quite off topic - can you use any bolts from a hardware store....

[3rutu5]

quite off topic - can you use any bolts from a hardware store as battery terminals on a 3.7-24v project? i saw something interesting to avoid soldering/welding terminals, but unsure what bolts could potentially be used or not.

[DeZZar]

Any steel/brass/aluminium bolts will conduct electricity. Just avoid galvanised or anodised.

[djg]

Aircraft NiCad batteries use stainless steel straps and hardware.

[3rutu5]

brilliant, ill grab some stainless fittings, and look at that next time. Soldering was a pain onto the cheap terminals/clips and almost melted the 3d print it was sitting on

[billfitzmaurice]

If you're going to be soldering use brass. Where conductivity is concerned it doesn't matter, the lengths involved are too short for there to be enough resistance to matter.

[JRT]

Aircraft NiCad batteries use stainless steel straps and hardware.

No, that is false. I just looked at two good sources, Boeing and Hawker. They both use nickel plated copper in that application.

The excerpt from Boeing source material states, "CELL: BATTERY,NICAD,CVH250KA, Saft Batteries, Part # 023412-000=23 Mfr. Part # 023412-000
The 257CH-9 Saft nickel-cadmium battery consists of a box (020), containing 20 individual cells CVH250KA. These cells are connected in series to obtain 24 V nominal. Individual cells are enclosed in a polyamide container that provides insulation, allowing them to be fitted side-by-side in the battery box. Interconnection of cells is via rigid, highly conductive, nickel-plated copper links (180 to 240). Each link is held in place by nickel-plated copper nuts (130) on the cell terminals. Inside the battery box, individual cells are held in place by partitions, liners and spacers (040), and a cover (030). The terminals (050) connects the battery to the aircraft DC power. The cover (030), which can be removed, is attached to the box (020) by 4 latches."

The excerpt from Hawker source material states, "1.2.2.5 Pole terminals, connectors and terminal nuts
Pole terminals, nuts and connectors used for the inter-cell connection are made of highly conductive nickel-plated copper material."

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PE Mods, please do not delete the following links to some example information related to nicad batteries used in certified aviation applications, on large transport aircraft. These links merely confirm material used in that application, are not SPAM and do not compete with anything that PE sells.

Boeing:

https://shop.boeing.com/aviation-supply/p/023412-000=23

Hawker: https://www.enersys.com/49bd63/globa...ersion1_en.pdf

[djg]

I stand corrected. I never really messed with NiCads much, my company used Concorde lead acid batteries, much less maintenance.

[JRT]

quite off topic - can you use any bolts from a hardware store as battery terminals on a 3.7-24v project? i saw something interesting to avoid soldering/welding terminals, but unsure what bolts could potentially be used or not.

You should use spotwelds for assembling your battery packs. Spotwelding is utilized because related heating is localized and does not damage the cell, so likewise should not damage 3D printed supporting structures. A cursory web-search will quickly find a lot of useful information. DIY battery packs for DIY electric bicycle applications would be a good place to look.