how to make a cheap cap bank.....

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • kfxguy
    Fast Electric Addict!
    • Oct 2013
    • 8746

    #1

    how to make a cheap cap bank.....

    I've decided to try and start making my own cap banks. I've been running the castle one for like $22 but I felt I could do better. Please let me know if there's something not right with this....thx

    So the castle ones have (4) 50v, 220uf caps. I've been reading on here and decided to go with (5) 35v 1000uf caps. May be a good choice or not...let me know your thoughts. Here's what I'm doing so far.

    I bought a small bag of these caps for .75 each. So total cost for 5 of them is $3.75
    Then I went to radio shack and picked of some circuit boards. The one I'm using cost $3.49 and I can make 2 out of it. Total cost for both factoring in I can get two boards is About $5.50 before tax. I have to pick up a couple brass screws and nuts tomorrow and I'll add that in. So....

    Here's my components I have so far:



    I put a strip of Silicon (hondabond because I get it free lol) to hold them in place.

    32" carbon rivercat single 4s 102mph, 27” mini Rivercat 92mph, kbb34 91mph, jessej micro cat(too fast) was
  • kfxguy
    Fast Electric Addict!
    • Oct 2013
    • 8746

    #2
    Next I put them on the board. Pay attention to polarity! I bend the wires over each other and opposite ways. See the holes? A brass screw will go in each one. The way this will be set up will have a - and + on opposite ends. You'll see why later...



    32" carbon rivercat single 4s 102mph, 27” mini Rivercat 92mph, kbb34 91mph, jessej micro cat(too fast) was

    Comment

    • kfxguy
      Fast Electric Addict!
      • Oct 2013
      • 8746

      #3
      For now it's cinched down lightly in my vise. Once the silicone cures, I'll solder it up and install the screws for the solder posts.



      I'd like you guys thoughts and input so far....if I should use different caps or whatever, let me know.
      32" carbon rivercat single 4s 102mph, 27” mini Rivercat 92mph, kbb34 91mph, jessej micro cat(too fast) was

      Comment

      • Make-a-Wake
        FE Rules!
        • Nov 2009
        • 5557

        #4
        Great idea, i like making my own stuff too. That bank will be good for up to 8s.
        NEED PARALLEL CONNECTORS?? QUALITY 5.5MM, 8MM, 8 AND 10 AWG, GET THEM HERE: http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...est!&highlight=

        Comment

        • NativePaul
          Greased Weasel
          • Feb 2008
          • 2760

          #5
          Are you going to solder a wire or copper bus bar down each side tying the legs together and on to the brass bolt? If you just solder the legs together as they are, the leg nearest the bolt will be carrying the current from all 5 caps and will probably fail.

          While I see the bread board makes production easier and makes it a neater package, personally I do without it in order to save weight since it has no functional benefit. I think the same about a lot of cool things in a lot of builds though, so it is probably just me being OCD.
          Paul Upton-Taylor, Greased Weasel Racing.

          Comment

          • kfxguy
            Fast Electric Addict!
            • Oct 2013
            • 8746

            #6
            Originally posted by NativePaul
            Are you going to solder a wire or copper bus bar down each side tying the legs together and on to the brass bolt? If you just solder the legs together as they are, the leg nearest the bolt will be carrying the current from all 5 caps and will probably fail.

            While I see the bread board makes production easier and makes it a neater package, personally I would do without it in order to save weight since it has no functional benefit. I think the same about a lot of cool things in a lot of builds, so it is probably just me being OCD.
            Hmmm. That's a thought but......On the many castle ones I've used, they are like this. Should I maybe solder a 10ga. wire down each side?
            32" carbon rivercat single 4s 102mph, 27” mini Rivercat 92mph, kbb34 91mph, jessej micro cat(too fast) was

            Comment

            • darryl whitman
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2012
              • 535

              #7
              Kfxguy i do my own now too, I do it like what your doing , but I rap the Neg - cap wire around a half stripped black lead wire on the bottom of the pcboard , do the same with the poss + side. then I solder the wires, than dip the unit in plastic
              dip that you can get at a hardware store for dipping tool handles. I'll get some photos soon ,

              Comment

              • NativePaul
                Greased Weasel
                • Feb 2008
                • 2760

                #8
                Do the castle ones not use actual PCBs with copper traces to bolster the legs rather than plain bread boards, I used 16g on my Ice 50 (2000uf), 12g on my Ice 100s (3000uf) and 12g on my Ice 200 (4000uf). Check out the size of the legs, even 20g would be a big improvement over stock. If I had any 14g wire on hand I would have probably used that for all of them.

