Build a Massive USB Power Bank

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  • Опубликовано: 25 авг 2024
  • This USB power bank has 28 lithium ion cells all connected in parallel. Total capacity is 36,400 mAh or 131 Watt hours. I'm using the Vruzend 1.6 system of end caps and link strips.

Комментарии • 120

  • @Beansswtf
    @Beansswtf Год назад +29

    You couldn't have made this look anymore like a boom device. That stereotypical 8 segment display is the chefs kiss on top hahaha

    • @JulianIlett
      @JulianIlett  Год назад +8

      Yeah, it's not very practical - you wouldn't want to take it to public events or on public transport.

    • @putteslaintxtbks5166
      @putteslaintxtbks5166 Год назад +3

      Oh couse, then you would want it in a backpack and don't forget to wear you hoody.

    • @dh2032
      @dh2032 Год назад +2

      @@putteslaintxtbks5166 and throw in some extra un-needed wires just handing out of the backpack?

    • @Okurka.
      @Okurka. Год назад +2

      That's a 7 segment display.

    • @GodmanchesterGoblin
      @GodmanchesterGoblin Год назад +1

      ​@Okurka Decimal point is the eighth segment... 😊 (but yes, the generic term is seven-segment)

  • @Electronzap
    @Electronzap Год назад +4

    I built some small packs with Vruzend. Was fun watching you build with them. You gave a lot of good tips.

  • @fuzzybobbles
    @fuzzybobbles Год назад +11

    I spent £20 on a spot welder and some strips of nickel. Far faster and cheaper to assemble and takes up a lot less space. Also welded joints are more reliable that spring terminals, especially if you have a lot of them. I built my mother a new battery for her mobility scooter using 60 18650 cells and now it goes for 3 days use before needing a recharge. Old battery didn't last a full day if she went for a day out anywhere.

    • @JulianIlett
      @JulianIlett  Год назад +3

      It's just a bit harder to replace a cell if they're welded.

    • @fuzzybobbles
      @fuzzybobbles Год назад +1

      @@JulianIlett Couple of mins once you find the faulty cell.

    • @TimPerfetto
      @TimPerfetto Год назад +3

      @@fuzzybobbles Everyone is aware of the spot welding option; go away

    • @mattsadventureswithart5764
      @mattsadventureswithart5764 Год назад +2

      It's great that you can spot weld them, but some of us have no desire to spend that money (I only want to make 1 powerbank, so the money would be wasted), so spring terminals are desirable.

    • @TimPerfetto
      @TimPerfetto Год назад +1

      @@mattsadventureswithart5764 No no no you have to spot weld them the whole world falls apart if you dont

  • @-yeme-
    @-yeme- Год назад +2

    a dremel or equivalent with a little grinding stone bit removes the remnants of torn-off 18650 tabs nicely

  • @jacquesb5248
    @jacquesb5248 Год назад +1

    did the same thing. got a load of old laptop batteries.made two "power" banks and 4 5W lights. i used a small grinding tool to smooth down those weld bits

  • @jonstew1983
    @jonstew1983 Год назад +5

    I've had major reliability issues with those spring caps. A bunch of them split and lost grip and even the ones that didn't lose split weren't reliable. I even used clamp bolts that came with the kit and still wound up losing connection to 3 out of 4 in parallel in a 14s4p pack within a couple of weeks. I tore the whole thing apart and built a new pack using holders soldered to a PCB style system.

    • @JulianIlett
      @JulianIlett  Год назад +1

      Some of mine have split too. They were in the shed all winter subject to large temperature variations.

  • @UZI9MMAUTO
    @UZI9MMAUTO 5 месяцев назад

    I use my DeWalt Battery. Going on 2 years and only charged it once. The day in the start. It was a bit of pain but got the voltage regulator in order. I added a set of 12 USB ports.

  • @ErrorMessageNotFound
    @ErrorMessageNotFound Год назад +1

    There's slightly more clueless comments than I expected. But only slightly. Great video!

