Replacing Rechargeable Batteries

[Pouatchee]

Hi, I need to replace rechargeable batteries in my solar led light. It is a pair of batteries that are soldered with that annoying solder that is impossible to duplicate unless one has a spot welding solder machine. Many years ago Amon shops used to do it but alas they now refuse to do it. I am between Pattaya and Rayong so looking for a shop near home. Funny thing is that there are shops that sell those batteries to Techies but when I ask them if they know anyone who actually changes them they just shrug me off. I tried with my hottest soldering iron but just can't do it. Anyone out there know anyone?

[Beachcomber]

Lazada do many sizes and combinations of rechargeable batteries.

I'm sure a search will bring up a right combination for your replacements.

Try a search for the name of your Solar light, may have a lead to replacement batteries.

If you are feeling adventures try some DIY spot welding on suitable batteries with a kit from Lazada.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/protable-stop-welder-dc-12v-18650-lithium-battery-5mos-spot-welder-circuit-board-diy-kit-with-5-gears-for-cars-i3166477723.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.120.597745f2EqtFzH

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/12v-pcb-diy-18650-12v-spot-i4258200541.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.98.597745f2EqtFzH

 

????  

[Woof999]

I'm pretty sure you know already but spot welding (which your connections will almost certainly be) is very different than soldering.

 

I can't remember which channel but I saw a video recently about trying to DIY replace lithium batteries and re-spot welding them. The main point was that there is a real danger of the battery catching fire / exploding if you make a mistake or are just plain unlucky. They were literally doing it in a box of sand.

 

If I were to do it I'd be very tempted to find a battery holder - ie the black plastic things that you snap batteries into so that they are held in place by springs. Then use the wiring that comes out of that to connect to your existing wiring. That means there must be space for the battery holder of course, but it's much bigger than the battery itself.

 

If your lights have more than 1 battery, and so there are multiple spot welds per light, I'd most definitely do that above, as it becomes significantly harder to spot weld them properly.

[Pouatchee]

Thanks, I have the batteries already. Looking for a techie who can spot weld them. This is hardest to come by but I found this:

 

 

13 hours ago, Woof999 said:

 

I can't remember which channel but I saw a video recently about trying to DIY replace lithium batteries and re-spot welding them.

This guy goes through hopw to build on cheaply by yourself. Interesting video that can be quite helpful for the DIY'er. I still don't get it. Those batteries are a dime a dozen, but there is no one out there to set them up. Go figure!

 

Thanks both of you for your input.????

 

 

 

[FarangRimPing]

15 hours ago, Woof999 said:

I'm pretty sure you know already but spot welding (which your connections will almost certainly be) is very different than soldering.

 

I can't remember which channel but I saw a video recently about trying to DIY replace lithium batteries and re-spot welding them. The main point was that there is a real danger of the battery catching fire / exploding if you make a mistake or are just plain unlucky. They were literally doing it in a box of sand.

 

If I were to do it I'd be very tempted to find a battery holder - ie the black plastic things that you snap batteries into so that they are held in place by springs. Then use the wiring that comes out of that to connect to your existing wiring. That means there must be space for the battery holder of course, but it's much bigger than the battery itself.

 

If your lights have more than 1 battery, and so there are multiple spot welds per light, I'd most definitely do that above, as it becomes significantly harder to spot weld them properly.

What you suggest is exactly what I did with my 7 outdoor solar lights, as each died. I could have reused the battery management controllers but I bought new ones. Everything works perfectly and when the time comes that the lithium batteries die, I can simply pop out the old and pop in new ones. The only skill required is being able to solder.

[Pouatchee]

1 hour ago, FarangRimPing said:

battery management controllers

I tried soldering, but I can't take off the nickel plating and I don't have replacement nickel plating yet. How did changing the battery management controller allow you to bypass the soldering or spot welding process?  I just invested a ton of cash in solar lights and I plan on refurbishing them when necessary. Lemme know more details if it is not too taxing.