                I am no electrical engineer and I have no idea what current you can expect to see flow from caps, but I have seen pics of caps daisy chained like that on here with blown legs near the load and EEs have blamed the daisy chaining so I chose to bolster the legs with a wire bus. Post on this thread an I'm sure DrWayne will provide your answers much better than I can.
                Paul Upton-Taylor, Greased Weasel Racing.

                Comment

                • kfxguy
                  Fast Electric Addict!
                  • Oct 2013
                  • 8746

                  #9
                  Originally posted by NativePaul
                  Do the castle ones not use actual PCBs with copper traces to bolster the legs rather than plain bread boards, I used 16g on my Ice 50 (2000uf), 12g on my Ice 100s (3000uf) and 12g on my Ice 200 (4000uf). Check out the size of the legs, even 20g would be a big improvement over stock. If I had any 14g wire on hand I would have probably used that for all of them.

                  I am no electrical engineer and I have no idea what current you can expect to see flow from caps, but I have seen pics of caps daisy chained like that on here with blown legs near the load and EEs have blamed the daisy chaining so I chose to bolster the legs with a wire bus. Post on this thread an I'm sure DrWayne will provide your answers much better than I can.
                  Yes sir, it does have a wide trace on the board. I will take your advice and use wire. Thanks for pointing that out to me!

                  Darryl.....like this? (I already use this lol)


                  32" carbon rivercat single 4s 102mph, 27” mini Rivercat 92mph, kbb34 91mph, jessej micro cat(too fast) was

                  Comment

                  • kfxguy
                    Fast Electric Addict!
                    • Oct 2013
                    • 8746

                    #10
                    How about this....





                    And it was going on the esc like this.....


                    32" carbon rivercat single 4s 102mph, 27” mini Rivercat 92mph, kbb34 91mph, jessej micro cat(too fast) was

                    Comment

                    • montymike
                      Senior Member
                      • Jul 2012
                      • 774

                      #11
                      Hey is going to be a 6s setup? Ur using35 v caps...right

                      Comment

                      • kfxguy
                        Fast Electric Addict!
                        • Oct 2013
                        • 8746

                        #12
                        Originally posted by montymike
                        Hey is going to be a 6s setup? Ur using35 v caps...right
                        I'll run it on 6s, 7s and 8s
                        32" carbon rivercat single 4s 102mph, 27” mini Rivercat 92mph, kbb34 91mph, jessej micro cat(too fast) was

                        Comment

                        • olwarbirds
                          Magic Smoke Wizard
                          • Oct 2012
                          • 1136

                          #13
                          Travis the 35v 1000uf caps are actually only rated to 6S supposedly, which to me does not make since since they are 35v caps. Will be interesting to see how they hold up too 7/8S and what kind of spikes you log. Nice job on the capbank .... DJ
                          Tunnels-PS295. Cats-H&M M1 Supercat Daytona rivercat. Monos-DF Cyberstorm HiTech 29. Hydros- Ms K Vac-U-Pickle Custom built 37" shovel 10th scale converted to FE Shadow. Rigger-H&M Evo II. AQ Harbortug recovery boat. Build in progress 37" cf Dragboat

                          Comment

                          • montymike
                            Senior Member
                            • Jul 2012
                            • 774

                            #14
                            Well i think u voltager supposed to use 25% higher.
                            So 14.8x2=29.6vx25%=37v all caps are in parallel so thinking
                            U need 50v caps because u would b stressing the 35v
                            ones on 8s . Are they the low e.s.r.( Caps with the 109c rating im not a expert
                            There is way better folks here. Just trying to help mike

                            Comment

                            • montymike
                              Senior Member
                              • Jul 2012
                              • 774

                              #15
                              Oh by the way looks great! Was thinking of building some myself thanks for sharing.

                              Comment

                              Working...