Can I use just 12 AWG wire/cable between cells to make a custom battery pack?

[TheHeadHunter]

Can I use just 12 AWG wire/cable between cells to make a custom battery pack?
I want some space and flexibility between each cell and if I use a solid conductor I cant have flexibility...but I wanted to check weather this will be OK?
The wire I am talking about is just standard cable used in batteries...
This is my first pack I'm making so I will do just an RX its an NI-CD A700 mah 6.0v made up of 5 cells and I am making 2 for my Clod Super.

Thanks !

[Spot(T)]

You can use 12 AWG wire to connect cells to make a pack. The reason behind using battery bars is both decreased resistance and make the pack stiffer. In a crawler the resistance should not be big issue.
Just search for instructions on how to assemble batterypacks and adapt to your needs.
The key issues are, scruff the ends of the cells, pre-tin and use high wattage soldering iron (hot).
The most important thing is not to over heat the cells as it will damage them.

Yours
Spot(T)
"If I can be of any help then you are in worse trouble than I thought!"

[TheHeadHunter]

Originally Posted by Spot(T)

You can use 12 AWG wire to connect cells to make a pack. The reason behind using battery bars is both decreased resistance and make the pack stiffer. In a crawler the resistance should not be big issue.
Just search for instructions on how to assemble batterypacks and adapt to your needs.
The key issues are, scruff the ends of the cells, pre-tin and use high wattage soldering iron (hot).
The most important thing is not to over heat the cells as it will damage them.

Yours
Spot(T)
"If I can be of any help then you are in worse trouble than I thought!"

Thanks ! My soldering iron is just 40w will this do? can I do it without any flux>? and what is the best solder to use?

[John82601]

Like Spot said, search for the how to for building battery packs. A 40w iron should do it as long as you remember to minimize the exposure time to the cells. Don't hold the iron to the battery for longer than 2-3 seconds so that the cell doesn't get overheated.

For solder I use Deans, Novak or the good stuff from Radio Shack. Kinda spendy for how much you get but worth it for this type of application.

[kurt]

i use ruby fluid flux and alphametals solder. buy some quality stuff. If you put your pen to the solder and it starts to pop, get new solder.

[Spot(T)]

I use a 75W flat end soldering iron when soildering batteries for other soldering I use a fine tip soildering station.
I have never used flux but that doesn't mean a thing. I think it's better to spend few $ more on quility solder than having to buy new batteries.
Also don't solder both ends of cell in the same session, give the batteries time to cool. It's the core temprature that kills the cell if it goes too high.

[TheHeadHunter]

thanks guys where would I be without this ?