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Battery Soldering

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So, after having a few bad experiences with the quality of cells used in a couple of pre-made packs, I have decided to build a battery pack from loose cells for a project. The plan is currently to build the pack out of 8 NiCd or NiMH AA size cells.

Though I have quite a bit of experience at soldering with small components, I have very little with larger scale items that require more heat.
I have read many different articles on completing this task, and have a general/basic idea of what is expected. However, I was curious if anyone here may have any any input they would like to share.
 
If a small area or the cell terminal is scraped/sanded, will quickly accept solder with no problem, a hot tinned iron can attach a wire in one second.
 
Be careful not to heat the cells too much and never try to solder button cells, they will explode.
 
I recommend not to solder batteries without solder lug.

Both terminals have to be heated to a temperature >183deg/C to have the solder flow for good mechnical strenght and conductivity. Right after soldering the battery life time will be shortened about 1/2.

There are all kinds of single cells with a solder lug spot welded to the terminals.

Using that kind the batteries receive a small amount of heat when soldering them to a package.

Here is an image of the batteries.

Boncuk
 

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I've found that batteries with solder lugs are more expensive so it might be cheaper to buy a battery holder.
 
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I've found that batteries with solder lugs are more expensive so it might be cheaper to buy a battery holder.


Can you beat that with a battery holder? :)
 

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I would recommend a holder as well, if you don't you're going to want to use a soldering gun not an iron, you want high heat for as brief a period a time as is possible to get the soldering done. Without tabs you basically have to heat up the entire electrode to get it to solder, this is almost sure to shorten the life of the chemistry immediately next to the electrodes. Batteries should be available with solder tabs for only a minor price increase, like a dime or two per cell.
 
I have never had concerns with soldering leads to any type of battery. I just clean up the battery ends with the Dremel and fine grit stone then solder away.

Most of the batteries I have ever taken apart have a little space on each end inside them. Some even have extension caps that give a bit more thermal separation from the ends to the actual working material inside.

A few Weeks ago I rebuilt my laptop battery with different Li Po cells that didn't have solder tabs and had no trouble adding small leads to work with them. :)
 
I am planning on using a 40watt soldering wand, the same iron I've been using for quite some time now, but with a much larger tip for hopefully increased thermal heat capacity. I would be using a hammerhead tip, but to do so, I'd have to bore threads into one for it to fit my iron.
If that doesn't work while I'm practicing on already dead cells, I'll use a soldering gun, but I've read that the increased temperature has more of a risk for destroying the cell's vents/seals.
the pack is to be a double stick-nunchuk pack (only style that will fit within the space avaliable). I'm still not sure what kind of jig I'll use while assembling the linear sticks, but I'll find out soon enough.

Thankyou to everyone for your input!!
 
You only need to get it hot enough for long enough to get the solder to flow out and hold. Pre solder both parts then just do a quick heat and let the two solder joints flow together to connect them followed by a quick dab with a wet cloth or sponge.
 
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