other than undoing the connections. I figured it would be easier to come off all in one piece if the connections were holding it together.
I only used the stock bus bars on the negative sides. The positives where wired with fuse wire soldered to a copper bus bar that I had glued down to the blocks. Assembly took a lot longer doing it this way, but I figured it would be safer than the stock setup. I suppose that is where I screwed up, because it seems that there is no way to get one side off in one piece as I had hoped.
Where does one get a flat piece of wood like that? I really doubt it would be able to withstand the force you have to put in to get the caps off.

[tomjasz]

Reptilian where'd you get the cells are they brand new and name brand

They are a mixture of new, old stock batteries. Not sure how that info will help though.

I'd expect a higher potential for a problem pack with a "mixture". Although you don't describe what mixture means. Very early on I had problems mixing cells of differing Mah.

[emmsee]

Any idea why this thread sy=topped dead in November 2017?
cheers
emmsee

[NickF23]

The existing kit is limited to 3.5a continuous per cell. This is fine for lower power ebikes like mine (500watt) and I'm going to try to build my own battery using this kit some time this year. I think the excitement has faded a little while people wait for v2 kit with higher discharge rates. I imagine this thread will be reborn when that happens, fast,high discharge, powerful things seem to make people want to post here (Endless-sphere)

[DasDouble]

Guys, Im having so much freaking trouble with a f*cking pack I have built with the VRUZEND kit, could you please help me out? So I have built that massive triangle pack for a friend of mine and the thing is that always some cell groups go to a really high voltage from like 3.48v to 3.5v in seconds when charging, while others still stay at around 3.48 - 3.49v per cell. What do I wrong? Is it that some cells just don´t have any contact to the whole kit? Its so freaking annoying - I hate this so much. Please, could someone help me with that?

[tomjasz]

Guys, Im having so much freaking trouble with a f*cking pack I have built with the VRUZEND kit, could you please help me out? So I have built that massive triangle pack for a friend of mine and the thing is that always some cell groups go to a really high voltage from like 3.48v to 3.5v in seconds when charging, while others still stay at around 3.48 - 3.49v per cell. What do I wrong? Is it that some cells just don´t have any contact to the whole kit? Its so freaking annoying - I hate this so much. Please, could someone help me with that?

I'd suggest that this wasn't the right choice of systems for a "massive triangle pack". I'd email Micah Toll for an assist. mlt34 here and ebike school website also through Vruszend website.

[DasDouble]

Yeah I think so - even I have only 120 cells on this one. Im so freaking frustrated with it, I have tryed like pretty much everything you can imagine of - I hate it and Im normally a really optimistic guy about such things as I have built my own pack a while ago with by spot welding but this is driving me crazy right now

[DasDouble]

Just contacted them. I hope to hear from them tomorrow - I am more frustrated then I have ever been in my entire e-bike "carreer" (since 2016). I can´t even tell how much mad I am right now, damned.

[tomjasz]

Not to be rude, or add to your frustration, but I'm compelled to say I wouldn't have built a battery that big with these kits. That said, I suggest you take a deep breath and Micah will do ALL he can toward with you and sort it. I tend to ask before I build. Even with nearly 5 years of experience, there's always somethng new to learn. My biggest lesson has been to not do favors for friends. Give them information but let them build their own. It removes pressure and embarrassing problems. Again, I'm sure the fellows at Vruzend will sort you out.

[DasDouble]

Info for following reader: Already got a reply from Vruzend in their known really polite way. I appreciate that. Hopefully I can fix that problem..

[VRUZEND]

Hello All,

We have recently compiled an assembly guide which I am attaching with this post.

Its advice-able to refer to it while assembling your pack.

The V2s will be out shortly either by the end of this month or first week of Feb. Will be giving all the details then.

As for making huge packs, one can make smaller sub modules and then slide in those modules to make a single pack.

As for making sure all the cells have made contact, do refer the attached document. 2 methods have been explained.

No matter what the trouble may be always feel free to contact us. We will make sure to extend all help and assistance.

Thank you all.
Cheers!