A123 AMP20M1HD-A Battery pack kit

[Kin]

JRP3, that's what we're unclear about. At the very least, he uses a different bottle than the solder-it alu paste. I made a comment on the page to see if he responds, meh.

 

[JRP3]

He did, as I quoted:

Solder-It Alu Paste No!

 

[Kin]

He did, as I quoted:

Solder-It Alu Paste No!

Oh! I did not notice his update, nor did I realize you were the person who first mentioned Alu Paste. Sorry. It is a pretty awkward way for him to phrase it, though, to add a "no!" in the front, but maybe it means no1. Or maybe it doesn't mean anyway. Eitherway, seems to be clearly that solder-it alu paste.

 

[JRP3]

I took it to be the opposite, "No, not Solder-it Alu paste".

 

[totinen]

I remember that I have read someone has succeeded in soldering aluminium under oil bath.

Actually, you can use normal motor oil or even cooking oil (like canola oil) when soldering aluminum. As was pointed out above the problem is that aluminum oxidizes within microseconds of exposure to the air and you want to keep this from happening. You need to immerse the aluminum in the oil and then clean it with a wire brush or something similar. Some people just keep brushing the aluminum with the soldering iron (or gun) tip while applying the solder. Of course, you MUST keep the aluminum, the soldering iron tip, and the solder within the layer of oil.

Now there is available solder with a special flux that can be used to solder aluminum. However, this is not always available. But, virtually everyone has some sort of suitable oil "handy" and that makes soldering aluminum relatively easy.

http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?174096-need-tips-for-aluminum-soldering

 

[docnjoj]

I remember that I have read someone has succeeded in soldering aluminium under oil bath.

I tried that too using WD40 but also a complete fail!
Any news agniusm?
otherDoc

 

[whatever]

i tried vegetable oil.....no good for me

 

[Bamboo]

I took it to be the opposite, "No, not Solder-it Alu paste".

Hi all,

looks like it's time for my first post German is my mother tongue, so I could help translating.
I think you're right, JRP3, it's not Solder-It he's using, but on that youtube link there is a new reply (in german) from someone owning a Austrian webshop for deco stuff, lighting etc ( http://www.hausschmuck.at ), who says if you want to buy this paste, you should send him a mail to info@hausschmuck.at to get a quote. Let me know your address and I'll ask him how much it'll cost you including shipping to US/CA. His reply was in german so I guess his english is useless, but if he owns a webshop he should have a paypal-account for quick payment IMO.
Edit: This appears to be his ebay-account, but he doesn't have anything up for sale at the moment:
http://www.ebay.de/sch/hausschmuck/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=50&_trksid=p3692

That plastic container looks like you could tin a lot of tabs with it, you could buy 1 container and then share/redistribute it within NA among forum members.

Here is another Aluminium soldering paste (out of stock, though), it says it contains Silver particles, and needs to be heated to 200 C/ 392 F to melt. The solder is said to be stronger than the Aluminium itself. They also mention it can be used specifically for soldering Li-Ion battery tabs and once the tab is tinned, normal solder can be used. You just first have to break the oxide barrier on the aluminium (which prevents normal solder from sticking to aluminium) that would only melt when heated above 2050 C/ 3722 F (Aluminium itself has a melting point of 660 C/ 1220 F), so there's special chemicals in the solder to break it:

http://www.tmp-loettechnik.de/shop/produkt/7/3/tmp-aluminium-loetpaste--auch-fuer-weissmetall/
General info on Aluminium soldering in german:
http://www.aluminium-loeten.de/Tipps_zum_loeten.htm

Cheers, Jens

P.S.: Thanks to everyone participating in this great forum, I learnt a lot here! A little bit of background about me: Am 35, built my first radio when i was 8, but compared to some of you guys I'll have to call myself a total noob :lol: (Edit: just found out that noob also means "not able or willing to learn", wouldn't say that about me - know the basics, but won't ever come close to some here on knowledge about electronics)
Didn't build a single ebike to date, but love electrified kickbikes (welded from old bikes, fitness devices, metal beds, etc., Bafangs in 20", 26" & 28", A123-packs), carving around with one of these = infinite grinning
Plan to build one from Bamboo poles, awesome material, very good at vibration dampening, light and also very strong, about the same as builder's steel. You might have seen Calfee's Bamboo Bikes, beauties IMO: http://www.calfeedesign.com/products/bamboo/

 

[whatever]

thanks so much bamboo for that info,
I've come across a guy in australia has found a way to solder copper to aluminium
the link is here
http://users.monash.edu.au/~ralphk/solder-aluminium.html
It may not be the ideal method for the lithium tabs but is very interesting he is using alumalloy brazing sticks ( expensive)

 

[whatever]

refering to bamboo link to aluminium / pot solder paste
some other links to same ( in english )
http://www.sunsetcrystals.com.au/solder-paste-aluminium-pot-metal.html
http://www.caswellplating.com.au/store/store.php/products/aluminiumpot-metal-repair-paste

 

[whatever]

even better heres the company website ( $8usd) per tube, hope it works
http://www.solder-it.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=89
this article shows chemical constituents
http://www.solderit.com/ALP21MSDS.pdf

 

[Bamboo]

Thanks, whatever,

going through those links I'm pretty sure Solder-it is the same as the out-of-stock stuff from the german shop which was specifically meant for aluminium li-ion tabs. And that is probably not fundamentally different from what the guy in the youtube video is using. So 8 bucks to test it is probably better than getting a bigger box shipped from Europe (Austrian mail is especially expensive IMO).

