How do you weld solder tabs onto NiCd batteries? How do you solder to stainless tabs?
miker in Tigard, OR.
I need to weld solder tabs onto a bunch of nicad batteries.
Thought I'd ask before I risk electrocution.
I don't have access to a proper welder, so I'd like to "make do".
I thought I'd jig up a couple of sharp pointed nails and press them
against the strap up against the battery. I'll manually discharge a
big cap into the nails. I have no idea how much pressure or how much
energy will be required.
What's wrong with this picture? Anyone successfully welded tabs?
Details please.
On a related topic, I also have a bunch of nicads with tabs for
push-on connectors. I need to save some space by soldering to the
tabs. Of course, they won't solder (now I know why they were cheap),
probably stainless. Is there a flux for soldering stainless?
Thanks, miker
Kerry Miller
mre...@hevanet.com (miker in Tigard, OR.) wrote:
>I need to weld solder tabs onto a bunch of nicad batteries.
>Thought I'd ask before I risk electrocution.
>I don't have access to a proper welder, so I'd like to "make do".
>I thought I'd jig up a couple of sharp pointed nails and press them
>against the strap up against the battery. I'll manually discharge a
>big cap into the nails. I have no idea how much pressure or how much
>energy will be required.
Sounds dangerous to me! I had a similar situation several years ago
and decided to try to find a low-temp way to solder the tabs on.
Radio Shack had some liquid solder in a syringe that works at a pretty
low temperature. I used it with a good hot gun (140w Weller) and so
far they are still working.
Be careful not to heat up the cells any more than you have to!
73,
Kerry Miller
kmi...@flash.net
Ronald Dozier
In article <4oe309$n...@vista.hevanet.com>,
miker in Tigard, OR. <mre...@hevanet.com> wrote:
>
>I don't have access to a proper welder, so I'd like to "make do".
>
watt-seconds. Spot welders have a short. med and long timing mode.
>I thought I'd jig up a couple of sharp pointed nails and press them
>against the strap up against the battery. I'll manually discharge a
>big cap into the nails. I have no idea how much pressure or how much
>energy will be required.
Use copper. I would suspect that any other material you woulld weld the
"nail". I would suggest compressing the tabs between 2 copper rods, 1/8
to 1/16 diameter. Turn on power elsewhere.
> >What's wrong with this picture? Anyone successfully
welded tabs? >Details please.
>
>On a related topic, I also have a bunch of nicads with tabs for
>push-on connectors. I need to save some space by soldering to the
>tabs. Of course, they won't solder (now I know why they were cheap),
>probably stainless.
All the Nicads tha I have seen don't readily solder. The tab is probably
nickel. Gold plating the nickel should allow soldering.
Gold will stick well to nickel.
>
Dave Hand
miker in Tigard, OR. wrote:
>
> I need to weld solder tabs onto a bunch of nicad batteries.
> Thought I'd ask before I risk electrocution.
>
>
> against the strap up against the battery. I'll manually discharge a
> big cap into the nails. I have no idea how much pressure or how much
> energy will be required.
>
> Details please.
>
> On a related topic, I also have a bunch of nicads with tabs for
> push-on connectors. I need to save some space by soldering to the
> tabs. Of course, they won't solder (now I know why they were cheap),
>
> Thanks, miker
Yes There is flux you can find to solder stainless, Your Cap and nail
Idea I think I would be a bit wary of. If you really want to spot weld
tothe cells you might look for a local battry vendor that has the right
eq.
Good Luck!
Dave hand wb4hyp
Sam Goldwasser
Clean very well with fine sandpaper or file. Flux, very hot iron, very
quickly, Too long and you will damage the cell.
--- sam
John Bunting
mre...@hevanet.com (miker in Tigard, OR.) wrote:
>I need to weld solder tabs onto a bunch of nicad batteries.
>Thought I'd ask before I risk electrocution.
>I don't have access to a proper welder, so I'd like to "make do".
>I thought I'd jig up a couple of sharp pointed nails and press them
>against the strap up against the battery. I'll manually discharge a
>big cap into the nails. I have no idea how much pressure or how much
>energy will be required.
>What's wrong with this picture? Anyone successfully welded tabs?
>Details please.
>On a related topic, I also have a bunch of nicads with tabs for
>push-on connectors. I need to save some space by soldering to the
>tabs. Of course, they won't solder (now I know why they were cheap),
>probably stainless. Is there a flux for soldering stainless?
>Thanks, miker
I successfully soldered to the C cell nicads that Radio Shack sells.
I used ordinary rosin core solder, but it took a little larger iron
100+ watts because the battery draws too much heat away from a
smaller iron.
John Bunting bun...@cis.net Quincy, IL
ELA95CDH
In article <4oe309$n...@vista.hevanet.com>, mre...@hevanet.com says...
>
>I need to weld solder tabs onto a bunch of nicad batteries.
>Thought I'd ask before I risk electrocution.
>
There is a type of solder called "silver solder" available from Maplin
Electronics in England. It may be possible to obtain it elsewhere though.
I have successfully soldered onto battery contacts using this stuff.
