Practical super-capacitor array enclosure (1x6, 16.2v)

thingiverse

This simple enclosure houses one of many high-capacity supercapacitor arrays, consisting of six 500F units in series with a management board, totaling approximately 83F. The pictured unit will be connected to the 12-volt side of my printer to prevent print failures caused by brownouts. Note that I'm not using this setup to power a heated bed. Since my printer employs a massive aluminum plate weighing over 10kg as its bed, I rely on 800 watts of heating elements controlled via MOSFETs running on AC power. While a supercapacitor array could theoretically drive those heaters, it would quickly drain and cause the printer to crash. However, supporting the hotend and steppers is suitable for this application. To prevent excessive current draw, I'll be limiting my output to around 4.8 amperes, with a 7.5 ampere blade fuse installed, using SWG 16 stranded wire. Without current limitation, you'd essentially create a dead short circuit that could damage the power supply until it starts storing energy. Failing to use fuses would put your unit at risk of a rapid discharge, which can cause heavy wire to vaporize, launch small molten metal fragments, and result in disastrous consequences. I strongly advise against meddling with electrolytic dual-layer capacitors unless you're thoroughly familiar with the subject matter, and please refer to my write-up on designing spot welders for guidance on this issue. It's essential that your unit is properly fused and current-limited to avoid property damage, injury, or even death. Proceed at your own risk.