So I wanted to start using lipo batteries with my projects but I've had a bit of a problem with figuring out how to use them. I could use some help on that, but my main problem is with a certain battery pack that I've been using (I made). I bought seperate individual 3.7V cells not realising I needed way more voltage, so I decided to connect them in series to make an 11.1V battery. However, to do that I stripped the wires, got rid of the connectors not realising I needed them, and now just have 3 cells in series with open wires for the positive and negative. How do I use this to power a board and other things (I kind of wanted to power motors as well). Do I need to reattach connectors, how do I do that? Also, how do I charge it?
TLDR: I have 3 lipo cells in series with exposed wire on positive and negative. How do I add a connector, how do I use it with a board, how do I recharge it.
First to charge you need a balance charger. SkyRC is an excellent brand, I have 2 of their chargers. You will need to put special fasteners on and wires to connect between the 1st and 2nd, 2nd and 3rd cells. Under NO conditions try to charge the entire pack without the balance leads, or charge each Lipo individually. You are the first person I have seen wire Lipo's in series. Normally I buy an 11.1VDC Lipo. Here is an 11.1VDC 1,100mAh battery. NOTE the white plug, that is the balance connector https://amz.cx/3TC6
You add a connector by soldering it on. The type of connector will depend. One approach might be to get longer wires (silicone multi-strand), maybe 20AWG, and carefully wrap the exposed wires you have now and put heat shrink on first, then solder, then slide heat shrink over the exposed wires and heat. Either a hot air gun or a lighter. The other end just solder, crimp, or crimp alligator clips so you can quickly move the battery connections.
Depending on what you are working on, you will need a voltage converter to take the 11.1V down to 5V.
There is more, but without knowing what you will be doing it is hard to be more specific.
Inside that Amazon battery are small PCB's with protection circuits. You do NOT want to cause a Lithium fire/explosion, Lipo's are the most risky battery for that. I have RC planes, some ultra light some bigger so I have a very large collection of Lipos in various voltages (all increments of 3.7 and capacities from 100mAh to 7,000mAh. I have two programmable chargers so I can do a storage cycle as well as charge fully plus several more.
Yes, it is not the exclusive connector, but the XT style is the current defacto for "good" EVs. The "bullet" is on most, but usually on the worst EVs, which works, but can be reversed in polarity. I like the keyed polarity of this generation connector (as well as the keyed, colored, weatherproofed, threaded comm cables). Huge steps forward from automotive connectors in 2016. I would prefer the next generation be crimped to cover for wrong-sizes wiring (to avoid melting solder).
