After a bit of discussion with Joanne, and after my initial several trips' use of the "Jihad-style" battery pack I constructed from PVC pipe fittings; I finally got my order from HobbyKing through HongKong, after it sat in customs for almost 2 weeks.
I decided to deconstruct the outside of the Jihad-style pack, and rewire it's parallel connectors, as well as remove its molex connector and replace with more substantial wire and XT60 connectors.
After that I simply heat shrunk a cover over the whole thing, to insulate my exposed ends, which were originally used to clip the charger clamps onto for charging (which worked peachy at the time). Now I charge through the XT60 connector.
The nice thing about this pack, with each cell in a Sch40 pvc jacket, they are near waterproof, and are very resistant to impacts. Though it is considerably bulkier.
The second pack I used started with the plastic 2 cell 18650 holder which has built in protection circuit, configured 1S2P.
I removed the existing shrink wrap on the batteries, and replaced it with a slightly thicker Turnigy heat shrink that is clear. This allows not only some protection to the cells, but also allows me to see throw the wrap if the casing is damaged at all.
Next I wrapped the whole pack with super88 electrical tape, then placed a small piece of plastic over the exposed cell section then wrapped again. Seen partially complete in this photo
Following this, I heat shrunk a first layer around the pack. Then I dunked the whole assembly in black plasti-dip once, let it dry for a few hours, then dunked it again for a second coat.
Finished pic. This pack has had its cells shrinkwrapped, inserted in the holder w/ protection circuit, wrapped, shielded, wrapped, srinkwrapped, dipped, dipped, and shrink wrapped.
Now I just need to make a few with 3 parallel and 4 parallel.
And, I only just saw how Joanne's pack has the connector shrinkwrapped from the head down the length of the wires, which is probably a good idea.
I also added an XT60 connector to the wire coming from my modified Fenix HP20, and left the wire long enough to loop back on itself and ziptie on each end for strain relief. If something is snagged it will pull out a ways.
Thinking of either routing the wires inside the helmet at this point, or taping them down.
I decided to deconstruct the outside of the Jihad-style pack, and rewire it's parallel connectors, as well as remove its molex connector and replace with more substantial wire and XT60 connectors.
After that I simply heat shrunk a cover over the whole thing, to insulate my exposed ends, which were originally used to clip the charger clamps onto for charging (which worked peachy at the time). Now I charge through the XT60 connector.
The nice thing about this pack, with each cell in a Sch40 pvc jacket, they are near waterproof, and are very resistant to impacts. Though it is considerably bulkier.
The second pack I used started with the plastic 2 cell 18650 holder which has built in protection circuit, configured 1S2P.
I removed the existing shrink wrap on the batteries, and replaced it with a slightly thicker Turnigy heat shrink that is clear. This allows not only some protection to the cells, but also allows me to see throw the wrap if the casing is damaged at all.
Next I wrapped the whole pack with super88 electrical tape, then placed a small piece of plastic over the exposed cell section then wrapped again. Seen partially complete in this photo
Following this, I heat shrunk a first layer around the pack. Then I dunked the whole assembly in black plasti-dip once, let it dry for a few hours, then dunked it again for a second coat.
Finished pic. This pack has had its cells shrinkwrapped, inserted in the holder w/ protection circuit, wrapped, shielded, wrapped, srinkwrapped, dipped, dipped, and shrink wrapped.
Now I just need to make a few with 3 parallel and 4 parallel.
And, I only just saw how Joanne's pack has the connector shrinkwrapped from the head down the length of the wires, which is probably a good idea.
I also added an XT60 connector to the wire coming from my modified Fenix HP20, and left the wire long enough to loop back on itself and ziptie on each end for strain relief. If something is snagged it will pull out a ways.
Thinking of either routing the wires inside the helmet at this point, or taping them down.
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