Maletics vs kweld who’s used both?

I’m finally getting around to building batteries and I want to know if there’s any real difference between maletics and kweld? I know a few years back people talked about both but now I can only find people w kweld. Seriously though why is kweld 50-180€ more than malletics when to me they look the same?

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@Skyart @b264 @DerelictRobot @Battery_Mooch @hummieee

Any ideas guys?

Kweld can be easier to use at times as you just select a power level and it’ll be similar on all setups regardless of battery while the malectrics is much less picky about what you use with it.

They’ll both work great in this application.

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not sure if @glyphiks have use maletics, but he runs dual kweld in his workshop

I asked Al he said to ask artem :joy:

Yeah i never used the malectrics. I would like to try it for science, but the kwelds can mow through anything i’ve thrown at them so far, so no real need, just want.

Personally i’d only buy malectrics if i found one going cheap and i’d only buy it to play with it. If i needed to ramp up production here i’d just be buying more kwelds.

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I personally really liked my Malectric welders.

Right up until I gained a blood battery boy and no longer needed them. @BenjaminF :kissing_heart:

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My vote would go to malectrics, I have 4 of them, could loan you one if you only need to build like one or two packs, never used a kweld, but I’m sure it’s great

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I have never used maletrics, but I have never had a problem with my kweld… and I have built well over 70 packs with it.

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@Skyart thank you but I’ll need it for a long time as I’m building a powerwall and not just a couple packs. I got 700+ a123 cells coming my way and will be playing w them for a while I’d imagine. If you wanted to sell one, I’d rather buy used than new …

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@Evwan hit the nail on the head.

The kWeld does a lot more active management of the weld pulse to make sure it’s delivering a consistent amount of power to each weld. This is probably why the components are more expensive. Some people say that this gives you more consistent welds than the Malectrics’ more rudimentary system.

It also means that the kWeld is really picky about your weld probes. Long probes, modified probes, etc., can cause the machien to throw a fit, and you have to do some sort of calibration. If you are ok with using the stock kWeld probes without modifications, then you will be golden. It’s worth noting that the stock kWeld probes get really hot with repeaded welding, since they are only 8AWG.

The Malectrics is a much more bare-bones system. It’s basically a light switch that flips on and off for a really brief period of time. When you adjust your weld, you are adjusting how long the switch is “on”. That means your welds may be less consistent, but it also means there’s way less stuff to go wrong.

The Malectrics welder comes with 7AWG probes which heat up much less than the kWeld probes. You can also customize or make your own probes very easily, the Malectrics doesn’t throw a fit like the kWeld sometimes does. I’m personally running 6AWG probes on mine.

Both welders are probably going to give you excellent results as long as you’re using a good battery. I recommend a large truck/boat battery with a high CCA rating, check the specs sheets for each welder to see their recommendations.

Disclaimer: I have never used a kWeld. Malectrics master race.

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@BenjaminF you sold me. Do you think the 12v 3s20p I just made can power it? It’s 25r cells w a bypassed bms

Got any pics? Your cell interconnects are going to be crucial, otherwise you are going to have too much resistance in the system to get a decent weld.

The bigger the power supply, the less the difference is between the two. Also on the kweld, there is such thing as too many available amps. It will give you a warning. Discovered that with @Evwan

I use a 1600 CCA Diesel truck battery on my malectrics and it works flawlessly

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Has anyone actually used both?

I’ve only used kWeld.

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Ohhhh, I got a kewld in hand and cells. Still looking for my nickel.

@jansen has my malelectrics.

Soon….

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I regret this print. I’ll probably make my own with integrated lipo holding.

I don’t have anything to weld atm. But the start up calibration is comprehensive and the measurement short you perform almost made me drop the welding leads.

Feels pretty robust.

That case is scaring me. The pos and the neg inputs are so close to each other and are exposed

Is that a 6s lipo?

Did it spark? That’s not supposed to happen. It should just feel like a normal weld.