New thought on Onboard Welder

[2004LB7]

Instead of using a large BMS to handle all the current, just use a standard smaller one and use it to drive a contractor or relay that could handle the current

Connect the welding leads directly to the batteries through the contractor. The BMS will turn off the contractor when the batteries get low.

But if I was building it, I would probably just use a small relay to power a beeper, horn or whatever to alert you when it was low.

If you scrounge around the hardware stores in there battery recycling bins you can usually come up with some lithium drill battery packs. Those contain cells that could do 20 or more amps each. The Makita cells don't require accurate balancing as they somewhat self balance at the top of their charge. But they should have some kind of low cut off (even though Makita doesn't use one).

Get yourself a battery spot welder and assemble a bunch of cells into the configuration that will fit your can. Wire in your BMS to a relay and leads directly to the batteries.

A constant current/constant voltage boost converter can be used to charge the bank from the vehicle

With 1.5 AH Makita cells, a 10S10P cell arrangement should net you 36 to 37 volt bank that when depleted will be around 25 volts with around 15 AH capacity

 

[Chevy1925]

So I started really looking at this again. Priced everything out again to build my own setup and we are just a few hundred off of the karnage welder out of Nevada. I was about to just order that but figured I’d make a call to premier power welder and see if they even had anything for a Suzuki Grand Vitara. Honestly thought it was a long shot but Gary there said “not an issue, I’ve got an alternator here ready to drop in and a control box ready, just send me pics of the alternator orientation and I’ll get it shipped tomorrow”. This was 5pm Thursday. 100 bucks more than the karnage, I got welding leads, alternator, control box, throttle cable controller, and wiring. Plus it lasts as long as the battery runs the vehicle.

Paid him before I got off the phone and Friday morning I had tracking. Sucker showed up today and I’m really considering putting it in before my trip this weekend.

Jimmy was all about what I was pulling out of the boxes

 

[2004LB7]

That's pretty freaking sweet. Can't wait to hear how well it works.

PS: I'll take all those unused lithium cells off your hands now that you don't need them

 

[TheBac]

Really interesting, James.

 

[1FastBrick]

Did your kid get this installed on his power wheels yet?

 

[Chevy1925]

That’s actually the plan tomorrow before I leave for my trip. Hopefully have it in and do some trial runs before I head out on a 4 hour drive. I’ll be bringing the stock alt with me just in case something goes hay wire

 

[1FastBrick]

I figured your child might have it tapped to his power wheels so he could be like Daddy!

 

[Chevy1925]

actually got to play with it this weekend. one of the guys lost a shock mount so we used the welder to stick it back together at camp that night. we had our best welding gear on as you can see . I let my buddy weld it as im not that great at arc welding. need more practice.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-wccT6aUYA


inverter ran the grinder to clean things up, hit the welder switch, idled up and burned her in.

 

[04chase]

very cool man. 7018 FTW

 

[2004LB7]

Did I just see a drill master angle grinder from harbor freight in there? Haha

 

[Chevy1925]

Did I just see a drill master angle grinder from harbor freight in there? Haha

Hell no, Metabo 4.5"! how dare you.... now the 90* drill i brought as well and was not vidoed was in fact china freight drill

 

[2004LB7]

Hell no, Metabo 4.5"! how dare you.... now the 90* drill i brought as well and was not vidoed was in fact china freight drill

That was my 2nd guess. Haha

So, how did the welds turn out? Any photos of the welds?

 

[clrussell]

Nice work. Love it, now I want one that I’ll never use haha.

 

[1FastBrick]

Nice!!! I bet he is glad you added it before this trip.

 

[Chevy1925]

That was my 2nd guess. Haha

So, how did the welds turn out? Any photos of the welds?

No pics of the welds. They weren’t bad at all. Way stronger than what was there before but the cheap rod I have doesn’t flow well and the flux suuuucks. I’m going to pick some better stuff up and maybe some missile rod, then really play with settings on the tracker. I’m really thinking about building my own pipe cowboy fence on my new property with it. Will let me figure out how to dial it in then.

Oh and plus side to this thing, if you turn the welder on, hook the leads to a battery and let the truck idle, it will charge a car battery to 80% capacity in 2-3 min. Just have to make sure it’s fully disconnected from the vehicle. Might be a good way to de-sulfate a battery too.

 

[2004LB7]

Oh and plus side to this thing, if you turn the welder on, hook the leads to a battery and let the truck idle, it will charge a car battery to 80% capacity in 2-3 min. Just have to make sure it’s fully disconnected from the vehicle. Might be a good way to de-sulfate a battery too.

I bet. I've used welders before to jump start and change car batteries. Very easy to boil the battery. Good for equalizing the cells. Be careful though, it's really easy to over do it