Re-upload: This is a re-release addressing early feedback from the original video, in which I referred to all of the lithium batteries as Lipo, even when 18650s are most commonly Li-ion in chemistry. Pictured in the video and linked in the description was a website about the differences between various lithium batteries, but clearly me constantly using the term Lipo was confusing and misleading. Therefore, I present this minor edited version to correct the problem. My apologies for the original error and I hope this tweaked version can be the informative video I originally set out to make.

Last year I discovered the world of custom 18650 battery building. You take li-ion cells, new or recycled, and build a battery to your exact project specifications. There’s a lot of conflicting information out there and many potential safety hazards. In this video I compile many weeks of research into an introductory guide for building batteries safely.

Please pay close attention to the safety warnings and tips in this video. Always consult a professional, not just onlines videos and forums, before building a custom battery. This video is solely intended to get you up to speed before you check your plans with a professional.

In a future video, I will be building a high voltage, high current custom battery to power a small EV.

0:00 Introduction

0:51 What are 18650s?
Tesla 18650 battery: https://www.evwest.com/catalog/produc...

2:04 Voltage, current and capacity: series vs parallel
Lithium battery FAQ: https://www.batterypowertips.com/diff...

4:39 Example battery calculations
Battery calculator: https://power-calculation.com/battery...

7:28 How to shop for 18650s
How to spot fake VTC cells by Mooch:    • Minding Your mAhs Ep027 – How to dete...  
Tech Around You in Aus (recommended by my personal experience): https://www.techaroundyou.com/
Second Life Storage cell database: https://secondlifestorage.com/index.p...

10:15 Testing and managing 2nd hand 18650s
Opus charger: https://amzn.to/3EOQ43S
Repackr website: https://www.repackr.com

11:09 Building battery frame
Modular cell holders on Amazon: https://amzn.to/31u6rFs
Example cell holder on Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:145...

11:44 Nickel joining strips
How to identify pure vs coated Nickel strips:    • Voltlog #227 - Identifying Pure Nicke...  
Matador’s nickel strip rating chart: https://endless-sphere.com/forums/vie...

12:54 Spot welding the cells together
K-Weld spot welder: https://www.keenlab.de/index.php/prod...

14:41 Solder/spot weld less option: VRUZEND
VRUZEND weldless 18650 kit: https://vruzend.com/product/vruzend-b...

15:08 Balance leads, terminals and charging
Rosin flux paste: https://amzn.to/3FYuLhJ
Fish paper: https://amzn.to/3mTsVXO
Kapton tape: https://amzn.to/31s8Znx

17:31 Finished 3D printer battery

17:51 BMS - Battery management systems
Daly BMS website: https://dalyelec.en.made-in-china.com/

18:41 Conclusion
Previous portable MPMD video:    • Portable 3D printer guide - Monoprice...  
Endless-sphere forums: https://endless-sphere.com/forums/
Reddit 18650 sub:   / 18650masterrace  

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