INSTRUCTION MANUAL: BATTERY PACK DESIGN, BUILD AND TESTING

Contents
Prototypes building ................................................................................................................................. 2
Tools .................................................................................................................................................... 2
Materials ............................................................................................................................................. 2
Pack design.............................................................................................................................................. 2
Essential information data sheets ...................................................................................................... 2
Pack Sizing ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Cycling Parameters ............................................................................................................................. 4
Instructions Steps.................................................................................................................................... 4
Instructions ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Pack Testing and Results ..................................................................................................................... 4
Appendices.............................................................................................................................................. 6
Appendix 1: Specifications .................................................................................................................. 6
Appendix 2: Best matching for each configuration ............................................................................ 7
Appendix 3: Battery assembly with solderless kits ........................................................................... 10
BatteryBlocs .................................................................................................................................. 10
Vruzend kits .................................................................................................................................. 10
Prototypes building

Tools
• long nose pliers
• wire cutters
• insulating tape
• 5-mm nut driver for the Vruzend kit.
• 6-mm nut driver for the BatteryBloc kit.
• Screwdriver

Materials
Table 1: List of materials

Type Item description

Cells ICR18650-26J battery cells
Solderless battery kits BatteryBlocs kit
Vruzend kit
Wiring, monitoring, and switching Leads with built-in fuse holders 30A 24V
accessories Fuse, 100pcs set
BMS
• 3S 40A 12V Multi-Protectional BMS PCB Board with
Balance Charging
• 4S 30A 14.8V PCB BMS 18650 Li-ion Battery Protection
Board with Balance
• 7S 24V 20A Lithium Battery BMS Protection Board with
Balancing Function
40A 12-24VDC Circuit Breaker
Battery Disconnect Switch 12-48V
High Precision Watt-meter Analyzer
Multimeter

Pack design

Essential information data sheets

Two important documents, namely the Specification of Product and Safety Data Sheet for the
ICR18650-26J model are saved on the Google drive for fast access. They contain valuable information
critical to the safe handling and proper use of the battery cell. These include nominal specifications,
charge and discharge characteristics, hazards identification, first aid measures, firefighting measures.
For a single cell, Table 6 shows a voltage range from 2.75 to 4.2 V, a charging rate up to 2600mA (1C)
and discharging rate up to 5200mA (2C). For multiple-cell packs, the guidelines for electrically
designing a pack to be used as an energy storage system are reproduced below. The voltage ranges from
3 to 4 V instead of the wider range for single-cell applications.
Table 2: Electrical design guidelines for an ESS

Item value
Standard charging voltage (4.20V cell) 4.00V
Charging method CC-CV
Full-charging cut-off current 0.025C
Min. voltage of terminate discharging 3.00V
Min. voltage of over-discharging protection 2.50V
BMS shut-down voltage 2.00V
Max. consumption current of BMS after shutdown 10µA/cell
Do not charge <1.00V
Pre-charging voltage range 1.0V - 3.0V
Current range of pre-charging 0.1C to 0.5C

Comparing Table 2 and Table 6 reveals that battery packs designed as per recommendations, individual
cells will each store or drain less than the OEM rated capacity as the cycling is terminated a little earlier.

As for the mechanical design, the manufacturer recommends the following actions:

• install partitions between BMS and cells

• check if the pack is designed to be able to avoid thermal runaway
• analyze the battery pack’s thermal distribution and its effect on the pack cycle
• use non-flammable case
• apply improved material (steel) to the case
• analyze the battery pack’s structure, system, installation status and use environment

Pack Sizing
Considering the ratings of the BMS and battery cell (5200mA maximum discharge rate), we calculate
the number of cells in parallel.
Table 3: battery pack size and nominal ratings

BMS Model Discharge current Pack Nominal Ratings

(A) configuration
3S BMS NLY-3C-V3.0 40 3s7p 18,200mAh,
10.89V
4S BMS CF-4S30S-A 30 4s5p 13,000mAh,
14.52V
7S BMS SHL1-7S-20A 20 7s3p 7,800mAh,
25.41V
Cycling Parameters
Using the settings recommended by the manufacturer’s and listed in Table 2, the battery charging and
discharging settings for each of the chosen configuration of 3s7p, 4s5p and 7s3p are as per Table 4
below.
Table 4: Cycling settings for the designed packs

