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Ive got a stack of 18V XR batteries for a handfull of tools, and ive numbered them in age order, as ive got them
Number 2 isnt holding any charge. I think its a 2018, and it gets used a fair bit, so i wouldnt surprised if it was worn out (though No 1 is ok, now i think about it). It "charges" in a few seconds", but has nothing in it obviously. maybe it got over discharged.
POINT IS
What do i do with it?
Disposal:
Cant black bin it. can it go in the battery bank at tescos? or is it a trip to the tip and pay a man a fiver to leave it in their bucket.
Refurb:
Dont feel the need to risk a house fire by trying a diy approach, but i understand you can get them refurbed.
Is it worth it? its only a 2 Ah one, so 40 quid to replace. I cant imagine you can post them to a refurb company easily? specific courier?
Repurpose: I suspect its 1 of 5 or 6 cells inside thats had it, and anticipate they are ubiquitous 18650s. My Bike light takes loose 18650s, and i have a charger for them that indicates condition, so i could open the case and see if i can recover any useful cells from them for the bike light.
Cant black bin it. can it go in the battery bank at tescos? or is it a trip to the tip and pay a man a fiver to leave it in their bucket.
I took mine to supermarket battery recycle thing.
I suspect its 1 of 5 or 6 cells inside thats had it, and anticipate they are ubiquitous 18650s
Seeing as they now seem to power everything from torches to aeroplanes it would be interesting to know if this is the case.
Maybe you could rebuild it?
Can confirm they are 18650s .
When I went to see what the issue was I found that although one was kaput they rest were sufficiently degraded it wasn't worth it. And a set of high discharge 18650s equivalent to whats in there cost near as damnit the same as a new unit with warrenty.
I just open them up, remove the cells and drop them off for recycling. Rest of the plastic goes in the hard plastic box at the tip.
Maybe you could rebuild it?
people do, but i understand you need to spot weld the battery connections together and i havent got time to be messing about with that.
Might as well open 'er up and see what i can see. If only for the interest value.
people do, but i understand you need to spot weld the battery connections together
Just buy replacement cells with tabs....
Don't puncture any cells, the likely fire won't be easy to extinguish and will provide plenty of interest value 😞
Just buy replacement cells with tabs….
I don't recall the OP being in prison...
Maybe you could rebuild it?
Be very wary if doing this.
I looked into it at work as camera batteries are eye wateringly expensive, £800 + VAT for an oversized drill battery! Fun fact, I once left a whole case of them in Fazakerley Ambulance station whilst filming and they went missing, that was a painfull call back to the office! Doubt they were nicked, they just look like grey plastic bricks, they don't look expensive. But we did ring round all the local hire companies and no one had sent them back with another persons kit so it's a mystery.
It's very easy to F-up. Even just connecting two batteries in parallel that are slightly different levels of charge can be enough to make them go pop.
It seems like a good idea, but after watching several youtube videos of people messing I it up I decided it wasn't worth burning the garage down.
Remember if you do strip them down, be careful not to short circuit, especially if cutting joints off. They smoke quite quickly.
I am sure you can put them in the battery recycling without braking the cells out of the casings.
Firelighters for stubborn to burn stuff?
Olly
Free Memberpeople do, but i understand you need to spot weld the battery connections together and i havent got time to be messing about with that.
You can get cells with solderable tabs attached, though they tend to be fiddlier to fit into the casings
Or, you can do what I do, and just solder them straight to the cells, taking care to keep the heat down. This is something you do outside, because if you get just a wee bit too much heat into the cell, it's going to be messy. But ime it's not actually hard to do it without causing that, and the risk from a single 18650 is really very low as long as it's not enclosed in ABS or something. Don't hold it in your hand!
Aside but, if you ever do any messing about with lipos, I totally recommend blowing one up, to see what it's like. If you ever do have to deal with it for real, it'll probably help to reduce panic, thus making it totally sensible and responsible. Honest.
I work in a hospital which has a big black wheely bin just for batteries ... weirdly enough by the undertaker's entrance. I take all my household batteries there, but notice that a lot of medical equipment batteries end up in there casings and all - same deal as tool batteries so i'd say you can take them to any battery recycling place.
The UK section of T'internet says take them to your HWRC.
This comes under the WEE regulations. The shop or supplier has to take them back, and dispose of them correctly. That's what the crossed out wheelie bin means.
I think my previous employer was a bit suprised to find a 20kg 1500VA UPS battery in their battery bin. I'll admit to having waited until it there was no one around before dropping that one off...
ebay them for someone else to refurb?
jca
Full Member
I think my previous employer was a bit suprised to find a 20kg 1500VA UPS battery in their battery bin. I’ll admit to having waited until it there was no one around before dropping that one off…Posted 38 minutes ago
Not from a Sodick EDM by any chance? We have one of those adorning our bench at the minute...
is it a trip to the tip and pay a man a fiver to leave it in their bucket
You get charged* for domestic recycling? That's odd.
(* no pun intended)