SimonW
Member
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2017
- Messages
- 89
Hi Guys,
I held off introducing myself until I had something to show.
So, the easy part is now done,I've cracked open a few lappy packs and have harvested a fewcells pictured below. Now it's time to test and sort.
Small steps for this beginner;my primarymotivation is to replace my aging camping solar batteries.
Our family camps 3 or 4 times a year and for the last 8 years or so I have been lugging around two 38Ah LA batteries in parallel.
They have served us well but are now starting to get a bit tired, especially with the electric blanket when camping inwinter!
Also, at 26kg (57lbs),I'm tired of moving the damned things! even if it is only 3 or 4 times a year.
I had been looking at a replacement LA battery, a Fullriver 120Ah costing ~$400 andweighing a mere 37kg(82lbs), but then started searching for Lithium alternatives. Seeing the prices for a 120Ah Lithium(Fusion) floored me, I had expected prices to have dropped a little over the years but ~AU$1500 is insane.
That's when a little more research and learning about 18650's, well,evil plansstarted to brew.
Current plan is a 4s60p battery, so ~14.8 and~120Ah if I'm lucky, and ~15kg (33lbs).
If I can keep costs below $1 a cell, so $240 for the battery (a little more thanhalf the LA price) I'll be happy.
If I getmore good cells from my harvest, all good, go for 80p or 100p, but I'm figuring conservatively at~50% good/bad cells after testing.
What's after this?
Well, my old man is building a motorhome, which currently has 800W solar on the roof, if I can build an 18650 system for him he might save some money on fuel (instead oflugging around 200 kilo's(440lbs) of lead!)
And after that?
An EV to drive to/from work would be really cool.... (I currently spend ~$4000 a year on petrol) .....but let's not get ahead of myself!
Breakdown of my firsthaul in the photo:
There's ~430 cells ready for testing
- 157 (36%) of the cells are Sanyo, so will need careful scrutiny,
- 110 (26%)are Sony
-71 (17%) are Samsung
- 58 (13%) are Panasonic
- 28 (6%) are LG
and just 6 cells were no-name chinese cells.
So far that's 47 cents per cell, if I can get 240 usable cells after testing, which would be 84 cents per cell, I'd be happy with that.
Not pictured:
70 leaky/rusted cells
95 cells that measured 0.0v
71 cells that measured below 1.0v
So ~35% attrition before testing!
Some of the <1.0v cells might be recoverable but I'm not sure if I'll bother.
Enough blah blah.....
I held off introducing myself until I had something to show.
So, the easy part is now done,I've cracked open a few lappy packs and have harvested a fewcells pictured below. Now it's time to test and sort.
Small steps for this beginner;my primarymotivation is to replace my aging camping solar batteries.
Our family camps 3 or 4 times a year and for the last 8 years or so I have been lugging around two 38Ah LA batteries in parallel.
They have served us well but are now starting to get a bit tired, especially with the electric blanket when camping inwinter!
Also, at 26kg (57lbs),I'm tired of moving the damned things! even if it is only 3 or 4 times a year.
I had been looking at a replacement LA battery, a Fullriver 120Ah costing ~$400 andweighing a mere 37kg(82lbs), but then started searching for Lithium alternatives. Seeing the prices for a 120Ah Lithium(Fusion) floored me, I had expected prices to have dropped a little over the years but ~AU$1500 is insane.
That's when a little more research and learning about 18650's, well,evil plansstarted to brew.
Current plan is a 4s60p battery, so ~14.8 and~120Ah if I'm lucky, and ~15kg (33lbs).
If I can keep costs below $1 a cell, so $240 for the battery (a little more thanhalf the LA price) I'll be happy.
If I getmore good cells from my harvest, all good, go for 80p or 100p, but I'm figuring conservatively at~50% good/bad cells after testing.
What's after this?
Well, my old man is building a motorhome, which currently has 800W solar on the roof, if I can build an 18650 system for him he might save some money on fuel (instead oflugging around 200 kilo's(440lbs) of lead!)
And after that?
An EV to drive to/from work would be really cool.... (I currently spend ~$4000 a year on petrol) .....but let's not get ahead of myself!
Breakdown of my firsthaul in the photo:
There's ~430 cells ready for testing
- 157 (36%) of the cells are Sanyo, so will need careful scrutiny,
- 110 (26%)are Sony
-71 (17%) are Samsung
- 58 (13%) are Panasonic
- 28 (6%) are LG
and just 6 cells were no-name chinese cells.
So far that's 47 cents per cell, if I can get 240 usable cells after testing, which would be 84 cents per cell, I'd be happy with that.
Not pictured:
70 leaky/rusted cells
95 cells that measured 0.0v
71 cells that measured below 1.0v
So ~35% attrition before testing!
Some of the <1.0v cells might be recoverable but I'm not sure if I'll bother.
Enough blah blah.....