Bosch GBH 24 VFR Batteries

[georgenorth]

yes water doesn't like Li-ion batteries and makes them go bang!. caves are damp and wet so what ever battery you use must be 100% sealed and waterproof and don't need to be vented
.View attachment 20964 This photo is of a band new Ni-cd vented drill battery after one trip in normal cave conditions this is why i
am making a waterproof sealed battery pack so I'm safe as possibly be.

I’d hazard a guess that these batteries were left damp for a while after getting wet. I’ve got Makita 18V Lithium ion batteries which have done 100 trips plus (including multiple complete submersions!). I take the case apart straight away if they’ve got wet to dry them out and they’re still going strong.

Personally I find that 4 x 5Ah batteries is more than enough for my enthusiasm levels on a single trip 😁

 

[Babyhagrid]

The amount of charge required probably depends on the size and lengths of holes . Small holes for capping won't take very much . But multiple 1M+ long shot holes for banging take a lot more charge.

 

[woollydigger]

I’d hazard a guess that these batteries were left damp for a while after getting wet. I’ve got Makita 18V Lithium ion batteries which have done 100 trips plus (including multiple complete submersions!). I take the case apart straight away if they’ve got wet to dry them out and they’re still going strong.

Personally I find that 4 x 5Ah batteries is more than enough for my enthusiasm levels on a single trip 😁

I say the battery was only left over night max 12 hours.
My digging trips last from 24- 36 hours so need a battery what would last

 

[woollydigger]

The amount of charge required probably depends on the size and lengths of holes . Small holes for capping won't take very much . But multiple 1M+ long shot holes for banging take a lot more charge.

I'm going to using plug and feathers would easier to cap but no safe way doing it safely

 

[Badlad]

Just for interest, although I appreciate we have wandered way off the OP topic...

I use a Bosch 36v drill with 6Ah batteries. Even though they are quite old now I still get 3.5m of 10mm hole out of each battery (used to get 4m), and around 30 x 8mm capping holes much dependant on depth.

 

[woollydigger]

i think it boils down to how many ah you to get the job done

 

[georgenorth]

I say the battery was only left over night max 12 hours.
My digging trips last from 24- 36 hours so need a battery what would last

Fair enough. I guess battery robustness has come on a fair bit since the days of NiCd in that case!

 

[Jester]

I say the battery was only left over night max 12 hours.
My digging trips last from 24- 36 hours so need a battery what would last

Out of curiosity, where are you digging that needs such long trips? Not many places take 6hrs to get to.

 

[wormster]

Back of a fag packet calculation:

180 cells (18650) at 40 grams each works out at 7.2 kg, just for the cells alone! plus housing, cell interconnects, BMS etc, plus an ammo box is going to be nigh on 10kg all up.

Plus you will have the embuugerance of spot welding the cells together - soldering just won't cut it.

All in all of it were down to me I'd just pay to get your cellpacks re done - a LOT less hassle without the risk of a thermal runaway leading to the rapid dissasembly of your cell block!!!

 

[wormster]

Saw a comparable after market one on Amazon for 45 quid, brand spankers new O.E.M. blocks go for 90 quid on Amazon too. Much cheaper and lighter than building one yourself!!