Brisbane AU - sources for cells?

Hi all,

I've just started my journey building a homebrew powerwall with used 18650 cells and have hit a roadblock. I managed to find 10 breaking down the battery packs of old laptops I had, but have not added more to the collection since.I have looked online, sent off messages and emails and called manylocal companies that handle e-waste, none have responded positively and some say that they cannot supply me with used laptop battery packs as I'm not certified (not sure what certification I need). Based on the posts and news articles I've seen, I'm far from the first person who has tried to source used 18650 cells here in Brisbane. Is it that the cells just aren't easily available anymore or am I looking in the wrong places? I've even contacted several local councils thinking that they would be looking to offload laptop batteries from their recycling stations or dumps but I haven't got a response from there either.

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

Just saw your thread. Sorry it took so long to post a reply.

I'm here in Brisbane also. My start at getting cells started similar to yours. I reached out to all of my social media asking for anyone that had old laptops buried in garages that I could save from landfill. Also had some luck with some of my friends in the corporate world. Many companies have ewaste programs where they pay for someone to come and take them away. IT people are sometimes able to be bribed to put them aside for future collection. Pretty much needs a good relationship between someone that owes you a favour in the company IT department..... Even then, many companies have policies in place that stop people from profiting from ewaste....

All of the other options I've tried have been hit and miss with lots of leg work, face to face or buying bulk lots before anyone else happens to find them (no secrets to share there).

Good luck!