#4842852
I have had a few requests for info on how I hook up the 12v battery on my packs. Instead of sending directions to each person I figured I would make a thread. If you have a better way feel free to add it as a full post in this thread. The more info available the better.

I find the 5.5mm charging cables on ebay (You can also make your own from type N-ports from Radio Shack) you have to sometimes buy ten sets at a time, but the are SUPER cheap. I get mine for $9 shipped and then give the others to people I know who are building packs.

Image

This is how I set up mine -

Image

You'll notice that I have a kill switch between the board and the battery. I do this so that I can isolate the electronics while I am charging the pack. It also acts as my main kill switch for when I am not using the pack.

You will probably want to extend the wires from the charging port to the cable going to the battery. I tend to put my battery up high.

Image

Image

Image

Image

I also attache my battery with 3M foam tape. It sticks great (two years on my last pack and no problems) and is a simple clean way to mount things to the motherboard. I got this idea from Spongeface and is now the only way I attach electronics to the motherboard.

Hope this helps folks!
PssdffJay, jackdoud, Riggs45 and 8 others liked this
#4842879
Question, and I'm asking this because my electronics knowledge is rusty... isn't the switch better installed on the red/positive line than the black/negative/ground? I'm possibly wrong, but just thought I'd ask...
#4842880
pyhasanon wrote:Question, and I'm asking this because my electronics knowledge is rusty... isn't the switch better installed on the red/positive line than the black/negative/ground? I'm possibly wrong, but just thought I'd ask...
Yes. Interrupting the ground will work but there is a small risk of a short at the board. Mostly theoretical but I always install switches on the positive side.
#4842881
Alan Hawkins wrote:I love you too you sexy Canadian hunk of man!
Pffft where's the love here? I too use the 3M method for my battery. And fully agree on the kill switch. Isolate your Electronics from the battery to prevent any type of "oopsie" hap'nin
#4842883
It's helpful guides like this that let me know I'm in the right place. Saves me and others wasting time finding the info and speeds up our builds. I've already found the parts on eBay.

Thanks for taking the time to post this.
#4842887
You are a magnificent specimen of human decency. I was just starting to research this and BAM! Alan Hawkins posts it. Why must you live on the other side of the continent?
#4842891
My thinking is always that the ground should always be there, to shunt any kind of surges or spikes to the negative/ground potential... leaving the positive connected is telling me that power is always being supplied with nowhere to go because the ground was removed...
#4842892
And like I said my experience is in automotive. You don't want the positive interrupted since it could cause a short (worse case scenario during a crash and spark a fire.) Since a car has multiple ground points the negative is a safe bet. I have also experienced switches (that others have installed on the positive) burning out. I don't see any of these situations happening with a pack. Personal experience is that I have wired six packs this way in the last three years and zero problems.
#4842894
Think of it like this. It doesn't matter where you insert the switch to interrupt the circuit. Wherever you cut it, one side is still positive and one negative. However, to protect the PCB, insert the switch before the board. That way, the board sits on the negative side of the circuit whenever the switch it off.
jackdoud liked this
#4842898
Use a DPDT switch to select battery source. I'd push both sides of the source through this and use another switch as power on/off.
PssdffJay liked this
#4843022
Cool! I just bought a bunch of these too prepping for a battery upgrade. I plan to keep the batter on the outside of my pack intentionally.

This will be a big help.
#4843042
csullivan1980 wrote:I plan to keep the batter on the outside of my pack intentionally.
Out of curiosity, why? Convenience?

Someone on FB found it. NARDA ELECTROMAGNETIC RADI[…]

It appears that some time today someone who […]

Correct, it grants several in fact the Melody's […]

Are they just newspaper clippings or something? […]