OK, here is what I found when I took the OEM battery pack apart:
First, let me say you guys who “salvage” 18650’s from battery packs have my respect. This was not a finesse job, I had to use a lot of brute strength and two large flat-tipped screwdrivers to get the thing open.
In the process of prying the cover off, I scoured the body of one of the batteries (see photo above) and was rewarded with a nice toxic wiff of smoke and the immediate fear that I would blow the whole thing up, me included.
Too many horror stories about 18650’s, and these were packed into place TIGHTLY with very strong connective metal bands across the - and + terminals. Very strong as in it took two hands and a stout pair of needle nose pliers to get them all separated. The whole time I was thinking that I’d short something out and vent them out like small missiles.
Happily, that did not happen. I discarded the one that sparked out , and tested the other 8.
Three read 1.5v on my voltmeter.
Five read between 3.75 and 3.84v.
So it looks like I am out $27 for the new Chinese-made battery pack for my Dell Vostro 1500, but I now have 5 more useable 18650 batteries, which works out to just over $5 per battery, not a bad trade-off.
Not sure what brand they are, but they all read LJSM4B8 on the sides. They might even be protected based on the ring I see just under the + terminal, but I’m not positive (pun intended) about that.
couple of tips - always start at the power connector, as they’re very deep (less risk of stabbing your screwdriver into something) and not glued to the sides of the case. Once you lever up on the connector, you can often get a grip on the smaller side of the case and just yank it up. I often peel the case off with a pair of pliers, like a can of sardines.
As for the metal strips between cells, just cut them with a stout pair of scissors. You can always roll them off later with a pair of needle nosed pliers (again, like a can of sardines :laughing:. I tend to keep pairs together as it’s quicker to test them and charge them that way (either both will be good or both will be bad).
Also, how do you remove the sharp, small pieces of metal at the terminals that were used to connect the bands? I’m thinking it is going to take a dremel.
Im proper chuffed with mine i mentioned earlier.Ther great in the skyray king.I agree,its abit of a tug and raw,but first time at anything unknown usually is.I only found later.The pack had a tear out strip the length of the pack.This was hidden behind all the tech info,logos,and printing on the pack.Other than that i agree,start at the power connection and GO FOR IT.
either tap them down gently with the side of a crescent wrench or grind them off with a metal cutting wheel on a Dremel. I usually do the latter, also because it helps with soldering direct to the cells.