  • @MattWells0
    @MattWells0 Год назад +17

    Just keep an eye on the warm cell, if it doesn't cool down and the voltage of your pack continues to drop even without a load you have what HPPowerwall refers to as a burner cell. This is a bad cell that has such high resistance that it will burn off the energy it is storing as heat and then start to pull power from the other cells as well. If you leave it for long enough you can have a thermal runaway event and fireworks, just replace the bad cell and dispose of it safely.

  • @AJB2K3
    @AJB2K3 Год назад +2

    Shit Julian, I just jumped a mile when you dropped the nut adapter!

  • @MrSnowMen
    @MrSnowMen Год назад +2

    That looks awesome.
    Thanks

  • @LariFariYoutube
    @LariFariYoutube Год назад +2

    I tend to dremel the spot weld off..Then the Nickel strips come off with no effort... and...With no damage and danger of shorting someting at all..

  • @kkathulgangadharan2262
    @kkathulgangadharan2262 11 месяцев назад

    7:06 super solution ❤

  • @Conservator.
    @Conservator. Год назад

    A li-ion battery at 4.0V is almost fully charged.
    A battery at 3.6V can be at 80% or 20% charge because li-ion cells typically stay at that voltage during most of their discharge cycle.
    If these cell can discharge at 15A they will do just that given the opportunity.
    The capacity of the cells is 1350mAh. A cell at 3.6V might be at 30% charge = 950mAh.
    When connected to 3 cells that are charged at 4.2V that one cell at 3.6V might get a 15A charge for 3.8 minutes.
    I wouldn’t take the risk and certainly not with those old cells.
    Just my thoughts.
    (I might be wrong. If so, please let me know where)

  • @vicgarbutt3310
    @vicgarbutt3310 Год назад +2

    I would have kept long leads on the still useable 3s board.

  • @fishyerik
    @fishyerik Год назад

    Refreshing to see the relaxed attitude about the voltage differences, that much is probably not ideal, but also not that big of a deal. Some people panic over a few millivolts difference but thinks it's ok to discharge at a rate that makes the pack really hot, and to way below nominal voltage range.

    • @Conservator.
      @Conservator. Год назад

      A li-ion battery at 4.0V is almost fully charged.
      A battery at 3.6V can be at 80% or 20% charge because li-ion cells typically stay at that voltage during most of their discharge cycle.
      If these cell can discharge at 15A they will do just that given the opportunity.
      The capacity of the cells is 1350mAh. A cell at 3.6V might be at 30% charge = 950mAh.
      When connected to 3 cells that are charged at 4.2V that one cell at 3.6V might get a 15A charge for 3.8 minutes.
      I wouldn’t take the risk and certainly not with those old cells.
      Just my thoughts.
      (I might be wrong. If so, please let me know where)

    • @fishyerik
      @fishyerik Год назад

      @@Conservator. SOC, State Of Charge, is measured primarily by measuring the voltage. Li-ion typically have almost flat voltage curve, but not entirely flat. At the nominal voltage they're typically considered at 50% SOC, so, if the nominal voltage is 3.6 volt, the cell is considered 50% charged at 3.6 volt, unloaded. If the nominal range is 3.2 to 4.2 they're considered 80% charged at 4.0 volt.
      There are variations, and these are simplifications, there's no practical/easy way to actually measure the amount of energy in the cells that I know of, without discharging them and measure the amount of energy you get out, but that defeats the purpose if you just want to know how much charge you have.
      Also, charge or discharge affects the voltage over the cells, that makes it more difficult to accurately tell the SOC if the battery is in use, especially if you don't know how much the voltage is affected by that rate of charge or discharge. That may be the reason why some people thinks voltage doesn't say anything about SOC, but it does.
      Well yes, unprotected cells will discharge at the rate they can, given the opportunity. The rate they can discharge and what you should let them is typically not the same. If discharge amps are stated, it's usually the rate you can let them discharge, without causing to much damage.
      If 3 cells are at 4.2V and one is at 3.6V, and they get connected in parallell, the higher voltage cells will charge the lower voltage cell at a high rate initially, but the rate is limited by the voltage difference, or lack of, and internal resistance. If each cell can put out 15A to a drain at very low voltage, or even short circuited, they will only produce a small fraction of that in this scenario. The voltage difference will decrease quite fast, and because of that also the transfer rate.
      I'm not saying you should connect any mismatched cells in parallell, but Julian knows what he's doing, and those cells are probably fairly rugged.

