Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get tool plans

User Tag List

Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Making busbars

  1. #1
    Supporting Member Improvised DIY's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Posts
    179
    Thanks
    61
    Thanked 192 Times in 93 Posts

    Improvised DIY's Tools

    Making busbars

    Making busbars for my Li-ion batteries.


    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook

  2. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Improvised DIY For This Useful Post:

    Jon (Mar 31, 2022), nova_robotics (Mar 28, 2022)

  3. #2
    Supporting Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Posts
    2,355
    Thanks
    11,180
    Thanked 1,223 Times in 667 Posts

    nova_robotics's Tools
    Neat. I'd use those on ONE side of those ganged breakers. Both sides is daring Death to remove you from the census.

    2,000+ Tool Plans

  4. #3
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,634
    Thanks
    2,186
    Thanked 9,134 Times in 4,366 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    I have a couple of mig welders with magnetic contactors in them the contactors in the machines when new were just 40 amp 2 pole with buss bars on both sides and would wear out rather quickly in 1 of the machines, so I went to 70 amp 2 pole, which lasted longer but still I felt the contacts were undersized. The largest contactor that would physically fit in the space was a 3 pole rated for 100 amps I made buss bars for it. That contactor has been in there for 4 years and I have a spare on the shelf for when it finally fails. The other machine is smaller but is seldom used at its max amps so the 70amp contactor I put in it has been working fine for quite a while now
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  5. #4
    Content Editor
    Supporting Member
    DIYer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    3,055
    Thanks
    793
    Thanked 1,888 Times in 1,683 Posts


    Thanks Improvised DIY! We've added your Busbars to our Electrical category,
    as well as to your builder page: Improvised DIY's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:




  6. #5
    Supporting Member Improvised DIY's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Posts
    179
    Thanks
    61
    Thanked 192 Times in 93 Posts

    Improvised DIY's Tools
    I see you are quite busy around the shop. My neighbour was still doing carpentry at age 95. He lived till 105. Sometimes machines are designed with too tight tolerances to save cost. That's why they fail. I usually design my electronics to work to a 60-80% of rated capacity of the components.

  7. #6
    Supporting Member Improvised DIY's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Posts
    179
    Thanks
    61
    Thanked 192 Times in 93 Posts

    Improvised DIY's Tools
    Only for display purposes. You can parallel 63amp 3-pole breakers to divide the load if you don't want to go broke with a single pole breaker of 180 -200amp. Your PCC is also tripled.

  8. #7
    Supporting Member Ralphxyz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    1,731
    Thanks
    3,197
    Thanked 295 Times in 241 Posts

    Ralphxyz's Tools
    How many batteries and what amperage that would use a 1/4"+ busbar?

    Ralph

  9. #8
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,634
    Thanks
    2,186
    Thanked 9,134 Times in 4,366 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by Ralphxyz View Post
    How many batteries and what amperage that would use a 1/4"+ busbar?

    Ralph
    The busbar in this case is more of a bridge between the 3 poles of the circuit breaker, The amperage of the breaker would be the limiting factor. The number of batteries are irrelevant as long as you are not trying to use a breaker of this type to parallel batteries together it is for down stream output only never as an inter bank connector. circuit Breakers are also not meant to be used as switches while under load
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  10. #9
    Supporting Member Improvised DIY's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Posts
    179
    Thanks
    61
    Thanked 192 Times in 93 Posts

    Improvised DIY's Tools
    My busbars are good for 120 amp per pole. In my case I am using lithium ion batteries which has low output current compared to lead acid. On your breakers there would be an IC rating usually between 3 and 15kA. That is a limiting factor on the breakers when using batteries. Lead acid can exceed 1000Amps easily under short circuit conditions. Always make sure that your total CC currents of your batteries do no exceed the IC ratings of you breakers. The busbars you have should have a current rating stamped on it unless you made it yourself. There is is quite a lot of considerations to take into account like temperature, insulation, enclosure type etc. which influence the outcome. There are charts available to put you in the ball park.



    2,000+ Tool Plans

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •