Cheap Lipo4 from China

[averhamdave]

What are the dimensions of yours? Do they match the auction details?
36V-16AhR, 5.50 kg, 220x105x150 mm

Yes they do. I had originally asked if he could configure one a little flatter but longer to suit rack mounting. He replied that the standard one suited rack mounting so I left it at that!

 

[jbond]

It does seem like the basic cell used is about 10AHr 12x105x150 mm and all the variations are made by just stacking more of them. So we have 220x105x150 mm, 300x105x150 mm etc etc. To make a flatter version, I guess they could make them in groups of 3 or 4 cells, you'd then have multiples of the 105mm dimension.

If you get a minute, could you measure the dimensions of the BMS?

 

[morphix]

The battery looks incredibly small and light for the power, not to mention cheap! Why are commercial batteries so expensive then?! I would probably get one of these myself when mine eventually gives up the ghost. What do you do about housing the battery cells though? I was gonna suggest it might be possible to fit inside an existing vertical mounting battery holder and have a much lighter battery, but it looks a wide to fit inside.. the size does however look small enough for a behind the seat or even rucksack style with a cable coming out

 

[onmebike]

It does seem like the basic cell used is about 10AHr 12x105x150 mm and all the variations are made by just stacking more of them. So we have 220x105x150 mm, 300x105x150 mm etc etc. To make a flatter version, I guess they could make them in groups of 3 or 4 cells, you'd then have multiples of the 105mm dimension.

If you get a minute, could you measure the dimensions of the BMS?

The cells are 5ah, the 15ah pack has 36 cell's configured 3p12s. BMS is 130 x 45mm.

 

[averhamdave]

Received an invoice today from Fedex for £17.28 customs charge!

 

[flecc]

Received an invoice today from Fedex for £17.28 customs charge!

I warned the other day that China could be the next to be caught. The USA used to be duty free for much e-bike stuff but is now always subject to it, I get the impression that raking in the money is a higher priority.
.

 

[Cyclezee]

Received an invoice today from Fedex for £17.28 customs charge!

Oh great news guess I will get one too. Think I will ask Santa for a shredder

J hn

 

[averhamdave]

The battery sits at 41v fully charged. What would be a safe lowest discharged voltage, ie one that wouldn't harm the battery with prolonged cycling down to that voltage? 32V?

 

[onmebike]

The battery sits at 41v fully charged. What would be a safe lowest discharged voltage, ie one that wouldn't harm the battery with prolonged cycling down to that voltage? 32V?

The BMS will cut around 36v.
Just out of interest, is there any reason you know of why your battery came fedex. Did you pay extra for insurance? Dave, Oldtimer and mine both came Ems/parcelforce and neither of us paid duty.

 

[onmebike]

Received an invoice today from Fedex for £17.28 customs charge!

Normally the seller ships Ems, which is handled by Parcelforce this side.
Maybe Fedex handle's the complete transaction and the seller gets a better deal.

 

[Scimitar]

Fedex and UPS are notorious for this little racket. They make sure that all parcels possible are caught for duties and rake in the duty plus their 'handling charge'. Nets them millions of extra profit per annum.
EMS doesn't suffer from this the same way, but I'd not be surprised if the screws don't tighten as governments get keener on squeezing more money out of us.

 

[Cyclezee]

Mine was delivered to my door by Fedex, but there was a UPS label on the package as well. The seller put a value on the delivery note of $60 (approx. £38?) so £17.28 seems quite steep based on that value, but when you consider delivery is free, that represents less than 10% of the actual cost, still a bargain if the battery lives up to expectations.

I wonder if we have a Customs & Excise snooper in our midst

J hn

 

[onmebike]

Mine was delivered to my door by Fedex, but there was a UPS label on the package as well. The seller put a value on the delivery note of $60 (approx. £38?) so £17.28 seems quite steep based on that value, but when you consider delivery is free, that represents less than 10% of the actual cost, still a bargain if the battery lives up to expectations.

I wonder if we have a Customs & Excise snooper in our midst

J hn

When Parcelforce add import charge's they're generally vat at the going rate plus an £8.00 handling charge, which is still too expensive in my mind.
I have to wonder what they're doing for the £8.00 handling fee that they don't do for duty free delivery's?
Parcelforce also notify you of charge's by letter before delivery and won't deliver till paid.

 

[averhamdave]

To answer the above regarding my invoice:

The parcel was (I'm sure) delivered by UPS
The invoice is from Fedex

The seller valued the battery at $66us

The invoice is made up of:

"Disbursements out of the scope of EU VAT" - £7.28
"Clearance Administration Charge Vatable at 0%" - £10
"Total amount due" - £17.28

 

[Old Timer]

To answer the above regarding my invoice:

The parcel was (I'm sure) delivered by UPS
The invoice is from Fedex

The seller valued the battery at $66us

The invoice is made up of:

"Disbursements out of the scope of EU VAT" - £7.28
"Clearance Administration Charge Vatable at 0%" - £10
"Total amount due" - £17.28

So you paid vat on the price on the declaration and a £10 handling charge. Still not bad and as we have said after a very great deal of purchase from China and HK I`ve not been charged anything so no panic.

 

[morphix]

Thanks for sharing this Old Timer! I'm going to order myself from them but could use some advice..

I want to buy some batteries that are under 3kg and ideally I'd like to have them contained in a plastic housing.. and either rear rack mounted or mounted on the seat post behind the seat. Can anyone recommend a suitable housing source or offer any advice on best approach? Maybe a simpler way would be just using rear pannier bags over a rack which I can easily remove..but I'd be worried that might unbalance the bike.

Bike will probably be an Dahon Espresso folding bike or something similar.

 

[onmebike]

Thanks for sharing this Old Timer! I'm going to order myself from them but could use some advice..

I want to buy some batteries that are under 3kg and ideally I'd like to have them contained in a plastic housing.. and either rear rack mounted or mounted on the seat post behind the seat. Can anyone recommend a suitable housing source or offer any advice on best approach? Maybe a simpler way would be just using rear pannier bags over a rack which I can easily remove..but I'd be worried that might unbalance the bike.

Bike will probably be an Dahon Espresso folding bike or something similar.

I used an abs project box similar to attachment below. Theres all sizes on ebay, just search project or abs box's.
A folders rack is pretty low so I don't think weight will be too much of a problem.
Electronic project box 216x130x85mm. MB4 (Grey stocked) on eBay (end time 16-Dec-10 07:27:24 GMT)

 

[jbond]

I used an abs project box similar to attachment below. Theres all sizes on ebay, just search project or abs box's.
A folders rack is pretty low so I don't think weight will be too much of a problem.
Electronic project box 216x130x85mm. MB4 (Grey stocked) on eBay (end time 16-Dec-10 07:27:24 GMT)

Almost perfick! We could do with a series of these that will take the key Ping dimensions of X*150mm*105mm (X=100,150,220,300) with a bit of padding between the battery and the case and some space for the BMS. They're out there somewhere. I tried to get a list of the box sizes that seller has but couldn't manage it. The other possible source is CD cases or racks since a CD jewel case is 125*142 which is not that far from 105*150.

 

[averhamdave]

I used an abs project box similar to attachment below. Theres all sizes on ebay, just search project or abs box's.
A folders rack is pretty low so I don't think weight will be too much of a problem.
Electronic project box 216x130x85mm. MB4 (Grey stocked) on eBay (end time 16-Dec-10 07:27:24 GMT)

I spent quite a while the other night looking for a project box that would take this battery but didn't succeed.

I think to allow a little foam packing around the battery then a box for this particular unit would have to be 230x160x120 as a minimum. What I found were generally OK in 2 dimensions but way out in the other.

All that said, has anyone found a sensibly proportioned box for this battery?

........ I had concluded what someone else had said (I think it was Old Timer) and that was it was best to build one out of ply. That's what I'll do. I'll paint it and tailor make a canvas cover for it.

 

[aseb]

I spent quite a while the other night looking for a project box that would take this battery but didn't succeed.

I think to allow a little foam packing around the battery then a box for this particular unit would have to be 230x160x120 as a minimum. What I found were generally OK in 2 dimensions but way out in the other.

All that said, has anyone found a sensibly proportioned box for this battery?

........ I had concluded what someone else had said (I think it was Old Timer) and that was it was best to build one out of ply. That's what I'll do. I'll paint it and tailor make a canvas cover for it.

I looked at these options also spending months searching, even got as far as buying a large plastic toolbox to do the job when I came across something better. My battery is 200 x 140 x 160 mm and I got an ABS plastic topbox which is lockable, your battery would would fit in it too (not at the same time though!). This is the third one I'd tried, first was from eBay somewhere in Yorkshire and although the dimensions given made it seem as if it would fit the curves wouldn't allow it- refund no problem- yours may fit in it. 2nd one tried was ok but the bottom isn't flat so sits (to my mind) too far back on the rack- advert picture seems very carefully taken so this isn't noticeable. Bike blew over in strong winds and cracked plastic near a hinge (repaired it no problem, + don't trust the centre stand when it's windy because of higher c of g due to battery) but i looked around for something a bit better and found a topbox the same as the 2nd one but with a flat bottom (both box lids are the same, only the base is different) so I could sit it a little further forward with weight over the axle rather than behind it- quick look on ebay brought this up- looks the same, but check the internal sizes are suitable for your battery, and he doesn't give external dimensions, and whether the bottom is flat if that's important to you.
There are other motorbike top boxes that will take the battery but most are wider than long- if that's ok for you there should be more choice, but many seem too curved meaning a large box to get a fit.

The lock is cam lock affair which bears onto plastic so wouldn't be too resistant to forcing, I beefed mine up with a shaped piece of aluminium which is bolted into place (the second one I'd tried got broken into while parked outside a supermarket in Blyth, this one has either resisted attacks or been luckier). I've also drilled through the back and fitted an led light to it. I can try and get a few pics if you'd like (phone pics unfortunately, haven't seen my digital camera for months and months). Plastic is pretty thick and tough, and it does a good job with enough room left for the controller, hat, gloves, a few tools, and the 1.2m 10mm cable that came with my Magnum Plus U-lock.

Update:
curved bottom one on amazon
flat bottom one on amazon