Your Battery Preference with a PC or CF

[Machinimax]

If you have created a saber with a PC or CF, what brand of Li-Ion 14500 batteries do you like to use? In my case I'm making a CF saber with FoC and an illuminated yellow dot switch. I'm particularly looking for a battery with an appropriate discharge rate so I do not damage any of the circuitry. Will the unprotected 14500 Li-Ions that Tim sells be ok for my purposes? Thanks everybody.

[cooky069]

I've found the ones tcss sell to be fine also the fact that I live in the uk means that unprotected cells ain't easy to come by. We seem to be stuck mainly with nimh. So I've gone with what's readily available

[Skottsaber]

For FoC with a 10W (which I'm assuming you want to use) I would heavily recommend you use 18650 cells for the extra current discharge.

[Takanis]

For FoC with a 10W (which I'm assuming you want to use) I would heavily recommend you use 18650 cells for the extra current discharge.

I agree with Skott; Two 18650s would be "optimal", but you might run into space issues. The 18650's are large.

[Machinimax]

I agree with Skott; Two 18650s would be "optimal", but you might run into space issues. The 18650's are large.

Yes I heard about the possible space issue with the 18650s. I need to place my sound board, batteries, and switches in the 7in main body of my hilt. I'll assume that would give me cram-fu issues with those types of batteries?

[Skottsaber]

Well a stick pack of 18650's is about 5.2 inches long, you can place your CF on top of the battery pack, leaving you over an inch of space for switches...

[Machinimax]

Well a stick pack of 18650's is about 5.2 inches long, you can place your CF on top of the battery pack, leaving you over an inch of space for switches...

You know what, since it won't cost me an arm and leg, I may wind up buying a pair of 14500s and 18650s and see which work best with my saber. Thanks alot Skottsaber, you've been a great help.

[FenderBender]

Keep in mind on a 7" hilt you really only have 5 7/8" of unfettered hilt. There is 5/8" on each end for threads and thread relief. The heatsink (if your emitter is attaching directly to the hilt section) extends approx. 1" down from the end of the hilt. This means that you have only 5 1/4" of space in the hilt section which is the exact length you'll take up with that 18650 stick pack. Can it be done? Sure. depends on what switches (you'll need two mind you) you use and how you mount them, where you are putting your recharge port, and the length of the battery pack also means that you lose a lot of space for the speaker mount and resonance. My suggestion, 14500's have worked fine for just about every project I've ever done, but if you want more head room for discharge rate, go with 14670s. They're the same length as 18650/70s but can fit side by side like 14500s and have more capacity and up to 3A discharge. This will leave you loads of room in the hilt to play with if you mount them side by side.

[Machinimax]

Keep in mind on a 7" hilt you really only have 5 7/8" of unfettered hilt. There is 5/8" on each end for threads and thread relief. The heatsink (if your emitter is attaching directly to the hilt section) extends approx. 1" down from the end of the hilt. This means that you have only 5 1/4" of space in the hilt section which is the exact length you'll take up with that 18650 stick pack. Can it be done? Sure. depends on what switches (you'll need two mind you) you use and how you mount them, where you are putting your recharge port, and the length of the battery pack also means that you lose a lot of space for the speaker mount and resonance. My suggestion, 14500's have worked fine for just about every project I've ever done, but if you want more head room for discharge rate, go with 14670s. They're the same length as 18650/70s but can fit side by side like 14500s and have more capacity and up to 3A discharge. This will leave you loads of room in the hilt to play with if you mount them side by side.

Leave it to the saber building master hahaha! Ok then I'll take a look at the 14670s. So even some of your CFs with FoC have used 14500s before? Thanks alot!

[FenderBender]

98% of my builds use 14500s. If I can fit more battery into a hilt, than I will, but more often than not the design/customer requires a smaller hilt/cramped install yadda yadda......