Configuration Charging (1C) CC-CV Discharge (2C)

Number of cells (4V/cell, 0.025C cut-off) (3V/cell termination)
3s7p 12 V max (455 mA cut-off) 9V cut-off
21 cells 9,100 mA standard 3,640 A standard
18,200 mA max 36,400 A max
4s5p 16 V (325 mAh cut-off) 12V cut-off
20 cells 6,500 mA standard 2,600 mA standard
13,000 mA max 26,000 mA maximum
7s3p 28 V (195 mA cut-off) 21V
21 cells 3900 mA standard 1,560 A standard
7800 mA maximum 15,600 A maximum

Instructions Steps

Instructions
1. Choose the pack series-parallel configuration according to your design needs
2. Select the right tools, materials, and equipment
3. Match the cells to combine in parallel/series with the rePackr - 18650 pack builder tool. This is
done according to capacity and internal resistance to get the most similar values in each pack and
thus have better balancing and longer overall life for the pack. Details of matched cells for the
available BMS is presented in Table 7 to Table 9 in Appendix 2.
4. Insert the matched cells into the battery block as per chosen configuration of series-parallel cells.
The battery building using solderless kits is detailed in Appendix 3: Battery assembly with
solderless kits.
5. Include the necessary monitoring (switch, meter) and protection circuitry (fuse, BMS)
6. Test the pack performance by charging and discharging recording capacity, voltage, current and
duration values.

Pack Testing and Results

Individual pack configuration ratings are listed in Table 7 to Table 9.

Table 5: Battery Pack Testing Parameters and Results

Pack Test step Settings Start End Capacity

Configuration Conditions Conditions (mAh)
4s5p – 13Ah 0.5 - 1C 6500mA 16V, 325mA
14.52V Charge cut-off
12,516 mAh 0.25C
50.6 mΩ 0.2C -2C 2600 mA 12V cut-off
Discharge
0.1C
7s3p – 7.8Ah Charge (28V) 3900 mA 28V, 195 mA
25.41V cut-off
7,507 mAh 0.25C
147.3 mΩ Discharge 1560 mA 21V cut-off
0.1C
3s7p – Charge (12V) 9100 mA 455 mA cut-
18.2Ah off
10.98V 0.25C
17,517 mAh 1/5C 3640 mA 9V cut-off
27.1 mΩ Discharge
0.1C
Appendices

Appendix 1: Specifications
Cell OEM Datasheet Essentials
Table 6: Datasheet essentials

Brand Samsung
Model ICR18650-26J
Capacity 2600mAh Rated

Voltage 3.63V Nominal

Charging 4.20V Maximum

1
1300mA Standard (2 C)
2600mA Maximum
Discharging 2.75V Cutoff
1
520mA Standard (5 C)
5200mA Maximum
Description Pink Cell Wrapper
White Insulator Ring
18650 Form Factor
Appendix 2: Best matching for each configuration

Table 7: Example of matched cells for the 4s5p pack configuration

Tested Capacity
Cell Number IR (mΩ) Branch Module ratings Pack ratings
(mAh)
-LM-0032004 2532.07 67 1
+LM-0038004 2507.87 63 1
12,515 mAh
+LM-0014006 2493.21 62 1
12.50 mΩ
+LM-0007011 2491.53 61 1
+LM-0007010 2490.35 60 1
-LM-0032008 2525.47 65 2
-LM-0005008 2509.78 62 2
12,518 mAh
+LM-0038008 2497.08 62 2
12.60 mΩ
+LM-0038006 2491.6 63 2
+LM-0014010 2490.67 63 2
12,516 mAh
-LM-0032006 2521.74 66 3
50.6 mΩ
+LM-0038002 2512.08 62 3
12,518
-LM-0032007 2503.98 65 3
12.58 mΩ
+LM-0007002 2490.91 62 3
-LM-0005009 2489.31 60 3
-LM-0032010 2518.18 65 4
-LM-0032009 2515.71 67 4
12,515
-LM-0032005 2498.14 65 4
12.95 mΩ
+LM-0038003 2492.59 64 4
+LM-0014008 2490.66 67 4
Table 8: Example of matched cells for the 7s3p pack configuration

