Built a Battery Discharger

[Rottster]

Just completed my my LiPo battery discharger. Small switch on the left is power for the voltmeter which runs off the 9V battery, banana plug jumpers are to add two more 12V halogen bulbs into the circuit. Large switch in the middle switches from series to parallel so I can discharge up to 48V or double my discharge current @ 0-24V when using 4 bulbs, red covered switch starts loading the battery, switch to the far right is the main power switch which allows me to see battery voltage but does not apply a load.

 

[LibertyMKiii]

Very nice work.

Did you repurpose an existing metal shell for this or made that also?

You could certainly sell something Iike this if you could get it produced for a low enough cost.

 

[Tex Koder]

Just completed my my LiPo battery discharger. Small switch on the left is power for the voltmeter which runs off the 9V battery, banana plug jumpers are to add two more 12V halogen bulbs into the circuit. Large switch in the middle switches from series to parallel so I can discharge up to 48V or double my discharge current @ 0-24V when using 4 bulbs, red covered switch starts loading the battery, switch to the far right is the main power switch which allows me to see battery voltage but does not apply a load.View attachment 290854View attachment 290855View attachment 290856View attachment 290857

Sort of looks like a vintage tube amplifier..
Very nice

Are you planning on making more?


PS:
I just read like a day ago that the Government is banning all incandescent bulbs by August? This year..
So load up on bulbs if that's what you need to make these cool dischargers.

 

[Rottster]

Very nice work.

Did you repurpose an existing metal shell for this or made that also?

You could certainly sell something Iike this if you could get it produced for a low enough cost.

Thanks! The case is store bought, but comes bare so everything had to be cut and drilled. Parts were actually pricey so I doubt I could do this at an attractive price point not mention the labor.

 

[LibertyMKiii]

Thanks! The case is store bought, but comes bare so everything had to be cut and drilled. Parts were actually pricey so I doubt I could do this at an attractive price point not mention the labor.

I was thinking china produced...

 

[Rottster]

Sort of looks like a vintage tube amplifier..
Very nice

Are you planning on making more?


PS:
I just read like a day ago that the Government is banning all incandescent bulbs by August? This year..
So load up on bulbs if that's what you need to make these cool dischargers.

Thanks! I was shooting for mid-century modern look.... Not planning on making more at moment. The 12V Halogen bulbs I found cheap, about a buck a piece and they should last a long, long time since they are being run under-voltage.

I was thinking china produced...

Ah! I suppose I'd have to patent the design first.

 

[SrC]

Just completed my my LiPo battery discharger. Small switch on the left is power for the voltmeter which runs off the 9V battery, banana plug jumpers are to add two more 12V halogen bulbs into the circuit. Large switch in the middle switches from series to parallel so I can discharge up to 48V or double my discharge current @ 0-24V when using 4 bulbs, red covered switch starts loading the battery, switch to the far right is the main power switch which allows me to see battery voltage but does not apply a load.View attachment 290854View attachment 290855View attachment 290856View attachment 290857

I admire the creativity. Looks like the Flux capacitor from Back to the future. Nice job.
I run the ISDT FD-200 Discharger. Probably cost less than your whole setup there if I had to make my own.

 

[RCbuzz]

Very cool design!! Does it have a cutoff feature?

 

[Rottster]

I admire the creativity. Looks like the Flux capacitor from Back to the future. Nice job.
I run the ISDT FD-200 Discharger. Probably cost less than your whole setup there if I had to make my own.

Thanks! I have the same discharger and I love it, but you can only bring the voltage down to 3V per cell max so no good for battery disposal/recycling which this is really intended for. It could be used to discharge for storage, but you'd have to keep an eye on it. I don't like the salt water method as it gives off Oxygen and Hydrogen gas, I can bring it with me if I have a damaged battery, plus I have dogs that like to stick their head in ANY bucket, lol. Parts price wise, I have a lot less than you think in it, the labor is whole 'nother story.

Very cool design!! Does it have a cutoff feature?

Thanks! No cut off, it's designed to safely kill a battery up to 8s.

 

[RCbuzz]

Sort of looks like a vintage tube amplifier..
Very nice

Are you planning on making more?


PS:
I just read like a day ago that the Government is banning all incandescent bulbs by August? This year..
So load up on bulbs if that's what you need to make these cool dischargers.

I wonder what the details on that are. Hopefully halogen and specialty/auto bulbs are excluded.

 

[SrC]

Thanks! I have the same discharger and I love it, but you can only bring the voltage down to 3V per cell max so no good for battery disposal/recycling which this is really intended for. It could be used to discharge for storage, but you'd have to keep an eye on it. I don't like the salt water method as it gives off Oxygen and Hydrogen gas, I can bring it with me if I have a damaged battery, plus I have dogs that like to stick their head in ANY bucket, lol. Parts price wise, I have a lot less than you think in it, the labor is whole 'nother story.

Thanks! No cut off, it's designed to safely kill a battery up to 8s.

I used to make Nim/Nicad dischargers back in the day.... race packs.
My ISDT K2 Air Charger has a "Destroy" setting for putting my Lipos to rest gracefully.

 

[Rottster]

I used to make Nim/Nicad dischargers back in the day.... race packs.
My ISDT K2 Air Charger has a "Destroy" setting for putting my Lipos to rest gracefully.

View attachment 291060

Nice!!!!!

 

[ChemEng]

I used to make Nim/Nicad dischargers back in the day.... race packs.
My ISDT K2 Air Charger has a "Destroy" setting for putting my Lipos to rest gracefully.

View attachment 291060

I have an isdt P30 that has the destroy function, but i would pay money for a steampunk version with vacuum tubes similar to the OP's design and i RARELY need to fully destroy batteries... i have probably 20~1500 mah FVP drone batteries, 10 or more 3s - 6s 5000 to 9700 mah surface batteries but i treat them well.. i've only retired 3 drone batteries after NASTY crashes that left the battery looking like a 1920's flapper fan.

 

[chilly81]

Sick! Awesome job.

Ah! I suppose I'd have to patent the design first.

I doubt they really care one way or another lol.

 

[ChemEng]

Can you make one that looks like this:

 

[RCbuzz]

I would love to say challenge accepted but too many projects already

 

[ChemEng]

well it was worth a shot.

 

[RCbuzz]

well it was worth a shot.

That doesn't mean someone else wont

 

[SrC]

What a nice project. Worthy of being a display show piece.