    • @Conservator.
      @Conservator. Год назад

      @@fishyerik Thank you for your response. I agree with almost everything you’ve written.
      I think the cells were rated at 15A. That would indicate that they could go significantly higher.
      Maybe 0.6V difference isn’t enough for a thermal runaway but I wouldn’t take any risks. I noticed that Julian was only measuring the temperature on the ends of the cells.
      I got the impression that he hadn’t measured the voltages and that would not be correct imo.
      I agree that you don’t have to balance them at the mV level but I wouldn’t feel comfortable with more than 0.1 or 0.2V difference.
      Maybe I’m too cautious 🤷‍♂️

  • @richdrichdrichdrichd
    @richdrichdrichdrichd Год назад +1

    I'm not sure I can watch a video that doesn't start "Good morning all!". :)

    • @JulianIlett
      @JulianIlett  Год назад +1

      Yes, sorry - the 'time of day' greeting is gone :)

    • @richdrichdrichdrichd
      @richdrichdrichdrichd Год назад +1

      @@JulianIlett Haha, I’ll keep watching but if the “Cheerio” goes away, I might not know what to do with myself! Haha!

  • @dtvking
    @dtvking Год назад

    Hi Julian, not as pedantic as myself, I would have to have all the cells writing the same way 🤣
    Nice little build, Thanks

  • @electronic7979
    @electronic7979 Год назад +1

    Nice project 👍 I liked it

  • @karlfoley
    @karlfoley Год назад

    If a cell was shorted you could have had some fireworks. ;)

  • @PriorUniform721
    @PriorUniform721 Год назад

    Glad I'm not the only one that aligns my burrs.

  • @olafschermann1592
    @olafschermann1592 Год назад +1

    I think it would be a better deal to sell those 10.8V powertool batteries for more money than new cells cost. Power tool specific have more value. And new cells usually have 2900-3500mAh, where those power tool cells come in 2000-2500mAh.

  • @Mr_Wh1
    @Mr_Wh1 Год назад +1

    7:06 - I find that the easiest way to remove the welding spots are by using the little angle cutter you used for cutting the wires. Gentle nip the welding spot with the pliers, and rotate. Do no cut or pull, only nip/hold the spot with the pliers and then rotate sideways, with the pliers tip not pointing towards the cell.

    • @JulianIlett
      @JulianIlett  Год назад +1

      Yes, that does result in the cleanest break. You do have to cut the strip first though, to individualise each of the welds.

    • @Mr_Wh1
      @Mr_Wh1 Год назад +1

      @@JulianIlett It's a method for getting rid of welding points that remains after removing the plates. There isn't really much you can do about the plates other than rolling/pealing them off.

  • @marcellucassen8033
    @marcellucassen8033 Год назад

    The only danger is that if one cell shorts all the other cells dump their energy into it, however most cells have built in protection in case of high current failure a sort of built in fuse that disconnects.

  • @ianm1470
    @ianm1470 Год назад

    When you were younger you must have played with Lego and Meccano ~ nice project indeed 👍🏻

  • @johnnodge4327
    @johnnodge4327 Год назад +3

    Fun project.
    It's not the charged cells that don't like rapid discharge, as they are designed for high discharge currents, especially as there's lots to share the discharge current.
    However the discharged cells aren't designed to charge rapidly, so when connecting partially charged or discharged cells into a charged pack, large currents can flow into the discharged cells.
    I've measured currents of over 10C for short periods after connecting discharged cells to charged cells, which is well over the maximum allowed by the manufacturer for charging. However as you pointed out, the current flow stabilises very quickly, but in that time considerable heating can take place initially.
    I must admit that on expensive cells, I join the discharged cells to the charged cells with a resistance, simply to limit current flow to within the manufacturer's specifications.

