I have used 2 x 9 Ah lifepo4 in my new boominator and love it, it charges faster than SLAs from previous portable builds, holds its voltage when not in use, it weighs less and lasts longer.
I always have had problems with keeping the SLA batteries fresh, they degrade and eventually you can not charge them full. You really need to be careful with them.
It seems that the Lifepo4 handle much more abuse.
NB I just had Lifepo4 for a few cycles so off course i might be wrong...
SLA vs Li-ion vs LiFePO4
Advantages LiFePo4
-Weight, 40-50% of a SLA battery with the same capacity
-Can be fully discharged, SLA has to have 10-15% left
-Safety, as euforia said: no toxic metals. Also thermal runaway is impossible and it's chemically stable so almost no chance of explosion as opposed to li-ion
-High (dis)charge rates
-High and stable voltage without exceeding the amps' limit.
-High cyclerates (often >2000) and no memory effect.
-Low selfdischarge, can be left alone a long time without losing much capacity
-Can keep it's capacity in a wide temperature range
-Can be UN38.3 certified, although it costs money, and is allowed to be shipped
Disadvantage LiFePO4:
-Cost, but if you take the high cyclerate into account it's even cheaper than SLA.
-Not a lot of manufacturers and therefore hardly available, but (I think) it will come with the time.
-Lower Wh/L compared to li-ion
Advantages SLA:
-Cheap, in particular the 7.2ah ones because of the high production rate
-Safe, not as safe as LiFePO4 but a lot safer than li-ion
-Easy to charge, wide range of chargers available
-High and relatively stable voltage without exceeding the amps' limit
Disadvantages SLA:
-low deepcharge cyclerate (+/-300)
-weight (2.5kg for 7.2ah)
-easy to damage, contains no BMS/PCM and can thus be deepcharged. Deepcharge will create irreversible damage. Can be prevented with a deep-charge protection PCB.
Advantages li-ion
-Very high discharge rates, therefore used a lot in the RC world
-Lowest weight of all.
-Price and cycle life are in between LiFePO4 and SLA
-Relativily easy to charge, a lot of balance chargers are readily available on Ebay for example.
-Available in a lot of shapes: prismatic, cylindrical and pouch cells
-High Wh/L
Disadvantages li-ion:
-Will explode eventually. The risk is really low, but it is there
-Low nominal voltage compared to the other batteries.
-Can't be UN38.3 certified and therefore not allowed to be shipped in high capacities
Probably missed quite some things, and correct if i'm wrong
Advantages LiFePo4
-Weight, 40-50% of a SLA battery with the same capacity
-Can be fully discharged, SLA has to have 10-15% left
-Safety, as euforia said: no toxic metals. Also thermal runaway is impossible and it's chemically stable so almost no chance of explosion as opposed to li-ion
-High (dis)charge rates
-High and stable voltage without exceeding the amps' limit.
-High cyclerates (often >2000) and no memory effect.
-Low selfdischarge, can be left alone a long time without losing much capacity
-Can keep it's capacity in a wide temperature range
-Can be UN38.3 certified, although it costs money, and is allowed to be shipped
Disadvantage LiFePO4:
-Cost, but if you take the high cyclerate into account it's even cheaper than SLA.
-Not a lot of manufacturers and therefore hardly available, but (I think) it will come with the time.
-Lower Wh/L compared to li-ion
Advantages SLA:
-Cheap, in particular the 7.2ah ones because of the high production rate
-Safe, not as safe as LiFePO4 but a lot safer than li-ion
-Easy to charge, wide range of chargers available
-High and relatively stable voltage without exceeding the amps' limit
Disadvantages SLA:
-low deepcharge cyclerate (+/-300)
-weight (2.5kg for 7.2ah)
-easy to damage, contains no BMS/PCM and can thus be deepcharged. Deepcharge will create irreversible damage. Can be prevented with a deep-charge protection PCB.
Advantages li-ion
-Very high discharge rates, therefore used a lot in the RC world
-Lowest weight of all.
-Price and cycle life are in between LiFePO4 and SLA
-Relativily easy to charge, a lot of balance chargers are readily available on Ebay for example.
-Available in a lot of shapes: prismatic, cylindrical and pouch cells
-High Wh/L
Disadvantages li-ion:
-Will explode eventually. The risk is really low, but it is there
-Low nominal voltage compared to the other batteries.
