18650 spot welding -how to- ULTIMATE REPOSITORY

Yeah I am waiting on JP Welder to come out with the Open Source info/schematic. Then you can build your own which wont be too hard at all. I built a Microwave Oven Transformer welder that is timed with a guy from the EU, advweb.com or something. Search my nickname in advanced search and type those words in. MOT Timer, MOT, and long form too.
 
Arlo1 said:
Hey guys I've been reading this thread and shopping online. I am in need of a spot welder. I have a stack of packs to repair with copper strips and I have plans to make more packs in the future with nickel strips. I would like to be able to do the thicker stuff and run the highest c rated cells I can. But it's a tool that will not be used a lot and I'm on a budget as I'm hoping the Anti with other equipment around the shop.

Suggestions? Seems JP is out right now...
Click to expand...

If you are interested I have posted some details about my own homebrew CD-type welder, designed for very high power levels:

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=79669

It's a bit more complicated than the JP battery based type, but I have worked out the major problems now and it runs well, maybe I can publish plans.
 
Yeah I will need something asap. I have a car to sell with a lifepo4 battery that I need to replace a string of cells.

If I am careful I can get a spot welder cheaper then the replacement battery and I have 2 of these batteries with good cells and broken spot welds from the vibrations in a Harley. Willing to pay a bit for an off the shelf part as I don't have a lot of time this time of year.
 
Hope that's not my spot welder you're using Ian...
:lol:
 
ahh jateureka! took me a while to catch on... haha not at all... :D

yours is packed away in a box... as its all too SOFT core... for what we are playing with! :mrgreen:
 
What material for the elctrodes do you guys recommend for spot welding copper?
 
So what are 788+ welder specs?
Measured 4v pulse and how many amps? 1000A?
Why not LIPO based spot welder?
No need expensive supercaps.
Slow blow fuse protect in case mosfet failure (constantly on)
 
Arlo1 said:
What material for the elctrodes do you guys recommend for spot welding copper?
Click to expand...
I don't recommend resistance spot welding copper.
pure nickel can easily be soldered to copper and then the nickel spot welded if that's what you need.
 
okashira said:
Arlo1 said:
What material for the elctrodes do you guys recommend for spot welding copper?
Click to expand...
I don't recommend resistance spot welding copper.
pure nickel can easily be soldered to copper and then the nickel spot welded if that's what you need.
Click to expand...
Im doing a repair on a 12v lifepo4 replacement battery I have a stack of them. I use one for my 69 road runner with a hi compression 440 for starting it.
I got a few with cracked spot welds out of Harleys because of the vibrations.

These are $450-$500 batteries. If I can fix one to sell my road runner then the spot welder will pay for it self.

After that I will be looking to build the odd ebike and solar storage pack.
Which will be with nickle
 
Arlo1 said:
okashira said:
Arlo1 said:
What material for the elctrodes do you guys recommend for spot welding copper?
Click to expand...
I don't recommend resistance spot welding copper.
pure nickel can easily be soldered to copper and then the nickel spot welded if that's what you need.
Click to expand...
Im doing a repair on a 12v lifepo4 replacement battery I have a stack of them. I use one for my 69 road runner with a hi compression 440 for starting it.
I got a few with cracked spot welds out of Harleys because of the vibrations.

These are $450-$500 batteries. If I can fix one to sell my road runner then the spot welder will pay for it self.

After that I will be looking to build the odd ebike and solar storage pack.
Which will be with nickle
Click to expand...

If those batteries require spot welded copper, this is exactly the reason I dont recommend spot welding copper with these spot welders.
They are not mechanically strong at all. like 1/15th the strength of nickel
 
I know that's why I didn't recommend spot welding copper to the tabs either ;)

But it's the fast easy way for me to repair and it needs to flow 500-700 amps ;)
 
Tats said:
Anyone used one of these? I see someone is selling some pre-made for 100 Norwegian Kr.

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Arduino-Battery-Spot-Welder/step3/Populating-the-PCBs-and-adding-wires/
Click to expand...


I live in the United States built one after looking hard for a really robust solution at an affordable budget without going with the Chinese and reliability issues. I have tested it with a AA battery holder to verify it powers up. I did not connect it to car batteries yet for some spot welding tests. I have compiled a BOM for components from Mouser and Digikey. I mostly got connectors from Digikey.
 
chuttney1 said:
Tats said:
Anyone used one of these? I see someone is selling some pre-made for 100 Norwegian Kr.

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Arduino-Battery-Spot-Welder/step3/Populating-the-PCBs-and-adding-wires/
Click to expand...


I live in the United States built one after looking hard for a really robust solution at an affordable budget without going with the Chinese and reliability issues. I have tested it with a AA battery holder to verify it powers up. I did not connect it to car batteries yet for some spot welding tests. I have compiled a BOM for components from Mouser and Digikey. I mostly got connectors from Digikey.
Click to expand...
Trying to load the files to osh park... It keeps getting stuck on processing.
 
Hi All. My first post I think after half a year of lurking.

I just finished building a CD welder (10-20V, 1F, 25x MOSFET, dual pulse configurable, AWG3 wire to electrodes...)

Nickel welds like a dream.

Copper 0.1mm Tabs I can't get to weld unless I increase the voltage so high that I blow a hole in the battery case.

I have copper, 70/30 Tungsten/copper and molybdenum electodes, sharpened (grinding wheel took quite a hit grinding molybdenum).

Anybody care to share or point to where I might find some setup that works well with copper tabs?

Thanks.
 
Did you check with Sunstone Engineering to get there take on it? Did you do a softer 'round' tip as a-posed to a pointy tip?
http://sunstoneengineering.com/products/accessories/electrodes/

Sunstone email for Bryce, bryce.bytheway@sunstoneengineering.com

I have a 3 farad 23.2 volt CD welder dual pulse blah, blah blah and would like to try copper as well so what you find that works will be what I need as well.

Tom
 
Alan B said:
Does anyone know of any success examples with copper? I have seen a lot of attempts and failures. Can we find any examples of success?
Click to expand...
Sunstone's pulse arc welder would work great for copper.
 
okashira said:
Alan B said:
Does anyone know of any success examples with copper? I have seen a lot of attempts and failures. Can we find any examples of success?
Click to expand...
Sunstone's pulse arc welder would work great for copper.
Click to expand...

So what are the requirements for successfully welding copper?
 
litespeed said:
Did you check with Sunstone Engineering to get there take on it? Did you do a softer 'round' tip as a-posed to a pointy tip?
http://sunstoneengineering.com/products/accessories/electrodes/

Sunstone email for Bryce, bryce.bytheway@sunstoneengineering.com

I have a 3 farad 23.2 volt CD welder dual pulse blah, blah blah and would like to try copper as well so what you find that works will be what I need as well.

Tom
Click to expand...

Sunstone shipping to EU is over $100 for the electrodes, that's too much.

Yes my electrodes are too sharp currently, need to make them a bit softer.

I did see some success stories for copper (using tungsten/copper or molybdenum electrodes) but I didn't find details including voltages and pulse durations.
 
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