Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Moderator:Moderators

User avatar
hailrazer
Portablizer Extraordinaire
Posts:2764
Joined:Mon Jul 10, 2006 8:57 pm
Location:Georgia Sweet Georgia
Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by hailrazer » Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:12 pm

Lithium Polymer batteries are the newest and currently one of the best choices for batteries in a portable. They are smaller than other batteries, don't develop a "memory" , and last through more charges/discharges than other types of batteries.

But working with Lithium Polymer batteries can be dangerous and precautions must be observed. Be very careful with polarity when hooking up Li-Po's. Also ALWAYS use a protection circuit (PCB) and a Lithium charger that is appropriate for the number of Li-Po's you will be using.

Lithium Polymer batteries come as single 3.7v cells. These cells can be packed together to get 7.4v , 11.1v, 14.8v , etc Li-Po Packs.
When using a 7.4v pack you will want a 7.4v Pcb and a 7.4v charger. Ditto on the rest.

The following diagrams will be based on wiring the 3.7v cells in series to add their voltages together to get the required voltages we need. Batteries wired in series are wired like so :

Image

This is the typical battery most of us use because it has a relatively high capacity for a very small size and cheap price:
http://www.batteryspace.com/polymerli-i ... isted.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Image

Here is an example on how to wire the different sets of Li-Po packs you might be using :

7.4v pack. (Two 3.7v Li-Po's)
Image

For the Pcb you will need the following :
http://www.batteryspace.com/pcbfor74vli ... limit.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For the charger you will need the following:
http://www.batteryspace.com/smartcharge ... isted.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

11.1v pack (Three 3.7v Li-Po's) :
Image

For the Pcb you will need the following :
http://www.batteryspace.com/pcbfor111vl ... ocket.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For the charger you will need the following:
http://www.batteryspace.com/smartcharge ... isted.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

14.8v pack (Four 3.7v Li-Po's) :

Image

For the Pcb you will need the following :
http://www.batteryspace.com/pcbfor148vl ... ocket.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For the charger you will need the following:
http://www.batteryspace.com/smartcharge ... isted.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by hailrazer on Sat Nov 27, 2010 2:52 pm, edited 6 times in total.
My Portable Systems:
Image
-----Genimini---------Darth64---------Dreamtrooper--------Ncube---------Kamikazi64---N64Boy Advance

User avatar
limpport
Senior Member
Posts:1873
Joined:Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:32 pm
Location:(the only person here from) Vermont
Contact:

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by limpport » Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:16 pm

Very nice. I've been wondering how to hook up batteries higher than 7.2v. This is extremely helpful! :D

User avatar
nobble
Posts:170
Joined:Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:34 am
Location:Minnesota

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by nobble » Tue Nov 17, 2009 8:21 pm

Where do you get the charging port for the smart charger to plug into?

User avatar
hailrazer
Portablizer Extraordinaire
Posts:2764
Joined:Mon Jul 10, 2006 8:57 pm
Location:Georgia Sweet Georgia

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by hailrazer » Tue Nov 17, 2009 9:03 pm

nobble wrote:Where do you get the charging port for the smart charger to plug into?
I make my own with type M jacks from Radio Shack :
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2102491" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... id=prod_cs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
My Portable Systems:
Image
-----Genimini---------Darth64---------Dreamtrooper--------Ncube---------Kamikazi64---N64Boy Advance

User avatar
nobble
Posts:170
Joined:Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:34 am
Location:Minnesota

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by nobble » Sat Nov 21, 2009 1:35 pm

Say I wanted to hook up 4 of those 3.7v batteries but still have 7.4 volts total. how would this be accomplished?

EDIT: nvm i think i found out how very cheap.

User avatar
samjc3
Posts:1086
Joined:Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:05 pm
Steam ID:samjc3
Location:burning and pillaging!!

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by samjc3 » Wed Dec 09, 2009 10:22 pm

so, do these pcbs/ smart chargers work with lithium ion cells too?
AfroLH wrote:
HotDog-Cart wrote: Also, the codename stuff adds a little bit of sexyness, in my eyes.
Yeah well Alcohol adds a little bit of sexyness in my eyes, but I dont drink it all the time. :wink:
SpongeBuell wrote:As proof, I offer this picture of a monkey on my head.

User avatar
hailrazer
Portablizer Extraordinaire
Posts:2764
Joined:Mon Jul 10, 2006 8:57 pm
Location:Georgia Sweet Georgia

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by hailrazer » Wed Dec 09, 2009 10:28 pm

Yes.
My Portable Systems:
Image
-----Genimini---------Darth64---------Dreamtrooper--------Ncube---------Kamikazi64---N64Boy Advance

User avatar
samjc3
Posts:1086
Joined:Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:05 pm
Steam ID:samjc3
Location:burning and pillaging!!

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by samjc3 » Wed Dec 09, 2009 10:33 pm

hailrazer wrote:Yes.
ok good. now i can use this hueg li-ion battery pack i got a the ircuit city closing sale for 2.50$. :mrgreen:
AfroLH wrote:
HotDog-Cart wrote: Also, the codename stuff adds a little bit of sexyness, in my eyes.
Yeah well Alcohol adds a little bit of sexyness in my eyes, but I dont drink it all the time. :wink:
SpongeBuell wrote:As proof, I offer this picture of a monkey on my head.

gamemasterful
Posts:78
Joined:Sun Oct 11, 2009 1:39 am

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by gamemasterful » Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:39 am

How would you hook up two 7.4v Li-ion packs?

User avatar
limpport
Senior Member
Posts:1873
Joined:Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:32 pm
Location:(the only person here from) Vermont
Contact:

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by limpport » Mon Dec 14, 2009 11:45 am

gamemasterful wrote:How would you hook up two 7.4v Li-ion packs?
Image


The picture on the bottom. Connect them in parallel.

gamemasterful
Posts:78
Joined:Sun Oct 11, 2009 1:39 am

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by gamemasterful » Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:22 pm

I meant to the board. Would I just buy the first pcb listed and skip over the COM? Or is there another I should buy.

User avatar
limpport
Senior Member
Posts:1873
Joined:Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:32 pm
Location:(the only person here from) Vermont
Contact:

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by limpport » Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:05 am

Ah, ok! From his picture for the 7.4v protection circuit, hook up both positives to the B+ part and both negatives to the B- part. The Com (common) won't matter, because that is only for batteries in series.

gamemasterful
Posts:78
Joined:Sun Oct 11, 2009 1:39 am

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by gamemasterful » Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:25 am

Awesome! So to be clear;
1) Do NOT parallel them and attach the positives to B+, and negatives to B-
or
2) DO parallel them and attach them as you said?

User avatar
limpport
Senior Member
Posts:1873
Joined:Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:32 pm
Location:(the only person here from) Vermont
Contact:

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by limpport » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:49 am

gamemasterful wrote:Awesome! So to be clear;
1) Do NOT parallel them and attach the positives to B+, and negatives to B-
or
2) DO parallel them and attach them as you said?
#2. Parallel, and attach positives and negatives to their respective spots.

User avatar
Warp
Posts:21
Joined:Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:09 pm
Location:Versailles (not in the castle :-/ )

Re: Lithium Polymer Batteries -- How to wire and what to buy.

Post by Warp » Sun Dec 27, 2009 4:39 pm

These batteries from batteryspace are interresting but shipping it to europe is too expensive... does anyone know where to buy good batteries in europe ?

Post Reply