Battery 12V/100A with supercapacitors

Electronics / DIY electronics 185 612 43

Battery based on supercapacitors - ionistors

Supercapacitor (aka ionistor) is almost the same capacitor, only with a large capacity comparable to a battery. I made a 12V battery from these ionistors, which can be used in various devices. And it will last longer in certain modes compared to batteries of any type, and that’s why the supercapacitor wins here:

- not afraid of a complete discharge “to zero”;
- 100, or maybe 1000 times more resistant to charge/discharge cycles;
- not afraid of critical current overloads.

And that is not all. I'll continue after assembling the battery.

Will need

Eight supercapacitors (ionistors) 2.7 V 500 F.
Copper wire from 2 sq. mm.
Two nuts and bolts.

Tool: soldering iron, tweezers, wire cutters.
Consumables: solder, flux

Making a battery from ionistors

We will make a battery of 8 ionistors, connected back-to-back. Namely, there will be 4 pairs of two parallel-connected capacitors connected in series.

Varnished copper wire must be straightened and cleared of varnish. This can be done using a stationery knife.

We bend the wire into connecting elements.

You need to make three squares and two poles.

We solder connection nuts to the poles, as on a real battery.

We tin the corners of the squares.

We assemble the battery, solder the connectors to the ionistors, without confusing the polarity.

First we collect 4 groups.

And then we solder the poles.

We charge with a current of 5 Amps.

After five minutes the battery is fully charged.

We check with a lamp.

We close it with a wire - it becomes red hot.

We connect the electric motor.

Where to apply

And such a battery can be used where there are high and short-term current loads. An ideal example: a storage capacitor for a subwoofer in a car.
The battery is also useful where there are frequent charge and discharge cycles: in the form of a battery for storing energy from solar panels, and fully distributing it to lanterns at night.
These are just two use cases, but there are many more.
They even cost on Ali Express (link) are relatively inexpensive, given their enormous service life when used for their intended purpose.

Watch the video

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Comments (43)

#1 Uncle Vitya Guests 10 April 2019 18:20
7

You would need five of them in series, if at 12 volts.
- Answer
1. #2 Guest Yuri Guests 17 April 2019 01:13
  5
  
  For 12 Volts you need 6 pieces in a series circuit. In addition, it is highly desirable to connect a balancer board to the circuit, which is also not cheap.
  
  Answer
#3 Guest Alexander Guests 10 April 2019 18:29
14

U ionistor, unlike a capacitor, low discharge rate. That is, he cannot give out all his energy at once. In terms of energy release rate, this is something between a chemical current source (battery) and a capacitor. Therefore the installation ionistor parallel to the subwoofer power supply, as is done by some not very experienced car audio installers, is practically pointless. It will not help against sudden powerful loads. As an additional battery when the power cables of the amplifier are too long and thin, it will partially help.

Under no circumstances should such a battery be used in parallel with the amplifier, or any other load in the car. Specialized ionistors, which are usually used for this, have their own charging circuit. Without it, when charging, ionistor will create a huge load on the network, close to a short circuit, which can lead at best to a blown fuse, at worst to a fire if the fuse is chosen incorrectly or is not there at all.

And to improve the performance of the amplifier, it is better to add ordinary capacitors to the amplifier's power supply. But within reasonable limits, and this is not suitable for all amplifiers - the amplifier also has a circuit for charging these capacitors, and if the capacitance increases greatly, it will either not withstand it or will not work correctly.
- Answer
1. #4 Denis Guests 12 April 2019 08:53
  4
  
  Maybe you can show a graph of the “delay” of the discharge rate? New in physics, the capacitor is discharged according to a complex formula that even the “guru” is shaking his finger at. Did the magnet from the speaker magnetize one hemisphere?
  
  Answer
  1. #5 Guest Ivan Guests 12 April 2019 14:08
    6
    
    Denis, you are a fool (just like the author of the article). Physics is an ordinary capacitor, and ionistor - this is chemistry.
    
    Answer
    1. #6 Guest Valery Guests 17 April 2019 18:30
      4
      
      Everything is correct. I've got ionistor per 1 F. Its discharge current is no more than 100 μA.
      
      Answer
      1. #7 dim Guests July 22, 2019 06:49
        1
        
        Yes yes... just from the exhibition - battery ionistors 400F 12V discharge current - more than 100 A. Can be used as a starter on a car.....
        
        Answer
#8 Student Guests 10 April 2019 18:39
5

Do not forget that the voltage may not be divided evenly, which will cause overvoltage on one of the ionistors. For capacitors, equalizing leakage current resistors were usually installed parallel to the capacitance.
- Answer
1. #9 Hermann Guests 15 April 2019 14:06
  1
  
  This is correct, but these resistors will greatly increase the self-discharge of the system.
  
  Answer
#10 Guest Serge Guests 10 April 2019 19:51
4

Divide 12v by 4 to get 3v. and with the generator running, 14.4/4 = 3.6 V. The maximum voltage on the ionistor is 2.7 V. it will definitely sting! You need a 5*2 cell battery.
- Answer
1. #11 whitlak Guests 13 April 2019 05:18
  5
  
  By the way, the capacity of the resulting battery is only 0.25 F
  
  Answer
#12 Guest Vitaly Guests 10 April 2019 20:14
4

4x2.7=10.8 Volts
- Answer
#13 Guest Sergey Guests 10 April 2019 20:54
5

Total capacity 250F, voltage 10.8V. I don't see the point.
- Answer
#14 Alexei Guests 10 April 2019 21:43
1

Risky charging method. If the capacitors are different, then the voltage on one pair may be higher.But you can’t exceed 2.7 V.
- Answer
#15 Guest Mikhail Guests 10 April 2019 22:27
3

For normal operation ionistor Its maximum voltage cannot be exceeded; for this purpose, special circuits are installed to equalize the voltage. 4th ionistor 2.7V is not enough to replace the battery - if it blows, you will burn the car! Ionistors They work normally up to 80 degrees, in summer it can be more than 100 degrees under the hood. To work with a subbuffer, they have too much internal resistance, it is better to install special capacitors. The only plus is starting in winter when the battery has a high internal resistance.
- Answer
#16 Alexey Po Guests 11 April 2019 04:51
6

How to use in solar panels if the capacitor holds energy for a short time?
- Answer
#17 Konstantin Guests April 11, 2019 11:00
1

Will electric scooters work as sources of current and voltage for riding?
- Answer
1. #18 Kum Guests August 28, 2021 09:16
  1
  
  They will work. But in order for there to be a noticeable difference in capacity after replacement, you need to spend about the same amount of money as on batteries. At the same time, you get a + in durability (subject to a normal decoupling scheme for each ionistor. You can charge it even from the bug's flashlight, if you have the patience to twist it that much. Lighter power supply. But the downsides are quite sour. You will have to keep it on charge constantly, otherwise a fully charged battery will noticeably lose its accumulated energy due to self-discharge. The charger that came with the kit most likely will not work and has a high chance of burning out due to the fact that ionistors At the first stage of charging, we are ready to eat everything that the charger can offer.The discharge occurs linearly, and not like on batteries that have a voltage drop that is slightly different from the starting voltage during most of the discharge. As a result, with ionistors, at half discharge, you will (roughly) have half the maximum speed of what you had at the start. This can be avoided by increasing the battery capacity and complicating the wiring diagram ionistors, but then you obviously come out at a cost higher than the cost of standard batteries. Conclusion: it is possible, but not necessary. If ionistors got it for free, then it’s a different matter, but this is also true with batteries))))
  
  Answer