How can I remove these tabs?

ptchernegovski

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Nov 5, 2019
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Harvesting these cells from work, and they have these tabs on the top and bottom that were used to connect them to the circuit board. What would be the best way to remove them safely, and so I don't damage the cell?

Thanks


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Those look like the heavy weight tabs you get in power tool batteries. Personally I'd just cut them back and use them to solder to... I have a few cells like this and I haven't braved the removal of the tabs.
 
Use side cutters to trim as close as possible.On the positive end, you could rip them off. However, the negative end takes a bit more fineness and is more fragile as you could rip a hole in the casing. Trimming is suggested, safest.
Don't use an abrasive on the casing as you will remove the thin layer of nickle coating which allow rust to form on the steel casing.
 
Thank you for the replies.

I have a few I have tried cutting now, think I need some smaller side cutters so I can get a bit closer, and tidier.
Have heard that one of our other workshops, someone didn't cut safely. Cell was not happy. Do not want to end up like this
 
I got a pretty nice assortment of side, flush, and diag cutters...

In addition to the small electronics flush cutters Haako CHP Micro Cutter, I find the Knipex 160 to be fantastic for the jobs that need something a bit more heavy duty. Heavy duty being relative because I still have their knipex diagonal cutters that can cut though a penny without damage. In comparison to those, the 160 is a precision tool.

https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-CHP-17...1?keywords=hakko+cutter&qid=1573259698&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EXO716/ref=ox_sc_mini_detail?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
 
Those micro cutters look great and just what I am after, will have to get for the electronics kit. I already have Knipex 200 at home, they go through so smoothly. At work I have a very large Powerbuilt tool set, and was using the snips out of that at first. They aren't the best tools.
 
Leave them on and bend them back? to solder on.
Be very careful when removing the strips at the neg side, you don't always smell that sweet li ion smell.
 
Yes, will definitely avoid doing that. Think that's what the person did at the other workshop.

100kwh-hunter said:
Leave them on and bend them back? to solder on.
Be very careful when removing the strips at the neg side, you don't always smell that sweet li ion smell.

Think I will trim them down so they don't stick out. Then use what is left to solder on to
 
I use a pair of long-nose pliers and peal them back. You will end up with some stubs left. As long as they're not too big, I just tap them down flat with the side of the pliers. I have never had trouble welding nickel strips after doing this. It saves a lot of time vs sitting there picking tiny bits off.
 
Korishan said:
Use side cutters to trim as close as possible.On the positive end, you could rip them off. However, the negative end takes a bit more fineness and is more fragile as you could rip a hole in the casing.
I suspect I've salvaged more tool batteries than anyone else...


image_apcwrl.jpg


... and yes, I agree, you can banana peel the positive terminals off just fine. The negatives you can't, as the nickle connector strip is as thick as the cell casing, and it's 50/50 which side the weld nugget rips from, with 4 spot weld per battery you're almost guaranteed a puncture followed by a hiss-and-piss.

The same will happen a significant portion of the time if you try to use flush cutters. Any type (I'm a plier and side cutter snob, I must have 50 pairs of each).

The only consistent method I've found, is a narrow chisel, and whacking it 3-5 times lightly with a light hammer (light enough it bounces, like, 1/4 the weight of a normal claw hammer, plastic head ideally). You don't want to force it or try to get it all done in one blow, you don't want to cut or catch the chisel into the surface (it will, and it will start to cut into the case). You almost want to shatter the weld with a bouncing motion so the blade settles against the actual weld nugget, not the case. Like you were holding the edge of a frisbee and hammering with the flat of the plate. Bonk bonk bonk bonk bonk.

You want to avoid peeling them, only enough to get the chisel in, as that creates a little lifted peak out of the case around the welds, which then the chisel will cut through and puncture. It took me, I dunno... 50 or 100 or so before I got the right touch to not be cutting holes in them. My failure rate at the start was like, 30%, but it quickly dropped off to nearly 0%.

I've been meaning to make a full tutorial on disassembling tool batteries, but, lemme spackle together a quick demo from old footage:


It was hard to demo on the ground, and the desk/cardboard takes up too much of the impact. You want it held solidly. The second one is typical. I normally put a 2x4 on the ground, and then the cell on the 2x4, with my shoe stepping on the cell to hold it steady instead of using my hand like I did in the video. Then tap-tap-tap-tap-clink. Repeat. Faster than using cutters even when that's an option.
 
MattsAwesomeStuff said:
... and yes, I agree, you can banana peel the positive terminals off just fine. The negatives you can't, as the nickle connector strip is as thick as the cell casing, and it's 50/50 which side the weld nugget rips from, with 4 spot weld per battery you're almost guaranteed a puncture followed by a hiss-and-piss.

I guess it depends on what cells you're harvesting. I've processed tens of thousands of cells and only had a small handful that were punctured after tearing off the nickel. My cells are all from laptop batteries though. This probably wouldn't work with power tool or ebike batteries where the nickel is much thicker.
 
If you have a angle grinder(small one), thick disk(for inox) and a steady hand, you could grind of those clips.
BUT don't touch the cells body, only weaken the clip.
Dremel will do the same but at a lower rate than a angle grinder.
Put them into a vice and knock yourself out

Weaken the clip just enough to get the clip off.
Mind you, there are clips of copper.....

It will take some practice, heck..try ten times on one cell before the clip is weak enough, or go to deep with one cell(plus side NOT neg side)
You will be fast in reclaiming good undamaged secondhand cells.

Best


MattsAwesomeStuff wrote:
I suspect I've salvaged more tool batteries than anyone else...

If that is all....Sorry, but no :D , don't want to insult or anything, but it was a suspicion :D

With love :cool:
 
MattsAwesomeStuff - Thanks for all the information, and the video. Helps a lot to see it being done.

100kwh-hunter said:
If you have a angle grinder(small one), thick disk(for inox) and a steady hand, you could grind of those clips.
BUT don't touch the cells body, only weaken the clip.
Dremel will do the same but at a lower rate than a angle grinder.
Put them into a vice and knock yourself out

I have a pretty well kitted out workshop at work, so may give it a go with the Dremel, feel more comfortable with that for smaller jobs than the grinder.
 
mike said:
I guess it depends on what cells you're harvesting. I've processed tens of thousands of cells and only had a small handful that were punctured after tearing off the nickel. My cells are all from laptop batteries though. This probably wouldn't work with power tool or ebike batteries where the nickel is much thicker.

Yes, that's my point exactly.

You can peel off the negative terminals on laptop cells all day. The material of the strip is 1/3 the thickness of the cell casing. On tool packs they're closer to the same thickness and it's almost impossible to avoid damaging a cell.

[quote='"]
If that is all....Sorry, but no
biggrin.png
, don't want to insult or anything, but it was a suspicion
[/quote]

Specifically, tool battery packs. Not laptop cells. I'm nowhere near the top for cells in general. I hardly see anyone salvage tool packs and 100% of mine are tool packs.

Again, might be wrong, my hunch was based on the differences in disassembly (due to strip thickness) and the lack of knowledge that a difference exists or what to do about it.
 
@MattsAwesomeStuff.
I was referring to tool packs, that's why i love my grinder so much.
Again, i did not mean to insult, irritate or trigger, please accept my apologies.

Btw if you want some "old" hilti pack(s) (22v 5,2a) and you have a 3d printer, maybe we can make a trade?
 
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