ArmyEngineer
08-23-2015, 12:33 PM
All,
I am tired of these proprietary battery packs, one cell goes bad, and the whole assembly is shot. So I thought I would try my hand at 3D printing a prototype e-mag battery housing that would allow the use of replaceable cells. Unfortunately, I sold my 3D printer last week for a 140% profit. :clap: ABS wouldn't be the ideal material anyway.
Pros:
Use high quality AAA cells (eneloops).
Replace failed cells individually.
Maintain/refresh cells using a modern smart charger.
Compatible with existing charger.
Cheaper to replace batteries.
Cons:
Assembly is more complicated.
Ano.
May not handle shock as well as the original shrinkwrapped pack.
Slightly taller to accommodate contacts.
I started working on a SketchUp CAD of the concept, which I think will work. (It's 1" wide vs 0.975" for the original pack, and maybe 0.25-0.5" taller.) It would use two FR4 terminal boards with http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LPOW3NM contacts. The idea is that the terminal boards would fit inside the center section of the new housing, to avoid the need to mill the end pieces. Here are a couple of drawings. Note that I made the terminal board last, which is the reason for the overshoot on the outside terminal pads. The center section would need to be modified to accommodate that overhang. A backer board would need to be used for each terminal board, once the contacts were installed. One wire would run through the pack to the top and connect to an original pack's terminal plate.
9165491657
If there are any machinists out there (*cough* Xmagterror and Luke), would you please be so kind as to comment on the feasibility of such a design? Any idea what it might cost to produce? Feel free to send me a PM.
Is there anyone else out there who would be interested in a run of these?
Thanks,
AE
I am tired of these proprietary battery packs, one cell goes bad, and the whole assembly is shot. So I thought I would try my hand at 3D printing a prototype e-mag battery housing that would allow the use of replaceable cells. Unfortunately, I sold my 3D printer last week for a 140% profit. :clap: ABS wouldn't be the ideal material anyway.
Pros:
Use high quality AAA cells (eneloops).
Replace failed cells individually.
Maintain/refresh cells using a modern smart charger.
Compatible with existing charger.
Cheaper to replace batteries.
Cons:
Assembly is more complicated.
Ano.
May not handle shock as well as the original shrinkwrapped pack.
Slightly taller to accommodate contacts.
I started working on a SketchUp CAD of the concept, which I think will work. (It's 1" wide vs 0.975" for the original pack, and maybe 0.25-0.5" taller.) It would use two FR4 terminal boards with http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LPOW3NM contacts. The idea is that the terminal boards would fit inside the center section of the new housing, to avoid the need to mill the end pieces. Here are a couple of drawings. Note that I made the terminal board last, which is the reason for the overshoot on the outside terminal pads. The center section would need to be modified to accommodate that overhang. A backer board would need to be used for each terminal board, once the contacts were installed. One wire would run through the pack to the top and connect to an original pack's terminal plate.
9165491657
If there are any machinists out there (*cough* Xmagterror and Luke), would you please be so kind as to comment on the feasibility of such a design? Any idea what it might cost to produce? Feel free to send me a PM.
Is there anyone else out there who would be interested in a run of these?
Thanks,
AE