I don’t have sharp fingernails, but alot of times when removing an 18650 from a charger, or cheap holder with test leads to use while building a light, I’ll scratch a little bit of the battery wrap. After a little while, it gets worse where I need to re-wrap the battery for safety reasons. Does anyone have a heat shrink they use that is a little more durable, yet not thick enough to cause fitting problems in light tubes? Maybe its just the nature of a rechargeable battery that sees years of use instead of a primary cell, but I seem to do this with a lot of cells. I have pretty much only LG and Samsung cells if that makes a difference. I ordered some of the heat shrink mtnelectronics cells but yet to try it. Anyone have a go-to heat shrink for their batteries? Or do cells just need to be re-wrapped from time to time as part of their regular lifespan? Thanks
I just use any I can find cheap and put it over original shrink wrap.
All my lights can fit double wrapped cells.
I use these clear wraps https://www.fasttech.com/products/2155601
Then print out on a piece of paper what the cell is and slide between the wrap and the cell. They hold up really well.
Get yourself some spare flat top and button top gaskets while you’re at it.
If the nicks or tears aren’t too bad then I just use scotch tape to cover them up. Otherwise I use shrink wrap I bought from Fasttech years ago.
Got these from Aliexpress 4 years ago and still have too much, even with all the times I've used them. Many of the larger ones will fit the batteries
Here’s a Notta uber cheap trick.
Go to a 99 Cent Store and buy a roll of ‘Power+Plus’ clear packaging tape. (Lot’s of it in that seemingly deceptive roll too.)
SUPER thin, SUPER sticky, and tuffer than rhino balls. :student:
Fantastic stuff. And all for 99 Cents + tax. :sunglasses:
PS. Just be extra careful when you finish using it by remembering to fold over the end because if it lays back onto the roll with that adhesive and thinness you’re hosed. Almost impossible to unroll/unpeel it. :person_facepalming:
I am trying to learn so I am asking, what is the point of the wrapper anywhere on an unprotected cell EXCEPT to insulate the area at the anode end where the anode and cathode come very close together?
This picture is not the greatest, but the anode is colored red here, which is at 4.2V fully charged with respect to the case. If the wrap is damaged anywhere away from the area shown above, why worry about repairing it?
^ one reason can be in a tail clicky that a damaged cell touching the body (if not anodised) will bypass the switch.
Another one: in my copper MiC1 small EDC light, the battery is reversed and the body carries the batt+, so a damaged wrapper will short the cell. (I actually did re-inforce the wrapper of the battery with some kapton tape in this light)
Often it is no problem though.
IMRbatteries.com has some pre cut 18650 heat shrink in several colors also clear which I’ve been using. I bought a 1M roll a while back for a few bucks. Good stuff.
I am also using these clear wraps for my new 18650 and 26650. Still contemplating to get label printer to make those custom labels.
Lights that use multiple cells in series, if their sides can touch (like the BLF Q8 if it used the cells in series), absolutely must have good wrappers on their sides. Otherwise, they can short, and poof! Even though the sides are all negative, they carry different voltages when used in series.
Hey! What have you got against short poofs?
Ah yes, this makes sense. Thanks for pointing this out! But for most single cell lights sounds like it is not as big of a deal.