A 40W iron should be used and a little bit of the silver solder applied.
Then it should be possible to solder onto this using normal solder. But
don't get the cells too hot as it won't do them any good.
Chris
Paul Grohe
In the newsgroup sci.electronics.repair.
mre...@hevanet.com (miker in Tigard, OR.) from
Hevanet Communications thoughtfully posted:
> I need to weld solder tabs onto a bunch of nicad batteries.
> Thought I'd ask before I risk electrocution.
>
> I don't have access to a proper welder, so I'd like to "make do".
>
> What's wrong with this picture? Anyone successfully welded tabs?
> Details please.
Been there, tried it. I usually end up welding the "welder" to the battery :^)
The connection, if successful, was pretty weak.
> On a related topic, I also have a bunch of nicads with tabs for
> push-on connectors. I need to save some space by soldering to the
> tabs. Of course, they won't solder (now I know why they were cheap),
> probably stainless. Is there a flux for soldering stainless?
Sand the area you want to solder to with some fine sandpaper first (~200-400
grit). If you are in a bind, you can use a pencil eraser. Sometimes scratching
the surface with an awl or screwdriver tip will provide a rough surface for
better adhesion.
*** Use a *HOT* iron! You do not want to heat up the battery too long. ***
This is one of the few times I pull out my Weller soldering *gun* (the one with
the headlight). Or a 75W or greater soldering iron. The large thermal mass of
the battery will suck the heat away from smaller irons.
The standard Weller-type soldering station, or 20-40W pencil iron, is not
powerful enough. (although they work for AAA size cells).
Pre-heat the tip so it is nice and hot before starting. Make a little solder
"pad" on the battery first. Then solder your PRE-TINNED wire to the solder
"pad". Trying to solder the wire at the same time requires three hands, and you
may melt the wire insulation while doing it.
When soldering the tops of the cells, be extra careful. Don't cover up the vent
hole and watch that any excess solder does not run off and short to the case (If
it does, put on your eye protection and grab your Soldapuldt!) You should have
your solder sucker loaded and ready to go in case of just such an accident.
Also, watch that your length of solder does not come in contact with any "naked"
parts of the battery pack.
It takes a little practice, but you will get the "feel" of it.
Cheers,
Paul Grohe
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Sr. Electronics Technician 2900 Semiconductor Drive
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Roland Burgan
You can probrably silver solder onto the tabs.
Jonathan Berry
In article <4ol1ov$d...@bignews.shef.ac.uk>, ELA9...@shef.ac.uk (ELA95CDH)
wrote:
> In article <4oe309$n...@vista.hevanet.com>, mre...@hevanet.com says...
> >
> >I need to weld solder tabs onto a bunch of nicad batteries.
> >Thought I'd ask before I risk electrocution.
> >
Are nicad battery terminals much different from regular alkaline battery
terminals? To solder leads onto alkaline batteries I have had good luck
with a small file.
First, file the area to be soldered so that it is shiny (oxides removed).
Follow the first step with the second quickly, to prevent re-oxidation of
the area. Second, heat the area with the soldering iron until solder will
melt directly onto the contact rather than just the iron tip.
After applying a dab of solder to the area, you should be able to solder
whatever you please to that spot. A higher powered soldering iron will
make heating the contact go a bit faster, but it can be done with a cheapo
5watt iron. I hope this works as well for you as it has for me.
Good luck,
Jonathan Berry
jcbe...@nfi.com
Clifford Buttschardt
There is really no great amount of danger spot welding tabs! They usually
are made of pure nickel material. I put two sharp pointed copper wires in
a soldering gun, place both on the tab in contact with the battery case
and pull the trigger for a short burst. The battery remains cool. W6HDO
On Tue, 28 May 1996, Kerry Miller wrote:
> mre...@hevanet.com (miker in Tigard, OR.) wrote:
>
> >I need to weld solder tabs onto a bunch of nicad batteries.
> >Thought I'd ask before I risk electrocution.
>
> >I don't have access to a proper welder, so I'd like to "make do".
>
> >I thought I'd jig up a couple of sharp pointed nails and press them
> >against the strap up against the battery. I'll manually discharge a
> >big cap into the nails. I have no idea how much pressure or how much
> >energy will be required.
Michael Covington
Clifford Buttschardt (cbut...@slonet.org) wrote:
: There is really no great amount of danger spot welding tabs! They usually
: are made of pure nickel material. I put two sharp pointed copper wires in
: a soldering gun, place both on the tab in contact with the battery case
: and pull the trigger for a short burst. The battery remains cool. W6HDO
Of course! A soldering gun is a source of about 1.5 V at 100 A RMS.
Should make a fine spot-welder. You should write that up for QST
("Hints and Kinks") or better yet, send it in a letter to the editor
of _Electronics Now_ (the magazine I write for).
--
Michael A. Covington http://www.ai.uga.edu/faculty/covington/
Artificial Intelligence Center <><
The University of Georgia Unless specifically indicated, I am
Athens, GA 30602-7415 U.S.A. not speaking for the University.