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Life Battery Surgery

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Old 04-24-2016, 03:08 PM
  #1  
ETpilot
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Default Life Battery Surgery

My latest crash messed up my battery a little bit. The battery still shows good voltage. The black lead was cut at the balance plug and the red was pulled from the positive solder point. I need to resolder the red lead and crimp on a new plug. My balance plug extension can still be used to make charging a bit easier. After the repair I will tape it all up. I will also do some testing before putting this battery back in service. I need to stock up on this size wire and servo wire.
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Old 04-26-2016, 03:23 PM
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Well the battery lives. I soldered the red wire, crimped the black wire and reused the housing. The battery is charging and properly balancing the cells. It should be good to go but I will test a bit more before it flies again.
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Old 04-26-2016, 04:00 PM
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Were it me (it's not), that pack would never fly again! Over the years I have been bit hard by doing shortcuts or using questionable methods. If it hit that hard there may be unseen damage? Safe or sorry?
Old 04-26-2016, 04:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Gizmo-RCU
Were it me (it's not), that pack would never fly again! Over the years I have been bit hard by doing shortcuts or using questionable methods. If it hit that hard there may be unseen damage? Safe or sorry?
You are probably right. Safe over sorry. But, I've built some battery packs. This one required one soldered joint and a crimp fitting . It is working good so far. I will test more to be safe. It is going in a SPAD airplane so no big loss for me. I'm flying it on my private airstrip so no one will get hurt except maybe me. I can use my tractor as a shield. Weighing the risk factors it is a go for me. No so at a club field until it has proven itself.
Old 04-28-2016, 06:18 PM
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I don't see anything wrong with the repair. IMO a long as the cells were not damaged you should be good to go. Your repairs are nothing more than was done to the pack during the assembly process at the manufacturer.

Ken
Old 04-29-2016, 04:08 AM
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My thinking exactly. It's always good to get an opposing view. Sometimes others see what you don't see. Helps evaluate a problem.
Old 04-29-2016, 06:04 AM
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Ken,
It's what you don't see that gets ya!
Old 04-29-2016, 06:16 AM
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True, but that is what testing get is for. The OP has weighed the risk factors and is happy with the balance considering where he flys.

Ken
Old 04-29-2016, 04:07 PM
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It is a sad thing that people in this hobby now days have so little confidence in their abilities to do anything anymore. Then with someone does, others put them down for even trying.
That repair looks good , run the battery thru a few cycles first before you put it back in service.
Old 04-30-2016, 05:20 AM
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I'm the Mr. Fix It type. So I try to fix before I discard. I've fixed many things for friends n neighbors. Things that were about to be thrown away. I once fixed a blower for a niece. I asked for a few household items and got it fixed. She said you are MacGyver. I remembered the show but never watched it. I had to look it up to get the meaning.

Risks, sure you have to weigh the risks. Then either proceed or abandon the project.

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