ORIGINAL: thaus
Several people have commented on the weak tab welds on the A123. I agree, and this weakness will lead to mid air failure in planes with high vibration, such as gassers. I hope everyone who identifies this problem will report it here. I plan to use these on a 28% and would like to know the best methods to protect the cells from breaking the weld. Gluing the cells together and foam padding will help.
As a former battery supplier to Black & Decker (and DeWalt) power tool business, I can assure you the tabs on the cells they use will stand up to the abuse that a power tool is expected to see, including 3 ft drop to concrete surface. Yes, the welds can be broken if you torque the tabs but the battery design should be such as to prevent this. That is the cells should be secured such that they cannot move in relation to each other, and there is no stress applied to the tabs.