a123 ebay seller

[psycho_fling]

hi all

im looking into buying some a123 cells, from ebay x12

found some on ebay.co.uk for £55 with shipping from hong kong

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/12-X-A123-2300-Li ... 7C294%3A50

has anyone bought cells from this seller does the price seem good etc?

also anyone that runs a123s what balancers do you use?

thanks alex

[typhoon_driver]

Re: a123 ebay seller

Yeah I bought recently from them. No problems at all and yes that is a bloody cheap price for them.

Just be aware, the cells come from Dewalt packs so you have to remove some tags and they weren't all sitting at the same voltage.

I currently don't bother balancing A123s. Haven't had a pack go out by much and if they do I find a real slow 10 hour charge sorts em out fine.

[psycho_fling]

Re: a123 ebay seller

thanks Gary

so what tags did you use to construct your packs then?

cheers

[Metal Demons]

Re: a123 ebay seller

Can I recommend just using some copper braid? It's easy to solder, handles current nicely, and is flexible so you don't have as much of a risk of a connection breaking under shock...

[typhoon_driver]

Re: a123 ebay seller

You could go for the copper braid option however I decided to use the battery bars from technobots as I was ordering several other parts at the same time.

I soldered my 8 cell pack together, put wiring on then covered all the cell ends with tape. I laid this onto a piece of foam which was then laid onto a plate of titanium longer than the pack. I heatshrunk some of the yellow 100mm stuff from technobots over the whole lot and attach using some holes in the titanium strip.

If you want a really good guide for soldering these cells then take a look at Johns page (cheers John! saved me a lot of hastle!)

http://www.terrorhurtz.com/a123/

[psycho_fling]

Re: a123 ebay seller

does anyone have the dimensions of a a123 cell?

[typhoon_driver]

Re: a123 ebay seller

ignore post, was looking at wrong cells online.

I will be able to tell you in a few hours when i get back to edinburgh

[terrorhurtz]

Re: a123 ebay seller

See the spec sheet:
http://a123systems.textdriven.com/produ ... L_2009.pdf

Also the part number tells you - ANR26650M1 - 26 mm diameter, 65 mm long.

With the paper tube on them they are around 26.7 mm diamter.

[terrorhurtz]

Re: a123 ebay seller

and make sure you use a BIG soldering iron... it takes a lot of power to solder the base of the cell, because the case is aluminium.

[terrorhurtz]

Re: a123 ebay seller

If you are thinking of using bars, thse are the ones specially for A123s:
http://www.aircraft-world.com/shopexd.asp?id=5085

[psycho_fling]

Re: a123 ebay seller

Hi John

Thanks for that

is that the only place to buy those battery tags it says they are out of stock on that site and its in us??

cheers

[terrorhurtz]

Re: a123 ebay seller

No, it's not the only place - I just Googled for hyperion a123 battery bars
or a123 solder bars

couldn't find any shops int he UK that did them.

[leorcc]

Re: a123 ebay seller

http://www.rctechnics.eu/a123-systems-s ... -2293.html

[grant_ploughbot]

Re: a123 ebay seller

If your after A123 battery bars give Andy a ring at RobotBirds... He stocks the A123 battery bars and i'm sure will sort you out with some.

He also has ALOT of A123 cells instock in the UK, although at the time he bought them they were at the peak prices so may cost a good amount more.

[psycho_fling]

Re: a123 ebay seller

Gary do you know if they above seller i posted first off sells the cells in the form they came in from the dewalt pack? ie not breaking the cells up into indivduals?

thanks alex