vicgarbutt
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You can also use an electric stove elem,ent to generate the heat needed for a nice tite clean wrap
Rewrapping a battery
- Thread starter HKJ
- Start date
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You can also use an electric stove elem,ent to generate the heat needed for a nice tite clean wrap
Lampas
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Nice tutorial, thanks HJK!
Mikelights
Newly Enlightened
Thanks for the tutorial, great pics
WalkIntoTheLight
Flashlight Enthusiast
Good tutorial. I'll just add a couple of things for flat-tops:
1. Save the plastic insulation ring from the positive end of the battery, assuming it's not damaged. You can re-use it. Otherwise, you'll have to get a replacement ring.
2. If you're using a blow-dryer, you'll have to hold the plastic ring down with a finger, until the positive end starts to shrink (so do the positive end first). Otherwise, the ring will blow out of the tube, and you might have to use another wrapper and do it all over again.
1. Save the plastic insulation ring from the positive end of the battery, assuming it's not damaged. You can re-use it. Otherwise, you'll have to get a replacement ring.
2. If you're using a blow-dryer, you'll have to hold the plastic ring down with a finger, until the positive end starts to shrink (so do the positive end first). Otherwise, the ring will blow out of the tube, and you might have to use another wrapper and do it all over again.
POCKET DEBRIS
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can a 16340 be rewrapped?and if so where can one find appropriate wrap?
HKJ
Flashaholic
Of course it can be rewrapped, you just have to find some shrinkwrap of the right size. You may not be able to find it precut, but may have to cut it to length yourself.
Look for shrinkwrap on Ebay, in Vape shops and electronic parts shops.
barthchris
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- May 30, 2013
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Not as pretty but I just wrap mine in Kapton tape.
I picked up 2 meters of clear 16340 wrap for less than $2. I use it to add some width to a few CR123's in order to reduce battery rattle on lights that don't require frequent battery swaps. Works well.
vadimax
Flashlight Enthusiast
No comments: https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32876306672.html... 
peter yetman
Flashlight Enthusiast
I see what you mean.
P
P
fmc1
Enlightened
No comments: https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32876306672.html...
Thank you for posting this, very informative but unfortunately no surprise.
Frank
thermal guy
Flashaholic
So I have a few keeppower 18650 that the tail springs on my light have eaten away at the negative end of the battery making for not so good contact. I remember seeing replacement brass "I think"disks for this. But can't remember where can anybody point me in the right direction? Thanks
chrissybabe
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After much experimentation I found the best way (for me anyway) to re-wrap a battery is to cut out several pieces of heat-shrink using a guillotine and they all end up being the same length with the ends square.
I use a proper heat gun and try and stick the battery vertically on a small flat spacer so the heat-shrink drops down lower and covers the spacer. Then I get a consistent overhang of the tubing around the ends of the battery. Careful even application of heat is required so that wrinkles don't develop. I saw a comment earlier about how do you get the side creases out. I take the un-shrunk tube, open it out flat so the creases are in the center of the flats then on a flat surface run a fingernail over the crease to 'iron' it out. This seems to work fine on all the different types of tubing I have tried.
I use a proper heat gun and try and stick the battery vertically on a small flat spacer so the heat-shrink drops down lower and covers the spacer. Then I get a consistent overhang of the tubing around the ends of the battery. Careful even application of heat is required so that wrinkles don't develop. I saw a comment earlier about how do you get the side creases out. I take the un-shrunk tube, open it out flat so the creases are in the center of the flats then on a flat surface run a fingernail over the crease to 'iron' it out. This seems to work fine on all the different types of tubing I have tried.
Shrinking and Kapton tape are very cool solutions, but if nothing is at hand, then ordinary stationery tape also works, only 1 minus, in the heat the glue can ooze from it and you will have to rinse the flashlight from the inside with alcohol, if stickiness bothers, of course. Medical adhesive plaster as well
Sjvalleydave
Newly Enlightened
Sjvalleydave
Newly Enlightened
There a lot of places. Liion Wholesale, The 18650 Store. AliExpress, Ali Baba, etc
Sjvalleydave
Newly Enlightened
Success!
Thanks for the picture tutorial, HKJ.
I bought the shrink wrap from FastTech's site, though they didn't have caution-yellow that fits 18650's.
Sjvalleydave
Newly Enlightened
I rechecked the pricing. Black or white insulators 5 for .25 cents. Pre cut shrink wrap, clear, black, white,orange, green, red, blue, yellow, bright yellow, etc, etc....also transparent purple, green, blue, yellow, etc..10 for 98 cents...
For the most part, there's no need to replace the insulator, they do not wear out within the lifespan of a battery. It's good to have spares on hand, but not needed with every re-wrap unless of course the original insulator was damaged along with the original shrink wrap, and you were lucky enough not to have the battery shorted at time of the damage.
Precut are definitely more convenient, but they're also considerably more expensive vs bulk wrap, I recently purchased 500 yards of clear 200 gauge (0.002"/2mil) 1.5" diameter 2:1 for about $48 shipped, that's just 3 cents per foot or less than 1 cent per battery & covers all cells 17mm to 36mm diameter. I may never use it all, but I do shrink wrap all dead cells and add felt insulator pads to both ends before sending them for recycle. You can get much thicker 2:1 polyolefin heatshrink 1.5" diameter for about $0.60 - $1 per foot depending on size of the roll you buy and if you get thin or thick gauge. 1" is even cheaper if you're only doing 14mm - 22mm diameter cells.
Also need to be careful buying precut wraps... some of the cheap pre-cuts can vary by about 2mm-3mm in length which can be problematic if they're 3mm short.
Precut are definitely more convenient, but they're also considerably more expensive vs bulk wrap, I recently purchased 500 yards of clear 200 gauge (0.002"/2mil) 1.5" diameter 2:1 for about $48 shipped, that's just 3 cents per foot or less than 1 cent per battery & covers all cells 17mm to 36mm diameter. I may never use it all, but I do shrink wrap all dead cells and add felt insulator pads to both ends before sending them for recycle. You can get much thicker 2:1 polyolefin heatshrink 1.5" diameter for about $0.60 - $1 per foot depending on size of the roll you buy and if you get thin or thick gauge. 1" is even cheaper if you're only doing 14mm - 22mm diameter cells.
Also need to be careful buying precut wraps... some of the cheap pre-cuts can vary by about 2mm-3mm in length which can be problematic if they're 3mm short.
