solentlife

With the evolution of Spot Welders that now are small, portable, able to create linked cells such as 18650's etc.

Am I alone in wondering how far these $30 Welders can go ?? Youtube shows them joining NiXX / !8650's etc and producing a good job.

What else ?? Lets take a LiPo pack that one cell has died. Think we all have one or two somewhere. Could that Spot Welder be used to modify that pack ? taking that dead cell out and then rejoining ?? My question based on whether the Spot Welder would blow hole in the foil junction used or ??

Do you have one of these Spot Welders ? Which one .. link would be nice ....

Did you buy one and then add the capacitor that YT shows ?

What jobs have you used it for and success / failures ??

C'mon .. help us out guys and gals ...

Don Sims

Interesting question Nigel. Wonder if you add a cell from another pack and use a good balance charger if the new pack would be ok and have full capacity?

solentlife

Went for this in the end based on watching quite a few YT vids. This seemed to be item in many of them (different brand or label of course) ...

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005...13b718026JZhi2

Once I get it and test - I will update ....

I'm not that serious to pay out higher sum ... its more a test to see what can be ...

Don Sims

Which version did you get? Assuming the RC plane battery one?

solentlife

Yep ... with the XT60

I reckon they are all same - just different power connector fitted.

pmullen503

I've taken a dead cell from a bad pack, turning a 4s into 3s for example. I used a 80 watt soldering iron. A welder might work too.

solentlife

I know we can do it with a soldering iron as long as the nickel tabs survive on the cells ... but as you point out - a high wattage iron - not your normal 40 - 50W jobbie.

I have a few models that take small 2S .. 1S cells ... such as a Syma Heli .... instead of buying new batts - I'm hoping that I can create my own from packs that have given up usual flying ... salvage the good cells out.

I also have various items that I use 18650 cells in ... so far I have cell holders - but would like to actually join the cells and remove the cell holders ...

Lots of ideas come to mind !!