Laser Welding Machine | DIY Solar Power Forum

I've seen a lot of DIYers end up in a bind with laser welded terminals where something goes wrong and now they are out of luck and/or their favorite DIY cell is only available with weld-on terminals.

Being the nerd I am, I've bounced around the thought of buying a used IR laser welder (the same type they use for cells) for the shop. If we had some sort of "job-shop" type of service and could source custom, super high quality bolt terminals, offer repairs, or even assemble custom battery packs - would it catch anyone's interest?

Previously, being a welder by trade, it kills me deep down to see things get broken but not have the tools to put it back together. I see many guys that either break or get no terminals and can't put a cell to use because all the welding equipment is in China.

Just a super crazy Sunday night thought, but I'd love to see what the forum can take and imagine with it.

Being the nerd I am, I've bounced around the thought of buying a used IR laser welder (the same type they use for cells) for the shop. If we had some sort of "job-shop" type of service and could source custom, super high quality bolt terminals, offer repairs, or even assemble custom battery packs - would it catch anyone's interest?

Every job shop I have gotten a quote from really relies on a huge markup to cover one-off projects. Then you get into the UL issues...

There should be a meaningful market for it, but it can spiral out of control quickly. There is (or was) a custom electrical switchgear company in Vegas (there are still several others around across the Southwest and Utah) that you might want to talk to about partnering with on something like this. A custom shop might be able to actually UL label some things as well for low volume production without screwing up the economics too much. Was this post spurred on by my post mentioning me popping the cap of of a Calb cell? That was totally my fault. My batteries were built to have mostly the same configuration and parts to about a 1/8 to 1/4 inch of tolerance. So on my second battery I was trying to get a chunky 4/0 cable to attach to the fuse block while it was already attached to the cell. Tolerances were working against me and too much pressure and the welds gave way. The first battery went together like a hand in a glove.


So in subsequent batteries I learn to spend more time with a vise along with a ratchet wire bender attachment and in the fetting process. Also to attach the wire to the fuse block (or shunt) FIRST. And then to the cell.

But yeah, the ability to get this repaired would be awesome. Could use it in a trolling motor battery if nothing else.

Edit: I think the one that I popped was actually the positive wire that connects to the contactor and cell 16 in the photo.

Edit 2: Only reason why I had them in that configuration was to fit eight of them in this cabinet:

Was this post spurred on by my post mentioning me popping the cap of of a Calb cell? That was totally my fault. My batteries were built to have mostly the same configuration and parts to about a 1/8 to 1/4 inch of tolerance. So on my second battery I was trying to get a chunky 4/0 cable to attach to the fuse block while it was already attached to the cell. Tolerances were working against me and too much pressure and the welds gave way. The first battery went together like a hand in a glove.

View attachment
So in subsequent batteries I learn to spend more time with a vise along with a ratchet wire bender attachment and in the fetting process. Also to attach the wire to the fuse block (or shunt) FIRST. And then to the cell.

But yeah, the ability to get this repaired would be awesome. Could use it in a trolling motor battery if nothing else.

Edit: I think the one that I popped was actually the positive wire that connects to the contactor and cell 16 in the photo.

Edit 2: Only reason why I had them in that configuration was to fit eight of them in this cabinet:

View attachment

When that happened, I bet it went with a gasp, then unintelligible syllables, then outright profanity. Been there.

When that happened, I bet it went with a gasp, then unintelligible syllables, then outright profanity. Been there.

I really only get angry when I can’t find a tool. Because it reminds me of instead of having a shop or garage, I lived like a migrant for 20 years out of boxes serving a foundation built on lies, deceit, and all for nothing and probably of which hampered us from having children (US Army). But I am digressing to politics at this point.

It’s weird. If break something expensive, it really doesn’t bother me. But God help me if I can’t find something I know I have three of. I look like a cartoon with steam whistles coming out of my ears.

FWIW I would have just used #1 AWG for the short cables. Voltage drop isn't an issue and your terminations should be good for a 90C free air rating.

Yeah, I’d there is ever a ver 2.0, I’ll probably drop them down to at least 2/0. I was running out of time to get these put together due to visa expiration in my wife’s home country and had a hard date to fly back. I had the wire and 4/0 connector bits.

I really only get angry when I can’t find a tool. Because it reminds me of instead of having a shop or garage, I lived like a migrant for 20 years out of boxes serving a foundation built on lies, deceit, and all for nothing and probably of which hampered us from having children (US Army). But I am digressing to politics at this point.

It’s weird. If break something expensive, it really doesn’t bother me. But God help me if I can’t find something I know I have three of. I look like a cartoon with steam whistles coming out of my ears.

