Converting Stick Packs

[Obi112]

I was thinking about converting my stick packs to side by side packs, mainly to look more professional and get a better fit (a 2000 maH stick pack is a tight fit in a B3 :rolleyes: )

Question: Has anyone done this? If so, how hard is it? Are there any performance benefits? Overall, did you think it was a good idea?

Thanks,
Dan C

[J mAn]

If you realy want to you could. but there are realy no performance bedifits except lowering resistance by using beter battery bars. you will just be able to have the pack short out easyer. I would only do this if you are a very good at soldering.

[J mAn]

I just learned today that it will reduce heat so i am converting most of my packs right now

[KIWIRCGUY]

Its not too hard, the 4 packs I just did were held together by little copper?? thingys that just pulled apart like springs then I de-soldered them and made up the saddle packs. Trust me if I can do it, any one can... Just dont get hot solder in your eye like I did........ IT HURTS!!! :eek:

[Obi112]

Ouch! Wouldn't that blind you? :confused:

Anyway, will battery bars hold the pack together well enough to stand up to some abuse, or do you have to glue them? If you do, what should you glue them with (shoe glue, ca, etc)?

[Nairb]

I ALWAYS put shoe goo between my cells. I tried a battery without goo and learned my lesson (some of the bars bent).

[XXXER]

To make life easier, find someone with a battery builder, and a good soldering iron, if you do not have these. I use that strapping tape with string in it and wrap it around my cells.

Also, you should try to get some heat shrink with them, if your B3 has the graphite chassis, the batteries could 'Arc' and you would have B3 A La Flambe

[J mAn]

i wan't to solder my packs togeter with deans probars (made of silver) and i can only find racers edge kestler solder which is rossin core with 60 percent tin and 40 percent lead. If i used this with the silver bars would anything bad hapen? i don't have a hot enough soldering iron to use silver solder.

[lil_general_lee]

Just because nobody mentioned:
Stick packs are usually spot welded in 4 places per cell end which means the metal holding them together can be easily broken off the cell. Almost 100% of the time some material will be left behind on the cell and might not let the bars sit flat against the cell making a poor connection. The best way to get rid of the material and make a better surface for the bars, solder would be to use a dremel and a grinding stone. Just take off the material and scuff the end of the cells and NO MORE or you can damage them!

RJ

[JoeTheShmoe]

If you have a graphite chassis then be careful, or your B3 will turn into a big spark. :)

[Obi112]

No graphite chassis here, and I don't plan on buying one anytime soon...

[Nairb]

Come on, graphite composite chassis (like the AE & Losi ones) don't conduct that well. Have any of you seen this happen? I bet the carbon fiber chassis are more likely to conduct, but still not too likely.