It would take a long time, but if you could verify the capacity and quality of the cells that would be for the best.
What might work even better is if they are all identical packs (same brand/capacity for the 9 packs and 6 packs), verify the type of cell(capacity/viability) in the each type of pack and then sell the other packs as whole units instead of breaking all the cells out.
Used laptop packs are most times not worth it. Sorting through them to find the completely dead cells, the ones with 30% capacity remaining, and the 'good' ones with 60%... not worth it. Laptops are incredibly unkind to their batteries. Old but unused laptop packs are a different story.
Toss all batteries that measure under 3v (3.2 to be safe)
If you can, try to check what year are the laptops that run these batteries made in. Anything over 6 years could be tossed.
If you have a charger that can measure capacity (ex:imaxB6 for 20$ on ebay) you can test the capacity of the battery by discharging it after you fully charge them.
I think you should wait until someone wants these batteries, then take them apart. You can give them an option of having solder tabs or not.
By the way, you can use the battery packs as actual battery packs. They come with a built in protection board and thermal resistors. Just solder your plug to the + and -
Ok Red I have opened 2 packs, 18 total batteries. None have been lower than 4.02v
Dark green, 1 pack, 6 batteries. Range from 3.03-3.43v
Neon green, 1 pack, 6 batteries. 2.4-2.9v
There's more to it than that. With age they build up internal resistance, you need to do discharge tests on all of them and compare the capacity at low current with capacity at high current (usually 1 amp is good enough). The ones with a large spread between low & high current are junk, regardless of their resting voltage or how well they maintain voltage after charging.
It's an awful lot of work to end up with 2 out of every 10 usable only in a low-drain application. And a lot of scrap to haul off to the recycling center. Used laptop packs don't get replaced for no reason.
New, never-charged, never-used packs that have been in storage, just overstock stuff that was taking up space in a warehouse somewhere, for a laptop model that's now obsolete, that somebody bought in bulk at auction and is unloading for cheap on ebay can be excellent value. Used up clapped out laptop packs are almost always not.
These were from a laptop upgrade for a large group. Some of the batteries are new some are old. But I am the kind of person that hates to see things go to waste. Thus as a hobby endless hours to throw at a project. I know you are trying to save me from a lot of useless work but if I wanted that I don’t think I should be on a flashlight modding forum.
Order 5 chargers that can run charge and discharge tests and just run them while I work? Maybe 10 chargers lol. Other than that I might just pull what I could use in the next couple years and toss the rest. Those are the options. If I toss them I would love to see them go out to people that would like them to tinker with also. So any help you could give would be great, other than “Run away as fast as you can and save your sanity!”
I understand your standpoint but at work I deal with bones and bugs so playing with electronics is just a sort of an escape so the work while tedious would be a welcome relief.