At work I know where everything is down to the area each drawer in a large toolbox. I also know where stuff is in the building that’s bigger than a Costco. When I get home, in a little square foot house I can’t find a thing because of family. Mind blown, tosses hands in the air and just buys another. I decided to collect one kind of item to put away when I find them.Pop rivet tools. The count? Six! Who the freak needs six?

Was this post spurred on by my post mentioning me popping the cap of of a Calb cell? That was totally my fault. My batteries were built to have mostly the same configuration and parts to about a 1/8 to 1/4 inch of tolerance. So on my second battery I was trying to get a chunky 4/0 cable to attach to the fuse block while it was already attached to the cell. Tolerances were working against me and too much pressure and the welds gave way. The first battery went together like a hand in a glove.

So in subsequent batteries I learn to spend more time with a vise along with a ratchet wire bender attachment and in the fetting process. Also to attach the wire to the fuse block (or shunt) FIRST. And then to the cell.

But yeah, the ability to get this repaired would be awesome. Could use it in a trolling motor battery if nothing else.

Edit: I think the one that I popped was actually the positive wire that connects to the contactor and cell 16 in the photo.

Edit 2: Only reason why I had them in that configuration was to fit eight of them in this cabinet:

You aren't the first one to do that. I did it on 3 cells by accident (I was putting studs in, then the nuts added more torsion on the stud and did the same thing. No wonder the CALB bus bars are so flexible!!!


Obviously the cost of equipment is a factor...

At work I know where everything is down to the area each drawer in a large toolbox. I also know where stuff is in the building that’s bigger than a Costco. When I get home, in a little square foot house I can’t find a thing because of family. Mind blown, tosses hands in the air and just buys another. I decided to collect one kind of item to put away when I find them.Pop rivet tools. The count? Six! Who the freak needs six?

I now have my dad’s stuff (would be 76), my dad’s friend’s stuff (Korean war vet). I now have enough pipe wrenches to outfit a local plumbing union.

The bad…still not organized.
The good? Enough old rusty things to keep me entertained with restorations and rUstorations for the rest of my life.

My dad was also a gunsmith/restorer so I got five lifetimes of various files. And since most file manufacturers went to shit, that’s a very good thing.

Yeah, I’d there is ever a ver 2.0, I’ll probably drop them down to at least 2/0. I was running out of time to get these put together due to visa expiration in my wife’s home country and had a hard date to fly back. I had the wire and 4/0 connector bits.

I see that you pre-bended and held the cable in shape before you crimped the lugs.(impossible to do what you did without ripping strands) Ancor cable is the best conductor but the stiffness, then welding cable and the easiest to bend is silicone jacket.

You aren't the first one to do that. I did it on 3 cells by accident (I was putting studs in, then the nuts added more torsion on the stud and did the same thing. No wonder the CALB bus bars are so flexible!!!


Obviously the cost of equipment is a factor...

I’m paranoid of damaging the terminals. Only 4Nm torque and no turning the cables. Those laser welds just look fused, no filler added. Just a melted surface. All my cables are pre-bent crimped with spring back accounted for. Yeah OCD [
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While I love the idea, I fear some of the logistics will get in the way.

To ship bare cells, in theory the person packing at both ends need some sort of hazmat shipping certification or training (I'm not exactly sure in the process other than to say our shipping manager did it last year)
This hazmat shipping is horrendously expensive.

Lastly, can you make enough money on this to even pay off the tool? If you charge $100 per weld, that would cost nearly as much as some cells and still take you years to get some payback.

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but you should do it! Forget money, do it because it is cool.

While I love the idea, I fear some of the logistics will get in the way.

To ship bare cells, in theory the person packing at both ends need some sort of hazmat shipping certification or training (I'm not exactly sure in the process other than to say our shipping manager did it last year)
This hazmat shipping is horrendously expensive.

Lastly, can you make enough money on this to even pay off the tool? If you charge $100 per weld, that would cost nearly as much as some cells and still take you years to get some payback.

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but you should do it! Forget money, do it because it is cool.

A realistic response in this day and age

All my cables are pre-bent crimped with spring back accounted for

That's a really nice configuration if you ever need to top-balance in the future.

Forget money, do it because it is cool.

Well, if we have it, then nothing stops us from using it for other things that can make money...heck the sheet metal shop I used to work at had a 2-million dollar laser for sheet metal - that didn't stop us from cutting ninja stars on lunch break!

While I love the idea, I fear some of the logistics will get in the way.

It's probably true...but FYI it's not quite as expensive as you might thing once you get contract rates in place with a reputable shipping company.

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