Battery Tab Welding

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

I have my hands on a battery tab welder, but I'm having lots of trouble sourcing any Pure Nickel tabs. They need to be thin sheet or strip but a bit bigger than the ones used on AA batteries, because I want to use them on A123's which are 25mm diameter.

[Tim Mackey]

Ooooo nice one Chris - have you tried John Emms ' Puffin Models ?

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Thanks Timbo thats a thought I'll send him an email.

I've had some from Overlander but they are small offcuts, will be fine for AA's but a bit small for my application

[Wendy hall]

Chris,

Where did you get a battery tab welder from? Trying to find somewhere that sells them..

 

Thanks

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Wendy

So sorry, I must have completely missed your question.

I am in fact attempting to make my own. Not a route I would recommend.

I am having a little success but it is just not predictable enough yet.

 

[StarLoc FiveStar Adhesives]

We bought the strip from the cell manufacturers that supply the cells, most manufacturers of cells will supply it.

 

Its not going to be easy to make a welder with decent welds to a cell every time . As well as the weld time and power you need to be able to alter the pressure it pushes down with  as well , any change in one needs a change of the rest,  The welder we have has a lot of settings (no idea whats inside!) , we bought it off PowerMax back round 1998 it was used to do nicad packs and also put the elements in glowplugs

 

 

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Hi 5*  (Of the absolutely excellent cellulose dopes)

 

I've now had some nickel tabs arive in the post and have managed some decent welds. The problem now is that they are very inconsistent. This is probably due to all your reasons above.

 

I can change the weld power easily enough, the weld time is purely down to how long my capacitor takes to discharge. At the moment I'm using two hand held copper prods, so I can alter pressure, but only by feel.

 

As you can imagine, I'm getting some interesting fireworks now and again. Especially if I don't keep cleaning the probes, or don't apply much pressure.

 

 

Next will be something to hold the batteries still, and a footswitch so I have two hands free....

 

 

[StarLoc FiveStar Adhesives]

They can produce some interesting sparks....ours has a foot pedel that pulls down the prongs, as they push onto the cell theres a spring loaded adjustable thingamy on the top that as it gets to the correct pressure triggers the weld and then automaticaly releases the pressure after the set time ,  so theres no need to release your foot off the pedle untill it pops and clicks back up.

So you stuff the cell underneath, pull the pedel down and its all done automaticaly , the weld is set on the dials on the box with the circuits in and the pressure on the top right above the electrodes

it can be interesting setting it up with too much pressure as you blow holes in the cell, too little pressure you blow the strip to bits

 

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

mmm... I'm a long way off that much automation.

And unfortunately the incentive has gone away for the time being as those yellow cells, bought on ebay as genuine A123 1100's are certainly not genuine...  They are pretty good physical copies, but performance is very poor.  

I've been robbed again  

 

But thanks, I can see how a spring drill type stand with a cord through the bench to a pedal would help a great deal  

Edited By Chris Bott on 05/11/2010 17:45:25