Go Back  R/C Tech Forums > General Forums > Radio and Electronics
breaking battery leads >

breaking battery leads

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

breaking battery leads

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-23-2014 | 06:23 PM
  #1  
Thread Starter
Suspended
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,450
Default breaking battery leads

Am I the only one having this issue? My battery leads keep breaking off the battery inside. It alum strip coming out of the cells keep tearing off. I don't pull on the wires to lift the battery out of the car so that leads me to think they're breaking from vibration.

I'm thinking about cracking open the other cases and using hot glue on the leads.
mtpocketsracing is offline  
Old 02-23-2014 | 06:53 PM
  #2  
ThePanda's Avatar
Tech Champion
iTrader: (68)
 
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,197
From: Michigan
Default

what batteries?
ThePanda is offline  
Old 02-23-2014 | 07:10 PM
  #3  
Thread Starter
Suspended
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,450
Default

One was a turnigy and the other a gens ace. At first I thought bad luck. The second time I was thinking Wtf! It sucks the Cells are fine. I can't get solder to stick to the things. They did but my stuff flows right off.

I'm going to try a few more tricks to solder it.
mtpocketsracing is offline  
Old 02-24-2014 | 06:00 AM
  #4  
Tech Elite
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,337
From: Northern & Central Illinois
Default

Originally Posted by mtpocketsracing
One was a turnigy and the other a gens ace. At first I thought bad luck. The second time I was thinking Wtf! It sucks the Cells are fine. I can't get solder to stick to the things. They did but my stuff flows right off.

I'm going to try a few more tricks to solder it.
You will be unsucessful soldering regular or silver solder to aluminum tabs. You need to get zinc solder and flux for zinc solder in order to make a bond. Cheap Battery Packs sell the stuff.
AreCee is offline  
Old 02-24-2014 | 03:06 PM
  #5  
Thread Starter
Suspended
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,450
Default

Originally Posted by AreCee
You will be unsucessful soldering regular or silver solder to aluminum tabs. You need to get zinc solder and flux for zinc solder in order to make a bond. Cheap Battery Packs sell the stuff.
yeah thats the stuff I was going to try. but its very hard to find. even that place in your link doesn't have any in stock. it's said that at least for 2 months that I've been looking. anyplace else wants more for the solder than i can get a battery for.
mtpocketsracing is offline  
Old 02-27-2014 | 08:58 PM
  #6  
Suspended
 
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 82
Default

Maybe you got a fake one. You'd better get a new one.
davidwills is offline  
Old 03-22-2014 | 03:34 AM
  #7  
Thread Starter
Suspended
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,450
Default

ok so I shot that place an email and Mike I presume the owner told me he's no longer going to sell that stuff. it's too expensive and he doesn't sell enough of it.
mtpocketsracing is offline  
Old 03-22-2014 | 01:45 PM
  #8  
lbenton's Avatar
Tech Elite
iTrader: (48)
 
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,127
From: Fort Worth Tx
Default

If the problem is chronic you may have an issue in setup.

The battery wires connecting to the ESC may not have enough slack causing a lot of stress as the chassis flexes. Or I guess too much slack can make the wires move around like jump ropes doing damage over time as well.

Or if the battery can move in the tray that can put some yank on the wires too.

With inboard batteries I would guess that a bad habit pulling the bullets out can also cause stress in the battery.

I would try to find the root of this, it is possible to just have bad luck and lose a few packs like this, but it is wise to look into why that is happening.
lbenton is offline  
Old 03-22-2014 | 02:23 PM
  #9  
Thread Starter
Suspended
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,450
Default

ok it's only happened to the 7.4s I use in my B4.1. too much wire is more likely. but after taking the batteries apart there is nothing on the ends holding the soldered tabs stable. if they would glue or tape them I doubt I'd be having a problem. the tab that comes out of the packs are what's tearing off.


I think I might try a hotter soldering station.

Last edited by mtpocketsracing; 03-22-2014 at 02:34 PM.
mtpocketsracing is offline  
Old 03-22-2014 | 03:10 PM
  #10  
ThePanda's Avatar
Tech Champion
iTrader: (68)
 
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,197
From: Michigan
Default

can you take a picture of the issue. I am having trouble visualizing here.
ThePanda is offline  
Old 03-23-2014 | 04:20 PM
  #11  
Thread Starter
Suspended
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,450
Default

Originally Posted by ThePanda
can you take a picture of the issue. I am having trouble visualizing here.
this isn't a very good example because I already purposely cut the rest away to throw it away.
but i dug it out of the trash to show you a picture.

the silver tabs that come out of the cells is what I can't get solder to stick to.
obviously it can be soldered but I can't seem to get any of the solder I have to work. it's either the fault of the solder or my iron (station) can't get hot enough.
it's only a 40w iron. so that might be why. the brown looking goop on the upper tab is flux I never bothered to clean back off after I decided to toss it in the garbage.

anyway, the two tabs on the untapped side used to be together. but for whatever reason they broke apart. it sucks because both of these cells are in great condition.

I overheard a few guys at the track today talking about his batteries have done the same thing to him.

mtpocketsracing is offline  
Old 03-23-2014 | 06:00 PM
  #12  
lbenton's Avatar
Tech Elite
iTrader: (48)
 
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,127
From: Fort Worth Tx
Default

Originally Posted by mtpocketsracing
That looks bad to me.. like it has damage beyond the tabs being unsoldered. It looks like the lipo itself might have roasted. I could be way off, just have this one picture to judge from, but I would salt bath that one and get something else.
lbenton is offline  
Old 03-23-2014 | 06:54 PM
  #13  
Thread Starter
Suspended
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,450
Default

it only looks like that from me.
the battery is actually fine.
mtpocketsracing is offline  
Old 03-23-2014 | 08:20 PM
  #14  
Tech Elite
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,337
From: Northern & Central Illinois
Default

It's not your iron. You can't flow lead/tin solder onto aluminum, you need a zinc solder.
AreCee is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.