-Can't be UN38.3 certified and therefore not allowed to be shipped in high capacities
Probably missed quite some things, and correct if i'm wrong
Advantages LiFePo4
-Weight, 40-50% of a SLA battery with the same capacity
-Can be fully discharged, SLA has to have 10-15% left
-Safety, as euforia said: no toxic metals. Also thermal runaway is impossible and it's chemically stable so almost no chance of explosion as opposed to li-ion
-High (dis)charge rates
-High and stable voltage without exceeding the amps' limit.
-High cyclerates (often >2000) and no memory effect.
-Low selfdischarge, can be left alone a long time without losing much capacity
-Can keep it's capacity in a wide temperature range
-Can be UN38.3 certified, although it costs money, and is allowed to be shipped
Disadvantage LiFePO4:
-Cost, but if you take the high cyclerate into account it's even cheaper than SLA.
-Not a lot of manufacturers and therefore hardly available, but (I think) it will come with the time.
-Lower Wh/L compared to li-ion
Advantages SLA:
-Cheap, in particular the 7.2ah ones because of the high production rate
-Safe, not as safe as LiFePO4 but a lot safer than li-ion
-Easy to charge, wide range of chargers available
-High and relatively stable voltage without exceeding the amps' limit
Disadvantages SLA:
-low deepcharge cyclerate (+/-300)
-weight (2.5kg for 7.2ah)
-easy to damage, contains no BMS/PCM and can thus be deepcharged. Deepcharge will create irreversible damage. Can be prevented with a deep-charge protection PCB.
Advantages li-ion
-Very high discharge rates, therefore used a lot in the RC world
-Lowest weight of all.
-Price and cycle life are in between LiFePO4 and SLA
-Relativily easy to charge, a lot of balance chargers are readily available on Ebay for example.
-Available in a lot of shapes: prismatic, cylindrical and pouch cells
-High Wh/L
Disadvantages li-ion:
-Will explode eventually. The risk is really low, but it is there
-Low nominal voltage compared to the other batteries.
-Can't be UN38.3 certified and therefore not allowed to be shipped in high capacities
Probably missed quite some things, and correct if i'm wrong
Nice list, extremely useful for beginners
.One little note though:
SLA still is the cheapest and easiest battery to use. It's by far the easiest battery to charge and to protect. Just add a under voltage protection and a fuse and you're ready. No need for over voltage protection(as long as you have a SLA charger), balancing and measuring cell voltages. For a beginner this is still the way to go. High capacity, low price, easy to easy.
I would never recommend a Li-ion pack for a beginner, you'll really need to know what you're talking about before you can safely use these batteries. They are great capacity/weight and capacity/liters but dangerous in the wrong hands. I think this is missing as a disadvantage in your list, for both the Li-ion and LiFePO4. These batteries needs proper protection, over discharge, overcharge, overcurrent and preferably balancing. This means that with Li-ion or LiFePO4 you can't just add your system to the + and - pole, but a PCM or BMS is needed with wires connected to each cell. Quite complicated for a beginner. Another problem is that you'll need either spot welded tabs or a battery holder as you can't solder directly to the cells (this will permanently damage them). Another small note: SLA batteries are easy to damage when they are deep discharged, but the same applies to Li-ion and LiFePO, if discharged too far, they will permanently damage. LiFePO4 suffers the least from this problem though, as they can be 100% discharged and still last quite a while they do last longer though, with a d.o.d. <100%. With Li-ion their rated cycle rate can only be achieved by not fully charging them and not fully discharging them (usually 4.1V max charge and 3.5-3.6V max discharge).
Edit:
Oh and then there are all those fake 18650 li-ion cells and LiFePO4 cells. Be careful with this. If it is to good to be true, it probably is
. There are no fake SLA cells as far as I know, but you do have to be careful with not buying them brand new.
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They can all be damaged by deepcharge indeed, it's just that SLA batteries are bare cells and are often used without any protection. LiFePO4 and Li-ion often have a PCM/BMS or low-voltage alarm, that's common practice and regarded as neccesary.
IMO SLA's are not the easiest to charge, RC lithium packs are. Chargers are almost all based on the same standard, CC/CV till 4.2v is reached. Higher quality ones will top the pack off, although this isn't strictly necessary but it will leverage the full potential of the battery. As you say, DIY battery packs are quite tricky. Not recommended for beginners, but the basics can be learned quite fast.
I'm also not aware of any 'fake' SLA's, but there is ofcourse a difference between a known and trusted manufacturer and a low quality cheap one.
And does anyone have experience, or a link to a good source, about charging a 3S pack? I see a lot of packs that charge PCM (so no balancing) what is the short- and longterm impact on the battery?