    • @JulianIlett
      @JulianIlett  Год назад +1

      So a good strategy for adding a few more cells to a big pack would be:
      Discharge the large pack to a lower voltage (below the typical voltage of newly purchased cells).
      Then add the new cells (so they discharge at a high current rather than charge at a high current).

    • @shoopnooop2952
      @shoopnooop2952 Год назад +1

      @@JulianIlett If you take the main pack and use it till its dead and take the powerbank board and connect it to the new set and make sure that they are also dead and then connect them together. That way they would be at that low voltage cutoff and the voltages should be matched relative to the powerbank board.

    • @alibro7512
      @alibro7512 Год назад +2

      @@JulianIlett I normally try to get all my cells to within a few millivolts of each other before connecting them. 4 tenths difference could damage your cells.

  • @danielthompson3809
    @danielthompson3809 Год назад +1

    I'd like to see you try to take that on a plane 😄

    • @SpeccyMan
      @SpeccyMan Год назад +3

      Putting that on a plane wouldn't be a problem. A plane is just a woodworking tool after all. Taking it on an aeroplane would be a problem. 😁😁

    • @Okurka.
      @Okurka. Год назад +1

      @@SpeccyMan A plane is a vehicle designed for air travel, with wings and one or more engines.

  • @fransvankralingen725
    @fransvankralingen725 Год назад

    if you drop two nuts in your nut-spinner the 3rd one will stick out a bit and allow you to run the 3rd nut onto the uneven studs with just enough force and guidance to not spin them off while tightning

  • @andyshap
    @andyshap Год назад

    I use a Dremel tool to easily sand down the "pips".

  • @Sylvan_dB
    @Sylvan_dB Год назад

    Those low capacity cells are probably optimized for much higher current draw (and charge rate) than they'll ever see in power bank usage. But ya use what ya got!

    • @Berkeloid0
      @Berkeloid0 Год назад

      Yes, this was mentioned at 29:33.

  • @frankhovis
    @frankhovis Год назад

    No fuse(s)? No temperature monitoring? No thermal fuse? No cell balancing?
    - Rather you than me.

    • @Debbiebabe69
      @Debbiebabe69 Год назад

      you dont need balancing on a 1s battery...

  • @km_photo
    @km_photo Год назад

    When charging LiPo or Li-Ion packs in the fpv hobby, we need to be sure to have a maximum cell drift of

  • @bokkenka
    @bokkenka Год назад +3

    Can you go over lining up the dovetails and slots again? :)

  • @richardharries5551
    @richardharries5551 Год назад

    Hi, I've been watching these Vruzend for years. With regards to your nuts spinning off any not stick a small magnet on your spinner and then you can just drop a bit in the spinner and nothing would fly away, just a thought!

  • @MrTurboTubbs
    @MrTurboTubbs Год назад

    How many times do you need to say "module" "dovetail" and "recess"?! 😂

  • @Berkeloid0
    @Berkeloid0 Год назад

    Very interesting. Any reason for using four metal links instead of three, when constructing the four-cell modules? It seems like the fourth link is a bit redundant since they're all in parallel.

  • @pollywollydo
    @pollywollydo Год назад

    How about a “12” volt pack for inverter use ?

  • @ronniepirtlejr2606
    @ronniepirtlejr2606 Год назад

    I have an older version of these. I don't know if they are made by the same people or not? Mine are white instead of red and blue.

  • @hi-tech-guy-1823
    @hi-tech-guy-1823 Год назад

    You might want To nibble The bolts Down a little So you can find a Metal box (Genuine Army Ammo Box) and Add A Hand Crank Generator + XT 60 ~ XT 90 (Panel Mounting Kit) Socket (Solar ~ AC > DC Mains Faster charging ) Plus a Super caps array (just for that Extra fast charging with the hand Crank Generator )

  • @kjm-ch7jc
    @kjm-ch7jc Год назад

    With the increase in domestic fires, self build shouldn't be encouraged.

