Laptop battery packs how to dis-assemble

[Squidboy]

Hi,

I have aquired about 10 battery packs of three diferent types

types
http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/threepacks.jpg

The middle one contains
http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/hpstr6.jpg which are labeled as 18650s

the left
http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/wired8-2.jpg and http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/wired8-1.jpg seem to show as 18650's also

the right on the other hand looks like an 18650 but is labeled badly
http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/wired6-2.jpg


So would it be better to use the ones that are definately labeled as 18650 and also is there a method or specific way to disassemble the pack. what I mean is do I just start cutting them apart or is there a right way and a wrong way.

 

[ptolemy]

Re: Laptop battery packs - disassemble

im guessing they are unprotected and you will need to find out its capacity, so running through cba would be a good idea

 

[Squidboy]

cba - an item I dont have.

I have a digital multi meter and can get hold of a http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6105 to charge them with. I understand the basics of check for voltage in individual cells anything showing less than 2v goes in the trash, as well as the charge them and then see if they can hold a charge or if they drop voltage say overnight.

What about the removal from the pack though ? do I just start snipping

 

[ptolemy]

cba - an item I dont have.

I have a digital multi meter and can get hold of a http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6105 to charge them with. I understand the basics of check for voltage in individual cells anything showing less than 2v goes in the trash, as well as the charge them and then see if they can hold a charge or if they drop voltage say overnight.

What about the removal from the pack though ? do I just start snipping

i cant help u with the removal but i can tell u for sure, do not use that charger

you want a smart charger, the one that detects voltage. get a pila

u have about 20+ quality batteries, dont get a $7 charger (if u want them to last that is)

 

[Mr Happy]

What about the removal from the pack though ? do I just start snipping

The obvious things. Don't accidentally short any of them with metal tools. Don't damage the shrink wrap. Don't crush them or anything.

 

[xeonsaga88]

Carefully use a pilers and remove the tabs , be sure not to short them

 

[^Gurthang]

First, have you checked the pack's voltage?

When I disassemble a pack I first remove the circuit board, cutting the + connection first, then the - connection.

I examine each pack and find the location where there's extra tab length so I can cut w/o damaging any cells.

I use a heavy-duty pair of short scissors to cut the metal tab strips.

If there are two parallel strips [both + & -] I use an Xacto knife to separate the strips between cells [kapton tape] , cut one strip and fold the ends away, then cut the second strip. This eliminates the chance of short circuits.

BTW, as far as cell capacity, check the original pack info, most give the rated V and mAh. Most of the Dell packs I've harvested were 11.1V 4400 mAh [3p2s] which means the nominal capacity is ~2200 mAh per cell. Good luck w/ your project.

 

[malow]

sku.6105 is a very good charger. i have 4, and some users tested it, it does charging in the "proper way". a few chargers on DX is good as this one.

i use protected and unprotected with it. max voltage is about 4.24v on unprotected cells.

 

[bstrickler]

Hi,

I have aquired about 10 battery packs of three diferent types

types
http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/threepacks.jpg

The middle one contains
http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/hpstr6.jpg which are labeled as 18650s

the left
http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/wired8-2.jpg and http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/wired8-1.jpg seem to show as 18650's also

the right on the other hand looks like an 18650 but is labeled badly
http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/wired6-2.jpg


So would it be better to use the ones that are definately labeled as 18650 and also is there a method or specific way to disassemble the pack. what I mean is do I just start cutting them apart or is there a right way and a wrong way.

I have these batteries, as well (gutted from packs, like you did), along with a buttload of 17670's (at least 50-60). Got a 10-pack of "dead" laptop batteries for $20. Turned out that out of all 113 batteries, only 8 were DOA(almost 1 per pack). After a couple weeks of testing, I threw out a couple more, because they lacked in runtime (some were as short as 30 minutes).

http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/wired8-2.jpg
http://www.scottishwilderness.com/picdump/wired6-2.jpg

The red ones (I think they're rated 1500-2300 maH, I can't remember, plus the packs were ancient.) last ~ 1.5 hours in a TR-801, and the green ones last about 1-1.5 hours, as well.

It was a simple process to gut them. It included wire cutters and pliers. I used the wire cutters to clip the traces/leads, and then the pliers to rip off the nickel traces/leads from the batteries.

You might have to take a dremel at LOW rpm, and grind excess stuff with a gummy "grinding" wheel, or use a whetstone, and use that (safer way to do it than with a dremel).


~Brian