nb+ power question

[whitmers]

I ordered a MHS speaker and 2x AA battery holder, and two lion 14500 power cells, is the holder already wired for working in parallel? I am asking because I have the nanobiscotte and it says it works best with 1 bigger cell, so I am currently using a single 14500 and a dummy cell. I would love to be able to throw both cells in and I am wondering how much more work i need to do. If they are wired for series, I am up for trying to rewire it in parallel.

[Xevious]

Like most battery holders, it's wired in series. Rewiring for parallel means cutting and soldering.

IMHO, the best battery for the NB is a single 18650. (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Li-Ion-18650-37V-2600mAh-PCB-Protected-Rechargeable-Battery-Module-P672.aspx) Add a recharge port and you're done -- never have to crack open your saber again.

[Yoshi-Taka]

Don't use that battery. The NB can only take up to 2000mAh, and that battery is rated 2600mAh. You'll destroy the board with that battery. I know because I did it with that battery. I haven't been able to try it yet, but I would use this battery instead - http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Li-Ion-18500-37V-1400mAh-PCB-Protected-Rechargeable-Battery-Module-P775.aspx

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Don't use that battery. The NB can only take up to 2000mAh, and that battery is rated 2600mAh. You'll destroy the board with that battery. I know because I did it with that battery. I haven't been able to try it yet, but I would use this battery instead - http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Li-Ion-18500-37V-1400mAh-PCB-Protected-Rechargeable-Battery-Module-P775.aspx

The above is inaccurate! The 2A mentioned on the page is for the main LED, not the NB. The board was designed to work with an 18650 single cell.

[whitmers]

While it works with the 14500, I just bought some 18600 (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/TrustFire-Protected-37V-2400mAh-18650-Lithium-Battery-2-pack-P517.aspx)

[Yoshi-Taka]

The above is inaccurate! The 2A mentioned on the page is for the main LED, not the NB. The board was designed to work with an 18650 single cell.

I used the battery he listed and it fried my board. I'm only speaking from personal experience.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

I used the battery he listed and it fried my board. I'm only speaking from personal experience.

That's fine. What I am saying is that NB's ARE designed to be used with a single 18650 battery cell.

[Yoshi-Taka]

I'm not arguing that whatsoever. I'd recommend a single 18650; that's what I'd use. That particular one, the 2600mAh one, I wouldn't recommend. That particular battery ended up frying my NBv1. There's a possibility that I messed up on my accord, I won't deny that. I'm going to try a different battery and a new board as soon as I can, but I believe the lower power one that I linked above (the single cell 18500 1400mAh) should be just as sufficient and won't cause any problems. All I know if what I experienced first hand, so for all I know I could be wrong.

I've been wrong before and surely I'll be wrong again.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

I'm not arguing either. The 18650's have a higher mAh rating (all are above 2000 mAh). That's one of the reasons why these boards were designed with that in mind. The AW 18650's have a discharge of 3100 mAh. ;) I am almost positive that the mAh rating isn't what fried your board, unless you had a cell that had some other issue that I've never seen or heard of in the many years I've been in the hobby. mAh is just a rating of how long a cell can deliver the voltage it has. As an example, a 2600 mAh battery can deliver 2A for about 1 hour and 15 minutes (give or take a few minutes).

Since you haven't posted pictures of your wiring or anything, we can't see or diagnose what may have been the issue. You may simply have a short somewhere. :D

I know several people have used 18650's with the NB and the CS, and you are the first to have an issue due to the battery.

[TD-2272]

May I add that mAh will not kill your board. The higher the mAh the longer run time you will have. Now having said that volts will fry your board. 5.5 volts max. Any single cell li-ion only puts out about 4.2 volts fully charged, then will drop off to the 3.6 that it's rated for.

[Caine Drathul]

whitmers, if you want to still use that battery holder and speaker combo, just use one of the 14500's and buy a dummy cell (avail. in the store here) and that will work. You won't get uber long run times but at the least, your battery/speaker combo will get used.

And for the record, adding on what has been stated...any 3.7V battery will work on the N.B. High mA isn't the issue, it's the voltage that would fry the board.

EDIT: I just saw in another thread that you went with the dummy cell route. ;)

[whitmers]

I was using one of the 14500s with a dummy cell and it worked fine, but longer battery life would certainly be nice. I found some for a good price that came with two 18,600's so I'll use that those for this saber (giving me a spare) and the other two 14500 for my other light saber. I think next time, I'll try using the l rechargeable modules. Thanks for all your input guys!

[TD-2272]

Hey Whitmers also to let you know the cells you found at a good price make sure they are protected. ;)

[Caine Drathul]

I was using one of the 14500s with a dummy cell and it worked fine, but longer battery life would certainly be nice. I found some for a good price that came with two 18,600's so I'll use that those for this saber (giving me a spare) and the other two 14500 for my other light saber. I think next time, I'll try using the l rechargeable modules. Thanks for all your input guys!

For my recent N.B. install, I just got an 18650 battery holder and glued the speaker and speaker mount to the end. I mounted the N.B. on top of the battery holder and wrapped the whole thing in thing plastic tubing. It works like a charm and I get monster run times.