  • @himselfe
    @himselfe Год назад +1

    My only concern while wiring all the modules together would be to make sure that the distribution of resistances across the links are balanced, otherwise you might get some parts of the pack charging faster or slower than the rest. Unlikely to really matter, esp at low current and an all parallel pack, just something I'd try to avoid if I was doing it. Then again personally I'd be more inclined towards building a 4S pack with a buck boost (or just buck) on the output. Admittedly more complicated and probably marginal efficiency difference in practice.

  • @olafschermann1592
    @olafschermann1592 Год назад

    Looks like a bomb in those movies. Round cylinders with cables and a display co7nting down…😅

  • @AnthonyClarke1965
    @AnthonyClarke1965 Год назад

    Great video, would you mind sharing details of thermo imaging camera you used? Thanks

    • @JulianIlett
      @JulianIlett  Год назад

      It's the Topdon TC004. I did a review video of it recently.

  • @hi-tech-guy-1823
    @hi-tech-guy-1823 Год назад

    I did come up With a An Idea of "Tasty Electronics " basically buy Bulks Sweets/biscuits in (Reusable) Containers then (wash and Home Self Recycle Re use them containers for Hobby Electronics Enclosures )

  • @Cyklonus
    @Cyklonus Год назад

    👍👍

  • @dharmakissoon
    @dharmakissoon Год назад

    Hi love ya vids...do you charger this 40v at 5v?

    • @dharmakissoon
      @dharmakissoon Год назад

      And Will you do a vida how to make them,I need a 90v 20amp .I have a soocter thanks

  • @luketinkley4806
    @luketinkley4806 Год назад

    With such a large capacity in parallel, how do you plan on charging the pack and how long will it take to fully charge?

    • @clixium
      @clixium Год назад

      With mobile charger and 2A current it'll take 10-16 hrs, probably not more than 10 since we never discharge cells fully

  • @Friendroid
    @Friendroid Год назад +1

    New York City will be introducing legislation dealing with lipo batteries due to over 200 fires and 6 deaths last year from lipo fires. They have a huge amount of delivery cyclists and its becoming a growing concern. We'll see how the EU & UK reacts.

  • @jessen00001
    @jessen00001 Год назад

    Think I'll take a "car" 12v phone changer and put it on a makita 18v battery.
    Would it work?

    • @marcellucassen8033
      @marcellucassen8033 Год назад

      Measure the output voltage before you destroy your phone, some "car charger" say 12-24 volts but not all of them, some may be just for 12 volts.

  • @nucleochemist
    @nucleochemist Год назад

    No fuse links on each cell and a lot of unprotected cells in parallel? RIP.

  • @NickNorton
    @NickNorton Год назад

    Does anybody else store unused cells in the Fridge?
    Low temperature slows chemical reaction.
    I also keep Bread (sealed, no drying) and Eggs in the Fridge!

    • @Sylvan_dB
      @Sylvan_dB Год назад +1

      Bread in the fridge will go stale much faster than frozen, and also faster than just in the cupboard. This is because starch crystalizes faster as temperatures drop but remain above above freezing and this change in the starch is what makes bread stale (as opposed to just dry).

    • @NickNorton
      @NickNorton Год назад +1

      @@Sylvan_dB Your analysis is super interesting.
      I keep my bread in the fridge to slow mold growth. I should have said, I keep it sealed in the same bag it was supplied in. Purely to keep the same moisture. From ambient; about 23°C to the 6°C in the fridge. Any starch crystals taste great.

  • @putteslaintxtbks5166
    @putteslaintxtbks5166 Год назад

    Looks like a great set up. Rather than spot welding, it would be easy to change or add to it. Oh man, car will not start, make it a 12 volt or whatever. If voltage isn't to far off, I think you could just lay the bus bars on and leave them loose for awhile so they wouldn't have a real solid contact until they've redistributed there loads some, then tighten down.