[KhunHeineken]

Is there room inside for a second battery? 

 

Rather then risk possible dame by replacing the existing battery and breaking the spot welds, can you solder a couple of short leads onto a new battery, and then solder those leads onto the existing battery or the spot welds, being careful with the polarity (+/-) and using some insulation tape so nothing shorts out inside.   

 

If no room, maybe rig something up where the second battery can be outside the housing. 

 

You can have a go at this as a DIY.  Nothing to lose if you can't actual replace the existing batteries. 

[Pouatchee]

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

Nothing to lose if you can't actual replace the existing batteries. 

My thoughts exactly. I will try to make a spot welder like on the youtube clip I posted. Just need to get the nickel and the rest of the items the guy uses. It is too late to add batteries as you suggested, I tinkered with it too much already but that was a great idea.

[FarangRimPing]

19 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

I tried soldering, but I can't take off the nickel plating and I don't have replacement nickel plating yet. How did changing the battery management controller allow you to bypass the soldering or spot welding process?  I just invested a ton of cash in solar lights and I plan on refurbishing them when necessary. Lemme know more details if it is not too taxing.

It's very easy. Absolutely no need for spot welding. I could have used the old BMC by cutting the leads and then soldering them in but decided on new BMC as they are so inexpensive. I will post a photo soon of a mock up, where I used scotch tape as a proxy for solder. I needed to solder in 4 places. 2 leads (+-) to the battery holder, and 2 leads to the incoming from the solar panel circuitry.

 

[FarangRimPing]

5 minutes ago, FarangRimPing said:

It's very easy. Absolutely no need for spot welding. I could have used the old BMC by cutting the leads and then soldering them in but decided on new BMC as they are so inexpensive. I will post a photo soon of a mock up, where I used scotch tape as a proxy for solder. I needed to solder in 4 places. 2 leads (+-) to the battery holder, and 2 leads to the incoming from the solar panel circuitry.

 

Attached is a photo. The 2 center solder points go to the solar panel circuitry. The 2 outer points are solders to the battery holder terminals. This picture is ugly, but the ones I actually did look good. For example, I shortened the leads to the battery holder. I also severely shortened the BMC leads as I didn't need them. On the other side of the BMC, it has 2 solder points which I used for connection to the battery holder. You could used the long, flat leads, as shown in the picture, or the solder points that connect to those leads on the other side of the BMC. It really is easy.

[Pouatchee]

4 hours ago, FarangRimPing said:

Attached is a photo. The 2 center solder points go to the solar panel circuitry. The 2 outer points are solders to the battery holder terminals.

My issue is I don't have a battery holder...

[FarangRimPing]

2 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

My issue is I don't have a battery holder...

My original lamps did not have battery holders, they had the same setup as yours. I bought the battery holders and BMCs on Lazada. Do you have room for 2 battery holders? You should then be OK if you do.

 

[fdsa]

what about super glue + tape?

[Pouatchee]

2 hours ago, FarangRimPing said:

My original lamps did not have battery holders, they had the same setup as yours. I bought the battery holders and BMCs on Lazada. Do you have room for 2 battery holders? You should then be OK if you do.

 

Ahhh will have detective wife look it up tonight. Not sure there is enough room, but worth a look see.

 

1 hour ago, fdsa said:

what about super glue + tape?

Hmmm not sure that is an option... thanks all.

[Pouatchee]

3 hours ago, FarangRimPing said:

I bought the battery holders and BMCs on Lazada.

Is it too much to ask for a link? just did a search and can't find one looks like yours ????

[stubuzz]

25 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

s it too much to ask for a link? just did a search and can't find one looks like yours ????