Hm, I just posted in the used section I was interested in a 9C to build my first ebike instead of kickbikes all the time...but the more I read about these sweet pouch cells, the more I want to build finally a decent pack that will get me anywhere in the area where I currently have to take two heavy 90Wh/kg-18650-A123-packs. The pouch cells have about 144Wh/kg. 90WH/kg? Crap, I have Nicad batteries from Boeing emergency-power-back-up-systems, those have about 60 Wh/kg if I am not mistaken - and those are decades old...

 

[whatever]

I dont think solder-it is the same as in the youtube video, in that video its a dark colour material, and it just tins the tab,
I'm really not sure

 

[Bamboo]

Not sure either, but when I use normal solder to tin a copper plate or something it's essentially the same as if I was soldering a wire to the copperplate - when soldering I just have to use more solder to connect the wire to the plate and make up for what the wire is sucking up. IMHO when Solder-It is fine for soldering Aluminium plates it should be fine for tinning, too. Maybe just as in the video use some metal plate/foil to skim off excess solder.

Jm .02$

P.S.: Sent the guy a message via ebay, but no reply yet, I'll try by mail.

 

[docnjoj]

Just a hopeful bump, agniusm, to see if there are any words of promise on the horizon for your kits?
otherDoc

 

[deVries]

Just a hopeful bump, agniusm, to see if there are any words of promise on the horizon for your kits?
otherDoc

Do you think he ran into some issues, or is this still a honeymoon wife attention thang??? :wink:

:lol:

 

[docnjoj]

Just a hopeful bump, agniusm, to see if there are any words of promise on the horizon for your kits?
otherDoc

Do you think he ran into some issues, or is this still a honeymoon wife attention thang??? :wink:

:lol:

Dunno but he is the man with the plan!
otherDoc

 

[ohzee]

Yea personally I gave up I needed to use my batteries sooner rather then later. My needs also have changed
as using 2 x 12S batteries was a pita compared to using 1 20s.

Still if he does get something going Id be interesting in buying something for 20-24s.. his design was tops.

 

[agniusm]

Hello every one. Sorry for my absence. Was busy building a workshop, have plans to manufacture needed parts myself as it takes to long for third parties to do them for me.
-

OK, back on the topic. I have received my blocks, finally. All is good and fits perfect. Yesterday was making my first vid of myself ever, sort of manual how to put it together.Dont laugh, hate filming myself The kit ads total of 162grams to the pack for 6S kit, and it took me about 20min to assemble the pack. Tools needed: 2mm alen, 2.5mm alen, star and small + large screwdrivers. Here are the pics of complete product:

I will add a youtube link later today as it was finished 4 o'clock in the morning and i started upload at 10AM, it takes some time to upload 1.6GB
Exhausted..

If willing to purchase or need more info, contact me on agniusmk at gmail dot com as i can get back to you sooner or phone me on +370 657 5 tree two tree two

 

[agniusm]

Got the video uploaded, took a while.. here it goes:

[youtube]RzTMnWrSYi0[/youtube]

Next, coming up current draw test. A quick test, to see if my "GDR Beast" is working. Needs a switch and larger wires, i have gauge 4 wire and it gets worm . Copper tube does a good job thou.

 

[jonescg]

Dude I am jealous of your pad! Workshop, pit, gardens, soil (real actual fertile soil, not the gutless crushed up windscreen glass we have here in Perth).

Packs look good too

 

[ohzee]

Yea nice looking workshop.. also email sent to you.

Need anyone to move in to help ?

 

[agniusm]

Hi, thanks for kind words. Yes, we have some unspoiled greenness back here. Was living in UK for 8 years and now 3 years back. Cannot be happier.

The kit's are ready to be shipped, only thing i have 8mm brass threaded bars rather than aluminium. I have bought some aluminium rod to make it all same material but the lathe man is on vacation and i am not sure if he will be able to come in to work to get them done. here is the list of what i have available:

4S - 2 (Price, 53.55USD + shipping)
6S - 12 (Price, 61.24USD + shipping)
12S - 3 (Price, 89.68USD + shipping)
16S - 2 (Price, 107.43USD + shipping)
24S - 1 (Price, 144.05USD + shipping)
Prices include PayPal fees, if willing to do bank transfer, minus 3.4%
To get shipping prices go here:

http://www.fedex.com/lt/
http://www.dhl.lt/en.html
http://www.post.lt/en
Divide shipping cost by 2.75 and you will get price in USD.

Address to ship from: Lithuania, Zarasai, post code: LT-32116 (for shipping quote)
Thanks

 

[docnjoj]

Way to go,agniusm. Gmail sent.
otherDoc

 

[docnjoj]

Hi, thanks for kind words. Yes, we have some unspoiled greenness back here. Was living in UK for 8 years and now 3 years back. Cannot be happier.

The kit's are ready to be shipped, only thing i have 8mm brass threaded bars rather than aluminium. I have bought some aluminium rod to make it all same material but the lathe man is on vacation and i am not sure if he will be able to come in to work to get them done. here is the list of what i have available:

4S - 2 (Price, 53.55USD + shipping)
6S - 12 (Price, 61.24USD + shipping)
12S - 3 (Price, 89.68USD + shipping)
16S - 2 (Price, 107.43USD + shipping)
24S - 1 (Price, 144.05USD + shipping)
Prices include PayPal fees, if willing to do bank transfer, minus 3.4%
To get shipping prices go here:

http://www.fedex.com/lt/
http://www.dhl.lt/en.html
http://www.post.lt/en
Divide shipping cost by 2.75 and you will get price in USD.

Address to ship from: Lithuania, Zarasai, post code: LT-32116 (for shipping quote)
Thanks

I'm not positive but the shipping rate from Fedex I believe need to be divided by about 27.5 to be accurate. It comes out to be about $20 for 2 lbs. Otherwise dividing by 2.75 gives $200 for shipping. Somebody please check my math.
otherDoc