Shopping list (and instructions) for 15s3p LiPo Pack

[snajczuk]

Howdy,

So my Turnigy packs arrived form HK, 8 of them. I bought 5s 5Ah 25C packs, and now I need a shopping list and instructions to build this sucker up. I'm going to be getting another pack to make it 15s3p, but I also want to get wire and connectors and a charging solution. This will be connected to a Lyen 12 FET controller and then to a 9C motor.

So without getting overly complicated (I'm new at this) what will I need to make this pack? There doesn't seem to be any help for actually building a lipo pack, so hopefully I can help create a walkthru if I can get good info here.

I know I need some form of LVC warning, so buzzers sound like a good option. What size wire should I use for wiring the main leads together? What connectors? How about the balance leads?

I hope to do charging as simply as possible. Bulk charging sounds like a good solution with a balance charge every once in a while to make sure things aren't getting out of whack. I will have LVC and a CA, so I don't think things would easily get out of hand. Can an iCharger do charging like this? Meanwells just sound complicated.

Thanks for the help guys. Links are good.

 

[dequinox]

10ga is probably a good idea for lipo...almost always. They say the bigger the better for power transfer (up to a certain point). Anderson connectors are actually worth the money I've found. They are a nifty way to make all sorts of custom connectors (powerwerx.com)...they connect together like legos kind of. "Bulk charging" is what an iCharger (or any of the hobby king intelli-chargers) does anyways, it just happens to know when to stop on its own. They also have balancing ports to do the balancing part for you.

Below is a "schematic" I put together for your specific application. You make two separate connectors...one for charging and one for discharging. I've seen people like Doc connect the packs in // for balancing like that...so I would hope a battery medic or something could work in a situation like this. Please let me know if I'm wrong ppl. Don't do anything until another guru confirms or debunks my garbage below...this is just what I think I know from reading the info on lipo.

 

[dogman dan]

If this is going to power just one bike, and or be permanently mounted, the starting point would be paralelling the packs three by three.

So many ways to do it, but basicly you want to paralell both the balance leads and the main leads together. Then you have a 15 ah 5s pack that can be charged on a normal lipo charger.

Using 45 amp andersons, I found 10 guage wire a pain to work with. 12 guage fits the 45 amp anderson contacts the best. Other good options include getting connectors that match the ones on the packs, or even repurposing ones you cut off, if you did that making the paralell connections.

Here's some links to threads that helped me, or show what I did. http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=19956

I went the route of multiple chargers, rather than bulk charging. But my lipos only need charging about once a week, so i can do it the slower harder way.