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/kkmol-18650-diy-1234-way-diy-pin-i4315121973-s17179064273.html?clickTrackInfo=query%3A18650%2Bcase%3Bnid%3A4315121973%3Bsrc%3ALazadaMainSrp%3Brn%3Afe65064b6a7a5cdcb5c2a88c5ede6169%3Bregion%3Ath%3Bsku%3A4315121973_TH%3Bprice%3A5%3Bclient%3Adesktop%3Bsupplier_id%3A1000162660%3Basc_category_id%3A12093%3Bitem_id%3A4315121973%3Bsku_id%3A17179064273%3Bshop_id%3A394073&fastshipping=0&freeshipping=0&fs_ab=1&fuse_fs=1&lang=en&location=Overseas&price=5&priceCompare=&ratingscore=0&request_id=fe65064b6a7a5cdcb5c2a88c5ede6169&review=&sale=3&search=1&source=search&spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.60&stock=1

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/liqingling-3a-2s-bms-18650-li-ion-lithium-battery-37v-charger-protection-circuit-pcm-board-i4392149762-

 

s17498566570.html?clickTrackInfo=query%3A18650%2Bbms%3Bnid%3A4392149762%3Bsrc%3ALazadaMainSrp%3Brn%3A0ef3e5a885f27fb852a2b0d345a5cbdc%3Bregion%3Ath%3Bsku%3A4392149762_TH%3Bprice%3A6.97%3Bclient%3Adesktop%3Bsupplier_id%3A1000174875%3Basc_category_id%3A12093%3Bitem_id%3A4392149762%3Bsku_id%3A17498566570%3Bshop_id%3A404716&fastshipping=0&freeshipping=0&fs_ab=1&fuse_fs=0&lang=en&location=Overseas&price=6.97&priceCompare=&ratingscore=0&request_id=0ef3e5a885f27fb852a2b0d345a5cbdc&review=&sale=0&search=1&source=search&spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.176&stock=1

 

[KhunHeineken]

18 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

My issue is I don't have a battery holder...

Maybe I am missing something. 

 

I thought the batteries where part of a main board.  That small board doesn't look like it has a chip in it.  

 

In any case, nothing to lose by trying.   

 

Why can't you cut the red and black wire and throw those batteries away, get two new batteries, tape them together, solder (not weld) a piece of red wire joining positive + to positive + and solder a piece of black wire joining negative - to negative - and then solder a red wire from one of the positive sides of the battery to the red wire you have cut, and then solder a black wire from the negative side of the battery to the black wire you have cut?

 

Of course, any color wire will do, but positive battery must go to the red wire you cut, and negative battery to the black wire you have cut.  

 

5 minute job. 

Edited February 28, 2023 by KhunHeineken

[FarangRimPing]

15 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

Is it too much to ask for a link? just did a search and can't find one looks like yours ????

stubuzz beat me to it. I was also able to find them in Thailand but China is usually a bit less expensive. These are very inexpensive in any case.

[Pouatchee]

6 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Maybe I am missing something. 

 

I thought the batteries where part of a main board.  That small board doesn't look like it has a chip in it.  

 

In any case, nothing to lose by trying.   

 

Why can't you cut the red and black wire and throw those batteries away, get two new batteries, tape them together, solder (not weld) a piece of red wire joining positive + to positive + and solder a piece of black wire joining negative - to negative - and then solder a red wire from one of the positive sides of the battery to the red wire you have cut, and then solder a black wire from the negative side of the battery to the black wire you have cut?

 

Of course, any color wire will do, but positive battery must go to the red wire you cut, and negative battery to the black wire you have cut.  

 

5 minute job. 

Right now I have nothing to keep the wires in place on the */- terminals and they seem to be set up in parallel somehow and that takes a nickel plate to connect the 2. I tried to solder to the batteries but made a mess of things. I ordered the casings but I know for a fact they wont fit in the solar light housing. I will have to make an exterior box that is water proof. Thing is, if this works, I will have found a way to replace the batteries in my use once throw away household items. And that to me will be worth all the trouble I am going through now learning how to do it.