  • @helmuthschultes9243
    @helmuthschultes9243 Год назад +2

    Given failure probability of each induvidual cell, massive parralleling of cells rapidly magnifies probabilty of catastrophic failure. As any cell developing a potentially fire mode failure, in this parraleled mode will also increase severity as the non failed cells feed directly their energy into the "failed " cell without sny limits on current dumped.
    You are constructing a massive fire bomb. Second hand batteries only make the failure probability higher.
    Suggest extreme caution to anyone trying to duplicate the construction.
    While all cells are driven to same voltage state, the charging wise there is NO provision to ensure charge current balance over all those cells, so overcharging some cells and under charging others depending on cell aging and chemical state properties. Forming thermal/heating imbalances.
    There are real reasons that high energy power storages adopt series battery thus higher voltage systems not massive parallel construction.

    • @TheEmbeddedHobbyist
      @TheEmbeddedHobbyist Год назад

      i can remember when the best way to have a battery was one very large capacity cell and a DC-DC converter to give the required output. No issues with any thing, downside you just need a very large cell 🙂 but very reliable.

  • @enzofitzhume7320
    @enzofitzhume7320 Год назад +1

    A fire bomb! Don't ever assemble li-ion batteries in parallel like this! This is RUclips.

  • @jessen00001
    @jessen00001 Год назад

    ❤WOW❤

  • @richardharries5551
    @richardharries5551 Год назад

    WHY not and DROP A NUT...darned autocorrect and my fault for not spell checking too....

  • @TheEmbeddedHobbyist
    @TheEmbeddedHobbyist Год назад

    Does you house insurance cover home made battery fires?

    • @JulianIlett
      @JulianIlett  Год назад +1

      All that stuff lives in the shed :)

    • @TheEmbeddedHobbyist
      @TheEmbeddedHobbyist Год назад

      @@JulianIlett Best place for it. :) so at least you could have a self-heating shed with built in firework display. when is the next shed update?

    • @Okurka.
      @Okurka. Год назад

      @@JulianIlett The shed? You have 4.

  • @fredflintstone1
    @fredflintstone1 Год назад

    Hmm, yes fine if you have a lot of 18650 all the same, but not if you have a lot of different capacities 😞

    • @JulianIlett
      @JulianIlett  Год назад +5

      As long as they're all in parallel and the same chemistry, different capacities isn't a problem.

    • @fredflintstone1
      @fredflintstone1 Год назад

      @@JulianIlett will they not try and back charge the lower value ones when they get low voltage ???

    • @JulianIlett
      @JulianIlett  Год назад +4

      Because the cells are forced to be at the same voltage, they will charge at different currents. The lower capacity cell will charge (and discharge) at a lower current than the high capacity cell.

    • @sjm4306
      @sjm4306 Год назад

      @@JulianIlett cell impedance determines charge current when supplied with an unregulated voltage (like when many unbalanced cells are put in parallel) not necessarily capacity. If I had to guess though there is probably a roughly proportional relationship between impedance and capacity.

    • @KeeBaud
      @KeeBaud Год назад +1

      My guess is you might have mixed up your charged pack with one of the fresh packs when reassembling. That would explain the .4V difference.

  • @funkytransport
    @funkytransport Год назад

    YESSSSSS! hahahahah

  • @SteveBrace
    @SteveBrace Год назад +1

    "Say 'dovetail' again... Say 'dovetail' again, I dare you, I double dare you, motherf*cker, say 'dovetail' one more G*ddamn time!" - Joules Wattfield

  • @rawandjaza5929
    @rawandjaza5929 Год назад

    Very bad combination of build , can’t blance voltage amounts of these cell.... use 3S or 4S combination with BMS for charging and balance cells .

    • @JulianIlett
      @JulianIlett  Год назад

      This pack has the ultimate cell voltage balancing - they're all the same :)