Battery pack supplier recommendations

greyhound_dog_1

Pedelecer
Oct 22, 2009
38
-1
Hi folks

Considering harvesting my old Cytronex (with dead NiMh battery) to convert my new Trek bike as I'm missing the assistance. So I have the motor, 36V controller, but need new battery, BMS and charger. The main question is the battery issue.

Initially I thought about a DIY RC LiPo pack but read about it and I don't fancy all the risks that come with it. I want a reliable quality pack that I can charge off a commercially available charger and leave it to do it's thing without fire risk.

Requirements: 36V, 12-15A. Previous pack was a 2 kg 4 Ah NiMh pack, which was just about adequate for my 12 mile round trip when new. Not so after a 1 year of use. So I am aiming for 6 Ah which I think would be ideal with some reserve for deterioration. (maybe 8 Ah if 6 Ah not available).

Interested to read about an ideal looking cell - the Samsung INR-18650-30Q (for some reason googling it comes up with most entries about electronic cigarettes...). 3000 mAh, 15-20A rated current, 3.6V nominal.
A tiny 10S2P 6Ah pack made of these would be compact and provide the ideal range for my journey.
http://lunacycle.com/batteries/bare-cells/samsung-18650-30q-3000mah-18650-50-pack-wholesale/
(also heard some new LG cells are very similar).

Looked at the site people recommend, BMSbattery, and all their Li-ion packs are 12+Ah. Don't need this capacity/weight, though the price isn't bad. A 6-8 Ah version of this would be seem ideal:
https://bmsbattery.com/ebike-battery/785-36v145ah-case-08-bottle-panasonic-battery-pack-battery.html
also they do a LiPo pack.
https://bmsbattery.com/ebike-battery/474-36v9ah-lifepo4-alloy-01-case-ebike-battery-pack-battery.html

But basically, to large, too heavy for my needs.
A Li-ion 10S2P pack would be tiny, weigh about 1 kg and get me to work and back if I used the Samsung INR-18650-30Q. I would consider a self-build pack if I could get a recommendation for someone selling the genuine cells with solder tabs. I don't have a spot welder, only a soldering iron.

So can anyone recommend either:
- a reputable seller offering new cells with solder tabs (i.e. genuine Samsung/LG ones)
- a reputable seller selling Li-ion battery packs that are smaller capacity, ideally using these new cells
- a reputable seller that will custom build a pack to my requirements.
(and that post to UK. e.g. Lunacycles don't post internationally).

Have hunted but finding it difficult, plus regarding international suppliers not knowing who is offering a genuine product...
Thanks in advance.
 

trex

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 15, 2011
7,703
2,671
you are better off buying a ready made downtube pack.
If you buy from bmsbattery, you need to allow $100 for airfreight , and you will likely be charged for import duty and VAT.
For example, this popular bmsbattery 36V 15AH pack costs $299
https://bmsbattery.com/ebike-battery/777-36v145ah-case-08-bottle-panasonic-battery-pack-battery.html
DHL also charge £10 admin fee.
Total cost: ($299 + $100) * 1.06 * 1.2 = $507.53
6% duty + 20% Vat. With paypal, that's about £336.

You can buy a similar battery 36V 15AH with Samsung 18650 29E from eclipses for £280
http://eclipsebikes.com/145ah-lithium-frame-battery-samsung-cells-p-1104.html

or the HL battery kit from Woosh (36V 15AH with Samsung 18650 29E and Bluetooth) for £315
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?batteries#batkit

Both UK source products come with full guarantee.
 
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greyhound_dog_1

Pedelecer
Oct 22, 2009
38
-1
Hi Trex, thank you for your reply and the useful suggestions for UK based battery suppliers.
Seems as technology has matured, batteries have gotten larger in capacity but same size/weight, rather than offering same capacity with less weight. But I'm really after a small pack...I will enquire in case they can offer me anything.

