Question Project prep and advice requested

Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
21
Likes
4
Location
Ontario Canada
Hello all, I'm brand new to the hobby. I have been wanting to make an N64 for years now and have decided to jump in. I don't care if I fail, if I never try I'll never know and plus I'll learn alot. So I'm making a list of things I need to get the project off the ground and flailing around. Also I would like any advice and suggestions you can think, as I have no experience with wiring or anything. I built a few computers but that's not the same.

So my goal is to make a N64 portable, nothing fancy or crazy cases just get a portable 64 working without blowing my hands off.

-Case will be the zn-45 ( prob something fancy for my second portable)
-Various screw drivers and small tools, gamebit drivers
-soldering iron
-dremmel like tool
-wire
-5 inch screen was thinking : https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Moni..._QL65&keywords=5+inch+backup+camera+composite
-Audio amp from the bom page, speakers are a ? ATM
-Step down regulator from TI
-Batteries I want something safe but as close to 5hrs
-protection circuit

I'm probably missing key items. A few immediate questions are
1) how much board trimming is needed for the zn-45
2) what's the best wire to use and recommendations for guage. Silicone wire and magnet wire I have come across in different posts.
3)Good reliable decent lasting batteries
4) recommendations for wiring ? I'm a complete novice so any tips or such will help.

I have been watching as many of the vids on the forums to educate my self as much as possible. I want to do a mass order when I have my list complete. Living in Canada means if I buy from sits In USD I pay 35% more cause dollar sucks.
 

cheese

the tallest memer in town
Staff member
.
.
.
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,758
Likes
2,422
Location
Florida
I'll leave 1 for someone else since I don't have the dimensions on hand.
2. 32-38 ga magnet wire for data and 22-24 ga plain insulated wire for power and ground.
3. Near the end of this guide.
4.
make sure to keep wires as short as you can while leaving a little slack, and solder like this:
solder.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
21
Likes
4
Location
Ontario Canada
I have a question about the CMB on the Batteries guide. If I'm understanding it right the CMB doesn't need a protection circuit. I'm thinking of the 4s and linking the 7.4v groups of the green batteries on the BOM. The batteries say 4pack does that mean it takes all 4 too make the 3400mah? Means I have6800 mah for 8 batteries? Is there any larger recommended Batteries? My goal is about 5hrs of play so I think about 10000mah should get me close

-merge-

My goal is to also not blow my hands off lol
 
Last edited:

cheese

the tallest memer in town
Staff member
.
.
.
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,758
Likes
2,422
Location
Florida
Not sure what you're trying to make, try drawing it out. Just FYI, the 18650s come as individual 3.7v batteries, so a 4S would be 14.8v which is double the 7.4v you need for a N64.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
21
Likes
4
Location
Ontario Canada
Is each of the 18650 3400mah ? I'm guessing since they come in pairs the it takes two batteries to make the 3400 mah ?

-merge-

I suck as explaining my self, I want roughly 10000-15000mah. So I got my self confused. I think I want to wire the batteries in parallel? Keeping at 7.4 volts
 
Last edited by a moderator:

splain

.
Joined
Mar 18, 2016
Messages
66
Likes
133
I'll try to answer your question, but I'm still learning this stuff myself:

At the bottom of that Batteries page (which is an awesome goldmine of info) you'll see that the capacity of an individual 18650 cell bounces around 2500 mAh, with those Panasonics getting very close to 3000. That's for each individual cell, delivering 3.7v. However, since you need 7.4v, you'll need to line 2 cells in series to get the same mAh at that higher voltage.

If you hook up 2 cells in parallel (+ to + and - to -), it will double the capacity but keep the same voltage (in this case 3.7v). If you hook up 2 cells in series (lined up - to +), it will double the voltage but maintain the same effective capacity (in this case ~2500mAh). If you're working at 7.4v, then you're dealing strictly with PAIRS of cells, and you'll only add to your total mAh by adding batteries in PAIRS. Imagine attaching the 18650's end-to-end (- to +), forming a long battery that is 7.4v. Then you add more long batteries to increase mAh.

