Is there any specific benefit of using tinned copper braid vs just a regular copper braid like this one.
For equivalent amounts of metal the conductivity is the same. Tinned braid can be easier to solder though since the plating doesn’t oxidize like bare copper does. The flux has to do less work with plated braid so the solder flows better. This makes creating a good connection easier.
If using bare copper braid I recommend using liquid flux on the braid before trying to solder it. This will help break down the oxide layer on all the strands without needing to get the flux in the core of the solder onto everything first (which takes time and can result in too much heat going somewhere you don’t want it).
Flux is our friend. 
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I know a place with a tester for up to 600Amps(maybe even more) but it’s for lead acid batteries (12v ) could make a rig to attach the wires/nickel strips/braided copper/etc. For testing purposes, put an amp meter with it and a termal cam
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I have a 30 amp test setup. Good for 3 hours constant.
I tested many strips but need to make a video.
10mm gets pretty fucking hot
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Did you make the video?
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So, according to this I should be fine running awg22 as a charge lead with 8A current.
Anyone tried this? Looks a bit on the edge.
Way too close to the limit, the wire will get really hot. It’ll also prevent your pack from charging up all the way I bet due to the voltage drop. Don’t!
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Yeah it didn’t sound right to me. I’ll use 2.5mm2 instead.
“Fine”? Not IMO.
A single 22AWG wire in open air at 8A will increase its temp by about 35°C. In an enclosure, next to another hot 22AWG wire, its temp will be even higher. This makes it too hot to touch and, IMO, that’s too hot. I would barely consider using 18AWG at 8A.
I don’t care if the insulation survives, 22AWG would get too hot. Power is being lost, charging is being done to a lower voltage, and the insulation is probably degrading faster.
The difference in weight and size between 22AWG and 18AWG is tiny and I consider 18AWG as the smallest possible gauge to use at that current level.
But if it’s in that table then some are doing it and will say they have no issues. A lot depends on your priorities and preferences. There’s no real “correct” gauge to use.
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I am professor with years knowledge on “Russian LEDs”
Yes sir you will be fine
What @Battery_Mooch said is spot on. That being said, I personally would use a 20AWG wire and a 15A fuse for up-to-8A charging. 18AWG is also fine. Obviously, I’m talking about over short distances under a meter. (1 yard)
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Should I fuse positive or negative charge lead?
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Doesn’t matter much, but fuse the charge port one side or the other.
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Just wondering if you ever measured the cross sections of the 1/2" braided wire? I’m trying to decide if I should use the 1/2" flat wire or the 3/8" round braid wire. I have the 3/8" but am wondering the actual width/thickness of the 1/2" braid to ensure it fits into my holder. Thanks!
If you find the cross-sectional areas of the braids, I’d love to include it here.
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Nice find. The good news is those numbers match ours exactly 
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In addition to being more flexible, high stranded wire can carry more current than solid wire of the same gauge because it has more surface area right?
Someone did a lab experiment on solid, high strand and low strand 18awg wire at various amps and measured the temperature rise over 10 minutes.
[Source]
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Is that for DC? The surface area logic makes sense in AC where there is skin effect to me, but not DC, then again if you’re talking about phase wires that practically is high-frequency AC I guess. In general though, that graph is not super useful to me without more information. If it’s DC I don’t really understand it either, but that may just be not understanding something.
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