Anyone know of anyone offering small compact packs? Also perhaps suppliers who can offer custom packs. Rumour has it Cytronex will sell a Lithium battery but no release date yet.
 

derf

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 4, 2014
1,007
766
53
you are better off buying a ready made downtube pack.
If you buy from bmsbattery, you need to allow $100 for airfreight , and you will likely be charged for import duty and VAT.
For example, this popular bmsbattery 36V 15AH pack costs $299
https://bmsbattery.com/ebike-battery/777-36v145ah-case-08-bottle-panasonic-battery-pack-battery.html
DHL also charge £10 admin fee.
Total cost: ($299 + $100) * 1.06 * 1.2 = $507.53
6% duty + 20% Vat. With paypal, that's about £336.

You can buy a similar battery 36V 15AH with Samsung 18650 29E from eclipses for £280
http://eclipsebikes.com/145ah-lithium-frame-battery-samsung-cells-p-1104.html

or the HL battery kit from Woosh (36V 15AH with Samsung 18650 29E and Bluetooth) for £315
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?batteries#batkit

Both UK source products come with full guarantee.
that's really useful information, many thanks - genuinely without hijacking this thread Trex - what would happen if one attached a 48V battery to a TCM crank drive (as opposed to its usual 36V)?
 

trex

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 15, 2011
7,703
2,671
the Lishui controller can't support 48V for long. D8veh did that two years ago, he reported the motor getting hot and not much increase in power.
 

SPYDER

Finding my (electric) wheels
Oct 10, 2015
20
5
65
Sherwood Forest NG17
I am presently awaiting delivery ( due tomorrow ) of a 13.6ah 48V pack from Insat International. It is made up using 3400mah PANASONIC 18650 cells.
The chap building it up for me says he uses a premium BMS unit sourced from the USA and provides a full printout of the discharge test with every battery he supplies. They have batteries on ebay but I dealt direct.
Here's there ebay auction. Loads of useful info...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Insat-Li-NMC-eBike-Battery-Electric-Bike-10-15Ah-24V-36V-48V-e-bike-battery-/331485310419?var=&hash=item4d2e106dd3:m:m8c7FUsp_phLtXj3YKUmfLQ
 

mutmost

Pedelecer
Jun 24, 2009
62
0
Spyder, if you don't mind me asking how much was your battery and are you getting a charger with it?
thanks
 

SPYDER

Finding my (electric) wheels
Oct 10, 2015
20
5
65
Sherwood Forest NG17
Yes, it comes with a charger and it cost £320 inc post.
Its a "DOLPHIN" type case.
They offered a 17ah unit built in a bottle type case but it was too long to fit in my frame.
I'll be doing a full report on my "XIONGDA" build thread.
 

mutmost

Pedelecer
Jun 24, 2009
62
0
Thanks Spyder, i look forward to seeing it on your bike and how it performs.
(neat looking build)
 

KirstinS

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 5, 2011
3,224
899
Brighton
Hi Trex, thank you for your reply and the useful suggestions for UK based battery suppliers.
Seems as technology has matured, batteries have gotten larger in capacity but same size/weight, rather than offering same capacity with less weight. But I'm really after a small pack...I will enquire in case they can offer me anything.

Anyone know of anyone offering small compact packs? Also perhaps suppliers who can offer custom packs. Rumour has it Cytronex will sell a Lithium battery but no release date yet.

I think your options for a small battery basically mean it is bespoke. No off the peg small ah, lithium packs that I know of. You can

1. Buy cells and build yourself
2. Find a cell supplier happy to build to your specification
3. Go Lipo (appreciate you said you'd rather not but.....)

Or

4. Buy off the peg (c10ah say)

Depends on your time, cash, skills constraints I guess.

Cheers
 

greyhound_dog_1

Pedelecer
Oct 22, 2009
38
-1
In the end I went for one of these Samsung 10.4 Ah batteries to replace my old Cytronex NiMh battery:
http://www.brightonebikes.co.uk/store/p2/Samsung®_cell_36V_10.4AH_E-bike_battery.html
The battery weighs in at 2.5 kg, so only 0.5 kg heavier than old Cytronex NiMh battery, only marginally longer, but a lot more capacity (cost wasn't much more either compared to old NiMh battery).

Actually I also bought it from this new supplier Brighton E-bikes, and I found Darren to be very responsive and helpful and would recommend them.