Nobuo on endless-sphere has a nice ampacity chart for nickel strips. I'm wondering if anyone has tested various sizes for use as cell fusing rather than just connectivity. Its reasonably straightforward to test, but I thought I'd ask first. Thank you.
Nickel strip as fuse
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Korishan
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I don't see why there'd be an issue using them, really. They would just have to be thin and narrow enough to be used as a fuse.
The thing is, most of the places where fuses are used, is going to be places that have low amperage; <10A. So, we wouldn't be able to reuse the nickel strips we get from tear downs as it's way to thick and wide. It wouldn't be worth the bother to cut the strips narrow enough when it'd be easier to just get nickel wire, or regular fuse wire.
Nickel strips I think would be better used for bridging, rather fusing. After all, that's what it's used for in all the packs we pull apart. It's used there for a reason.
The thing is, most of the places where fuses are used, is going to be places that have low amperage; <10A. So, we wouldn't be able to reuse the nickel strips we get from tear downs as it's way to thick and wide. It wouldn't be worth the bother to cut the strips narrow enough when it'd be easier to just get nickel wire, or regular fuse wire.
Nickel strips I think would be better used for bridging, rather fusing. After all, that's what it's used for in all the packs we pull apart. It's used there for a reason.
I should have been clearer. Yes, using them for bridging cells, but want to make them the appropriate size as to be used like fuse wire. Why the strip? Because then I can spot weld rather than solder and the strips are a little more robust in the physical damage sense. I can run tests to see what width works as a full short battery fuse. Too many options to test, so I will arbitrarily use .15 mm thickness nickel. There needs to be a happy medium between low cell resistance for efficiency sake and the fuse function itself - self destruction.
Korishan
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It's not a matter of cell resistance. It's all about how much amperage it'll take to blow. I have a feeling that you won't be able to cut the nickel in thin enough strip to give it the right amperage to pop at. You're going to need the equivalent of 32 gauge wire. That's pretty small. And with the nickel being .15mm thick, it's going to be difficult getting it narrow enough.
I don't think at the cell level they would work. Now, being used for the pack level, then maybe you might have something there. Cells need to pop around 5-7amps. A pack on the other hand, could be as much 20 - 40amps, depending on how many parallels you do.
If you go through with it, I'd be interested in seeing what you come up with. Just playing the nay sayer here
I don't think at the cell level they would work. Now, being used for the pack level, then maybe you might have something there. Cells need to pop around 5-7amps. A pack on the other hand, could be as much 20 - 40amps, depending on how many parallels you do.
If you go through with it, I'd be interested in seeing what you come up with. Just playing the nay sayer here