IMO SLA's are not the easiest to charge, RC lithium packs are. Chargers are almost all based on the same standard, CC/CV till 4.2v is reached. Higher quality ones will top the pack off, although this isn't strictly necessary but it will leverage the full potential of the battery. As you say, DIY battery packs are quite tricky. Not recommended for beginners, but the basics can be learned quite fast.
I'm also not aware of any 'fake' SLA's, but there is ofcourse a difference between a known and trusted manufacturer and a low quality cheap one.
And does anyone have experience, or a link to a good source, about charging a 3S pack? I see a lot of packs that charge PCM (so no balancing) what is the short- and longterm impact on the battery?
Yep but while a 12V SLA can be used without protection(but with common sense), you should absolutely never use li-ion without protection.
RC packs are easy, but they are also one of the most dangerous li-ion packs available. I've seen one catch fire myself, not good. With SLA that won't happen. Another problem with them is that you have to store them at 3.7-3.8V when not using them, otherwise they'll "puff"
RC packs are easy, but they are also one of the most dangerous li-ion packs available. I've seen one catch fire myself, not good
. With SLA that won't happen. Another problem with them is that you have to store them at 3.7-3.8V when not using them, otherwise they'll "puff"
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What kind og changes will that be?
Just ordered the aurasound ns525
I think they are talking about "The new Mini" - the one with monacor sp60 woofers (names are so confusing, just like Apple's "The new iPad"
). There shouldn't be any changes regarding the old mini using aurasound ns525. Just follow the thread on speakerplans.com and you should be fine.
Even if this might be true for long term storage, why should they "puff", when storaged fully charged? The only disadvantage i know, is the recombination rate on cycling when stored fully charged.
Every "semipro" charger will offer a "storage-charge", where they will charge/discharge to 3.6-3.8V. (Exact voltage is noted in the cells datasheet)
Folks
I'm feeling left out of the mini love given no one stocks the Monacor drivers in the USA and I expect others feel the same. To solve this I am willing to organize a USA group buy for the Monacor drivers and Dayton tweeters. Here is the per Bioominator price ( 4 each SP-60 and tweeters) based on volume (inclusive of PayPal fees):
25 Boominators - $110 per set
35 Boominators - $96 per set
Shipping in the USA is conservatively estimate at $17 (medium UPS flat rate). If this goes forward I will work to find a more cost effective method and pass that savings along.
Terms of the group buy will include a $55 pre-payment with the he balance due prior to shipping and within 7 days of invoice. Estimated delivery 4 to 5 weeks from date of order based in current availability. If the international shipping and customs come in less than expected I will use extra funds to add crossover parts to the group buy (saving overall shipping costs for each of us), or offset the balance due based on group preferences.
I will make a decision on whether to proceed with this GB on April 16. Please PM me if interested. If I get more than 10 PMs I will set up a separate group buy thread.
I'm feeling left out of the mini love given no one stocks the Monacor drivers in the USA and I expect others feel the same. To solve this I am willing to organize a USA group buy for the Monacor drivers and Dayton tweeters. Here is the per Bioominator price ( 4 each SP-60 and tweeters) based on volume (inclusive of PayPal fees):
25 Boominators - $110 per set
35 Boominators - $96 per set
Shipping in the USA is conservatively estimate at $17 (medium UPS flat rate). If this goes forward I will work to find a more cost effective method and pass that savings along.
Terms of the group buy will include a $55 pre-payment with the he balance due prior to shipping and within 7 days of invoice. Estimated delivery 4 to 5 weeks from date of order based in current availability. If the international shipping and customs come in less than expected I will use extra funds to add crossover parts to the group buy (saving overall shipping costs for each of us), or offset the balance due based on group preferences.
I will make a decision on whether to proceed with this GB on April 16. Please PM me if interested. If I get more than 10 PMs I will set up a separate group buy thread.
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Hi All
I'm loving the electronics compartment photos from Shortrope and WesleyK, really enlightening and so much better executed than my effort (not that I've had any trouble with mine yet). Thank you both for your contributions here...... I particularly like WesleyK's slide in sheet aluminium "module", very professional and possibly a bit out of my capabilities but I may have a go at something similar. I like to keep the top of the boominator sealed, safe from spillages and drunken stumbles, that is the only flaw in shortopes design that wouldn't really work for me...
I'm planning to build a mini as my first project this year but whilst I wait for the finished plans, I'm trying to get a CAD drawing done for a CNC router or lazer cutter to build some more full size Boominators later in the year.....
I've been having a go tonight (never used CAD before) but I must be reinventing the wheel, very slowly.... Does anyone have any CAD drawings or plans of the original full size boominator that they would be willing to share with me? Maybe I'm being cheeky but what the heck, can't hurt to ask......
