Batteries are a big part of my learning sessions. I try to inform about the technology, the dangers of LiPo and how to get the best performance from your battery tools and systems that use batteries. This is not a learn once and move on technoligies, the pace of development in batteries is even faster than computer chips.
Step one was getting a battery resistance tester labled peacefair. It didn't do condition tests, it measured resistance in the battery, The unit stopped working on the 3rd battery (china)
Step 2 is where we are. This is the DL24 condition tester. There is some real awesome forums that cover this product, even with it having several manufactures the forums are very detailed. This unit is the 180watt unit.
Here Goes:
The 18650 Cell belongs to the Lithium Ion type chemistry and hence very high care has to be taken while using it. This includes while both charging and discharging the batteries. While discharging the battery, care should be taken that we never consume more current the C rating and also the battery should never be discharged below 3.0V. Normally a circuit will be employed to monitor the discharge current and under voltage value to cut off the battery from the load if anything goes wrong. Also care should be taken that the battery never experiences a short circuit or reverse polarity.
Started printing a case
Doing some research on this unit dl24 it appears it's been around awhile. There are a lot of mods to it but I had to stop and ask myself what i am trying to accomplish?
Testing the capacity of 18650 batteries. And after the process is learned to move toward establishing methods to test and rate other liPo cells.
The objective is to have a system setup so anytime batteries are acquired they can be fully charged then their capacity tested and get the battery rated for how much energy capacity is left.
If your new to the 18650 cell do some research on using them for car batteries, that is replace the 12v lead acid brick with a LiPo. You can purchase the but they run about 800 bucks. There are several 3d print files available to print cases that build a car battery. I am hoping to get there
Text from the manual,
Assembled after printing the case, very clean. I combined all the parts into one print but I only added 1 base mount so I had to print 3 more