Tested Capacity
Cell Number IR (Ω) Module Module ratings Pack ratings
(mAh)
-LM-0032004 2532 67 1 7,512 mAh
+LM-0038006 2492 63 1 21.07 mΩ
+LM-0008005 2489 60 1
-LM-0032008 2525 65 2
7,507 mAh
+LM-0038003 2493 64 2
20.97 mΩ
-LM-0005009 2489 60 2
-LM-0032006 2522 66 3
7,506 mAh
+LM-0014006 2493 62 3
21.09 mΩ
+LM-0007002 2491 62 3
-LM-0032010 2518 65 4 7,507 mAh
7,506 mAh
+LM-0038008 2497 62 4 147.3 mΩ
21.10 mΩ
+LM-0014010 2491 63 4
-LM-0032009 2516 67 5
7,505 mAh
-LM-0032005 2498 65 5
21.41 mΩ
+LM-0007011 2492 61 5
+LM-0038002 2512 62 6
7,507 mAh
-LM-0032007 2504 65 6
21.10 mΩ
+LM-0014008 2491 63 6
-LM-0005008 2510 62 7
7,508 mAh
+LM-0038004 2508 63 7
20.55 mΩ
+LM-0007010 2490 60 7
Table 9: matched cells for the 3s7p pack configuration

Cell Number Tested Capacity (mAh) IR (mΩ) Module Module ratings Pack ratings

-LM-0032004 2532.07 67 1
+LM-0038002 2512.08 62 1
-LM-0032007 2503.98 65 1
17,517 mAh
-LM-0032005 2498.14 65 1
9.03 mΩ
+LM-0007011 2491.53 61 1
+LM-0014008 2490.66 63 1
+LM-0008005 2488.51 60 1
-LM-0032008 2525.47 65 2
-LM-0032009 2515.71 67 2
+LM-0038004 2507.87 63 2
17,518 mAh 17,517 mAh
+LM-0038008 2497.08 62 2
9.03 mΩ 27.1 mΩ
+LM-0038006 2491.6 63 2
+LM-0014010 2490.67 63 2
-LM-0005009 2489.31 60 2
-LM-0032006 2521.74 66 3
-LM-0032010 2518.18 65 3
-LM-0005008 2509.78 62 3
17,517 mAh
+LM-0014006 2493.21 62 3
8.99 mΩ
+LM-0038003 2492.59 64 3
+LM-0007002 2490.91 62 3
+LM-0007010 2490.35 60 3
Appendix 3: Battery assembly with solderless kits
BatteryBlocs

BatteryBlocs use 3D-printed holders that keep together cells connected through magnets and steel
strips. They come in even-numbered parallel cells starting from 1s4p that can hold 4 cells in parallel.

Magnet retainer: base/cover for the galvanized steel strip

block holder
Parallel plate, galvanised steel strip 30x35 mm
Parallel plate, galvanised steel strip, 65x35 mm
Cable lug, small
Cable lug, big
Nylon bolts & nuts
Magnets, pair
Figure 1: "BatteryBloc" kit Nylon washer, big
Nylon washer, small

Assembly instructions for the simplest 1s4p BatteryBlocs are as per the instruction 4P Assembly -
YouTube.:

Vruzend kits
Vruzend kits enable to make battery packs in all imaginable sizes. They come in 2 versions that are
compared in table below:
 Features V1.6 V2.1
Number of cells 52 cells 30 cells
Rating 3.5A continuous per cell 20A continuous per cell
Price $37.99 $41.99

The version V2.1 that Hinckley has in stock has the following items:

Description
• 60 cell terminal blocks with nickel
coated copper alloy spring contacts
• 60 screw terminals and nuts
• 80 pure copper bus bars coated in
pure nickel for corrosion resistance
and high conductivity
• 4 main wire clamps (for
charge/discharge wires)
• 4 cable tie straps for securing the
pack

Assembly instructions for the V2.1 version are as per the video instruction at New & improved Vruzend
V2.1 no-weld 18650 kit - YouTube