Looking forward to the final mini v2... can't wait....
Can't get the Dayton tweeters in the UK at the moment so I'll probably order them from Accusafe with my maxamp..... Maybe in time Blue Aran will follow their support of the boominator and stock the dayton tweeters for its baby brother the mini (they already stock the Monacor SP60's)
Cheers all
BJ
I'm loving the electronics compartment photos from Shortrope and WesleyK, really enlightening and so much better executed than my effort (not that I've had any trouble with mine yet). Thank you both for your contributions here...... I particularly like WesleyK's slide in sheet aluminium "module", very professional and possibly a bit out of my capabilities but I may have a go at something similar. I like to keep the top of the boominator sealed, safe from spillages and drunken stumbles, that is the only flaw in shortopes design that wouldn't really work for me...
I'm planning to build a mini as my first project this year but whilst I wait for the finished plans, I'm trying to get a CAD drawing done for a CNC router or lazer cutter to build some more full size Boominators later in the year.....
I've been having a go tonight (never used CAD before) but I must be reinventing the wheel, very slowly.... Does anyone have any CAD drawings or plans of the original full size boominator that they would be willing to share with me? Maybe I'm being cheeky but what the heck, can't hurt to ask......
Looking forward to the final mini v2... can't wait....
Can't get the Dayton tweeters in the UK at the moment so I'll probably order them from Accusafe with my maxamp..... Maybe in time Blue Aran will follow their support of the boominator and stock the dayton tweeters for its baby brother the mini (they already stock the Monacor SP60's)
Cheers all
BJ
And the mini!
Any updates for us Saturnus?
Also has anyone ever used vinyl wrap on a boombox?
There are some pretty trick products such as 3M di-noc and 3M 1080 series.
That dsp looks awesome!
Would there be any real advantage in bi amping the mini with ether active (dsp) or passive crossovers?
With a 8.4 amp hr battery it would still last a long time.
Any updates for us Saturnus?
Also has anyone ever used vinyl wrap on a boombox?
There are some pretty trick products such as 3M di-noc and 3M 1080 series.
That dsp looks awesome!
Would there be any real advantage in bi amping the mini with ether active (dsp) or passive crossovers?
With a 8.4 amp hr battery it would still last a long time.
Since People Are asking about the mini and micro in here i thought i Would post here..
Im having a little troubles figuring out the parts for the crossover
for the crossover/filter parts could anyone please verify that these are indeed the parts i need?
2x https://www.intertechnik.de/Shop/Fre...768,de,61,5453
2x
https://www.intertechnik.de/Shop/Fre...768,de,72,5481
2x
https://www.intertechnik.de/Shop/Fre...68,de,607,3823
2x
https://www.intertechnik.de/Shop/Fre...68,de,607,3826
Im having a little troubles figuring out the parts for the crossover
for the crossover/filter parts could anyone please verify that these are indeed the parts i need?
2x https://www.intertechnik.de/Shop/Fre...768,de,61,5453
2x
https://www.intertechnik.de/Shop/Fre...768,de,72,5481
2x
https://www.intertechnik.de/Shop/Fre...68,de,607,3823
2x
https://www.intertechnik.de/Shop/Fre...68,de,607,3826
Problem with my boominator
Hi,
I have a problem with my boominator and its frustrating.
When I turn up the volume more than 80% it sounds like crap. Its really distorted and the bass beats sounds weak like there`s not enough power but the display shows 12.7 volt.
The boominator is connected this way:
From the batteries(the batteries are paralell connected) to a switch, from the switch to a current measurer, from the current messurer to the reciever. It`s wired with 2.5 m2 cable.
Does anyone have the same problem or an idea on how to fix this problem?
I am using two 7.2 aH batteries from Biltema and a max amp reciever.
//Daniel
Hi,
I have a problem with my boominator and its frustrating.
When I turn up the volume more than 80% it sounds like crap. Its really distorted and the bass beats sounds weak like there`s not enough power but the display shows 12.7 volt.
The boominator is connected this way:
From the batteries(the batteries are paralell connected) to a switch, from the switch to a current measurer, from the current messurer to the reciever. It`s wired with 2.5 m2 cable.
Does anyone have the same problem or an idea on how to fix this problem?
I am using two 7.2 aH batteries from Biltema and a max amp reciever.
//Daniel
Could be due to the high gain combined with a decent high level input source. You could try the low gain setting of the maxamp, by applying solder the "gain" pads on the left side of the amplifier chip. There are 2 (pairs) of gold plated pads, just use a soldering iron to short the pads together.
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