most people using steel use bisaloy from oxycut or something like that.
it sounds like you have a battery below the "minimum voltage" read your charger manual on how to get it to charge.
that cell may be damanged _________________ Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets
Possibly, do you have balancing leads on the cells? _________________ Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com
Sun Dec 19, 2010 7:01 pm
miles&Jules Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 3973
Location: ipswich QLD
Hi guys
No I haven't got balancing wires yet. They are on the way though..... along with gyros and heat shrink.
The battery charged and works ..i think your right..... I drained it to much even its led went out.
In the process of chopping and changing Wombot. Will post some pix tomorrow.
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 3973
Location: ipswich QLD
Hate that!...our gyros,batteries,heat shrink and other cool hk stuff is at the post office, but its shut till the 3rd. Will just have to build some logo prototypes in the mean time.
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 3973
Location: ipswich QLD
Hate that ...one of our lipo battery packs went bang. We chucked that battery on the charger as usual and 5 mins later we heard a small pop sound. It blew two batteries. they weren't next to each other either.
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 9481
Location: Where you least expect
Damn!
That was always my issue with the a123s without a balancer, cept they just oozed acid all over the place and puffed up on mine. Despite alot of internet talk they defo need the balancers!
Whats the robot plan for the next event anyway, just modifying the two you had at the last one or all new designs?
Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:39 pm
dyrodium Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 6476
Location: Sydney
Very weird, what current were you shoving into them? If I don't have balancers, I do very low... 0.5a at home and 2.5A max at events. I've just had good luck, but will certainly plan for balancers next time! _________________ ( •_•)
Joined: 09 Jan 2009
Posts: 518
Location: Wantirna, Melbourne
wow thats unfortunate
no matter what I do i cant even manage to ruin mine, despite them being physically damaged
but yeah i back what angus says, try to charge them as low as you can bear to wait, unless in competition that and use the balance plugs every time.
what amps were you charging on? _________________ http://au.youtube.com/user/crustydemonsully
The day I stop giving 100%, is the day I stop competing
Wed Jan 05, 2011 12:50 am
Knightrous Site Admin
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
Posts: 8511
Location: NSW
I've done this a few times with A123's, but only from charging them on the incorrect cell count (6S charge on a 4S pack) or in LiPol mode (With Daptors). I've done a fair few 10amp charges on A123 packs and have yet to see the cell pop because of it. _________________ https://www.halfdonethings.com/
Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:05 am
miles&Jules Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 3973
Location: ipswich QLD
Hi guys
We had charged the battery for about few mins, then we had to go to the shop, so I unplugged it (didnt want to burn down the house) while we were out, then plugged it in again. Then after 5 more mins it blew. So maybe it didnt like being interrupted
We have been charging it at 3amps so that could be our problem. I actually haven't played with the menus since it was set up for us at the last event. So i will turn down the amps to 0.5. I didn't know that it was the safest way to do it, but that makes sense. (The balance leads are on there way, along with our other hk goodies.) So will try and work out the balanced battery wiring wen they arrive.
Jules is working on new Lotus that is a full body spinner! It has new 18volt motors (that she got for Christmas). She has been doing some tests with a car fan motor for its spin so will see if that will be strong enough. We haven't been able to go to far with the robot building as we have been back animating. But always thinking!
I'm planning to take Wombot out for more battle, its had a few improvements to so I'm looking forward to the next event!
We did just bought this at the markets for $10
It's a rider mower attachment. Which looks perfect for a spinning weapon robot, cause it has the pully already attached to the mower blade with bearings and everything. We would just have to cut off the outer protective shell.
Here is our new "old welder". ($40 on ebay with a full pack of 2mm sticks.) it's a dream to use compared to our old cigweld that rips holes in anything metal under 3mm thickness. I did some 1.5mm tests yesterday and it worked flawlessly..no holes at all. I even managed to weld some .5mm metal strips together...but that was a messy job but it worked!
So now might be able to clean up some of Wombot's embarrassingly messy previous welds.
Miles _________________ Miles Blow - Julie Pitts
www.mulesfilm.com.au www.wombokforest.com.au
-Pickasso- Vivid Sportsman champion 2015
Last edited by miles&Jules on Thu Jan 06, 2011 6:22 pm; edited 2 times in total
Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:10 pm
shreddy
Joined: 09 Jan 2009
Posts: 518
Location: Wantirna, Melbourne
The day I stop giving 100%, is the day I stop competing
Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:17 pm
Fish_in_a_Barrel
Joined: 30 Sep 2006
Posts: 673
Location: Perth, Western Australia
I have the same style, slightly different model welder. The good old bulletproof design. _________________ They say that he crossed the fine line, from insanity to genius.
Thu Jan 06, 2011 6:16 pm
miles&Jules Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 3973
Location: ipswich QLD
Hi Sheddy
We are in search of a shell.... But tomorrow is friday and we are headed to the browns plains tip shop, so we will keep our eyes peeled there ....especially after Christmas there should be heaps of glorious junk to sift through!
Replaced the dead A123 cells today, through it into Lotus and it ran like a dream....and its currently charging at .5 amps!
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 3973
Location: ipswich QLD
Hey....Good to know others are using this style of welder!!!
This is what I used to get with my old welder if I tried to weld 1.5mm steel tube.
This still looks messy still but it welded solidly. This is after 10mins playing with the welder ...wohoo!
and this straight weld I was quite proud of. it.
Looking forward to using this new welder on the robots!
i like the look of the rust in macro! _________________ Miles Blow - Julie Pitts
www.mulesfilm.com.au www.wombokforest.com.au
-Pickasso- Vivid Sportsman champion 2015
Thu Jan 06, 2011 8:51 pm
miles&Jules Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 3973
Location: ipswich QLD
well we decided to head down to the Browns plains tip and check out the post Christmas extravaganza of junk. Here is our shopping trolly of cool junk at the tip. The place was packed full of people and the amount of stuff was mega! even the pouring rain didn't stop them.
We picked up an 18volt,12volt ,14volt drills a 18volt jigsaw and 2 scooters each with 24v motors, rollerblades(for wheels) a couple of woks, a tripod, and a cool retro
Hanimex fluro desk lamp!
Here is the jigsaw!
here is the 24v scooter motor (looks like is been underwater)
Did a quick check and everything works now looking forward to playing with all this stuff! Especially that jigsaw! _________________ Miles Blow - Julie Pitts
www.mulesfilm.com.au www.wombokforest.com.au
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