There's a table toward the top of that page that maps out Series and Parallel Configurations. If you stare at it for long enough, you'll see that the math is very simple, and it's almost silly to build a table for it. You want at least 10000 mAh at 7.4 volts, so according to that table, you need 2s and 4p, meaning 4 "long" batteries, which is 8 total 18650's. (the table assumes 2500mAh per cell. Adjust accordingly if your actual cells deliver more than that.) Imagine those 4 "long" batteries all standing next to each other, the -'s all wired together and the +'s all wired together. This is what you'll need in your portable. If you want to increase that 10000 to 12500, add another long battery. No matter how many pairs of batteries your portable uses, you'll use the same "2s" CMB.

Obviously the 18650's don't have to be physically arranged like that, but it helps me to imagine them like that, forming one long battery.

As cheese says, try drawing out what you have in mind. On paper or in MS Paint.
 

splain

.
Joined
Mar 18, 2016
Messages
66
Likes
133
Yep, so at the bottom where it shows red/black/yellow lines connecting the batteries to the board, you can attach 2 like that, or as the bottom-right corner says, "unlimited parallel." Shown by the dotted lines. 2 pairs are shown in the picture, and you'll be extending that down to 4 or 5 pairs. It will be a heavy beast of a portable, but it will have unmatched battery life.

Also important to remember is that the more batteries you use, the greater the possibility of the batteries aging differently and creating "imbalance." In theory, a setup with 8 Panasonic 18650's delivering 2900mAh each will give you a nice, clean 11600 mAh, which will gradually decrease over time and use, as each battery gets identically older. But batteries are not all the same, and some will start to hold less charge than the others, making it impossible to charge each and every battery to its individual maximum charge. One bad cell can start to affect the performance of the battery bank as a whole, since the charge circuit doesn't have any way to know stats for individual cells. But hey, a bank of 10 aging cells will still outperform a similar bank of 4.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
21
Likes
4
Location
Ontario Canada
Yep, so at the bottom where it shows red/black/yellow lines connecting the batteries to the board, you can attach 2 like that, or as the bottom-right corner says, "unlimited parallel." Shown by the dotted lines. 2 pairs are shown in the picture, and you'll be extending that down to 4 or 5 pairs. It will be a heavy beast of a portable, but it will have unmatched battery life.

Also important to remember is that the more batteries you use, the greater the possibility of the batteries aging differently and creating "imbalance." In theory, a setup with 8 Panasonic 18650's delivering 2900mAh each will give you a nice, clean 11600 mAh, which will gradually decrease over time and use, as each battery gets identically older. But batteries are not all the same, and some will start to hold less charge than the others, making it impossible to charge each and every battery to its individual maximum charge. One bad cell can start to affect the performance of the battery bank as a whole, since the charge circuit doesn't have any way to know stats for individual cells. But hey, a bank of 10 aging cells will still outperform a similar bank of 4.
Ty very much. Yeah it will be beastly heavy but I got fat man hands lol and the zn-45 should hopefully have the room. Learning alot before I order anything. I think I have a good grasp now. Just wiring it up will be an issue cause I have no practical experience. Like where it shows "T" junctions do I cut the wire and solder in another line ? So much to learn
 

splain

.
Joined
Mar 18, 2016
Messages
66
Likes
133
You can, but the actual build doesn't have to LOOK like the schematic, just use the same connections. So anything the red line touches is all connected together, however you want to do it. Your array might look like this:

https://i0.wp.com/www.electricbike.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Battery18650_3.png

You can see that the upper row of 4 cells is + end up, and the lower 4 are - end up, and they're all connected to each other. This would be the yellow line in your image. On the other side, the + ends would all be connected as the red line, and the - ends would all be connected as the black line. Or you can scatter the batteries all over the case, wherever you have room alongside all the N64 components, as long as they're wired together correctly.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
21
Likes
4
Location
Ontario Canada
Moar power lol Ty guys for helping me understand things. I appreciate the help. Looks like I don't need a smart charger with the red board as well. Seems it causing problems so a regular 12v will do
 
Top