Broken connectors, happened to you?

deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
since this is the third time it has happened, I can't be the only one. The connection blade on the battery broke off at the case. Just a tiny bit left, I'm trying to salvage this one. I threw two away for the same thing.
 
Sounds like you're getting a lot of movement or vibration when riding? I've never lost a contact even after my bike fell down a half dozen or so times. My battery pack would come off, but everything stayed where they're supposed to be. You could try soldering, but that's awful close to the battery case already. Plastic don't take kindly to that much heat. I know there's a paste that can be used in just this kind of case. It keeps the heat from affecting areas you don't want melted or burned. Another try would be to get a new contact, make sure it contacts the old one and slather on JB Weld and be sure to duct tape the wire so it doesn't move. zpt
 
You should make battery box which doesn't allow batteries to move at all (and connections between them). Duct tape is good for quick fixes , not as a permanent solution.
I know that you use different batteries in your setup's (interchangeable stuff) and you charge them separately, but that only means that you have to do more brainstorming while you design the box(and you can address the rain problem , while you at it). Some of the people I know , play with the battery packs the similar way and they , basically, go with slightly larger box or two smaller ones , which can accommodate batteries that they have in mind (some put theirs controllers there too). Boxes are made of fiber glass(&polyester resin- messy stuff), plywood (with some coating), or the metal (only in well-equipped workshops, with know-how). Some of them just bought plastic boxes from home depot and adapt them to meet the purpose(means - they just drilled a few holes and added some straps).
 
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It wasn't from a fall guys. It was from the fact that I use and misuse my batteries. I'm one of those guys who is never satisfied. I change battery configurations regularly, going form 24 yo 36volt packs as I experiment. I also change the configuration in the trailer often for more or less weight vs range. In doing so I have moved the tab up a little and down a little to route the wires a little differently. This time it just broke off. I won't be buying anymore batteries with tabs thats for sure. If I have to pull the trailer after these wear out, it will be all 17ah with screw connectors at least.

I am going down to feed the dogs and test the bolt I jb welded to the battery case. by the way soldering to that small stup didn't work at all. I still have to be able to hook a battery charger to it. I'll probably have to toss the bad one. It's a good 12AH I do hate to lose it prematurely. but experimenting has it cost.

I
 
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Alas poor battery I knew it well...
I had to toss the battery. The epoxy didn't hold. Without a secure connection I would just be asking to push the bike home. So what I did was to right a battery pack with two 12 ah batteries in series and then two 7ah batteries in parallel then put them in series with the 12 ah ones. So it is still a 36 volt 12ah pack. The reason I hooked it that way was that I could stand the batteries on end and get into the space left on my trailer. If I want to go somewhere ten miles five miles or more away and come home, I can rig them all on the trailer to get a 29ah pack.
 
Oooh. Hey Deacon. What if you used clips instead. On off on off without stressing the tabs. They got those squeeze type clips that hold harder than standard alligator clips. Just a thought. ;)
 
Not a bad one at that. I have tried those but they seem to come unclipped for me at the worst time. I should have used them on at least the connections between batteries in the series circuit.
 
You can drill a small hole trough the tab and put a little bolt in it , than secure it with some epoxy. Second nut can hold a wire(wire comes between first and second nut , maybe with some washers between them) and that should be easy to remove without damage to the battery tab. Just a thought.
 
I was thinking metal screw run in so that the head covered the broken tab with epoxie under the head to keep it in and the acid in as well./ I might give it a try I have nothing to lose.
 
vibration....battery boxes....stop....maybe the weak link is the connector...try making a new one...a better one
 
noco said:
vibration....battery boxes....stop....maybe the weak link is the connector...try making a new one...a better one
Click to expand...

You are absolutely right... If you never moved the connector up and down it probably would last the life of the battery, especially if you otherwise abused the battery, but alas I do move my batteries around searching for the best possible setup. That being said, I will never buy this type battery, with this type connector, again. even if I go back to sla, i will buy the ones with the post and bolt connectors. The larger ones have those.
 
Here is what seems to have worked

I tried a combination of suggestions and here is what seems to have worked. Your ideas blended with an old trick my dad used to use to stop leeks in rubber tanks in the fifties.

I used a finishing nail in my drill to bore a small hole near the bit of tab that was left. Then I found a small sheet metal screw and a small washer. I run the screw and washer down tight. The washer came in tight contact with the tab. I did not use the epoxy this time for fear of insulating the small tab. If it leaks acid, then I will just have to toss it.

The screw seems tight and they held for my dad, if there was no internal pressure, so we will see. The metal may adversely effect the battery but I don't think it will. Anyway it's the best I could come up with and I thank you for the suggestions.

PS the head of the phillips screw held the solder quite well. I have a wire soldered and duct taped to the body of the battery to limit its movement.
 
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