krdiesel03
Well-known member
Is anyone else rebuilding packs. I have rebuilt and sold about 20 so far, Not a huge profit, only $10 each. Was just seeing is anyone else was having any luck with this.
Rebuilding cordless battery packs
- Thread starter krdiesel03
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hofferwood
Well-known member
Not to sell---just for my use.
I rebuilt quite a few for my personal use.. Never had any issue.
Are you doing rebuilds for friends or advertising the service?
So you really have nothing useful to contribute to this question?? Since you would clearly have zero experience with the subject matter..I use corded tools .....air or electric.....
the only battery powered ones are my tooth brush and vibrators for the girls.......but the standby for the girls is a corded Hitatchi
yup, never runs out of oats
signcrafter
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I've rebuilt a few of mine and it worked out good. What is the cheapest you've found the cells for and where? I had a few people ask me to rebuild theirs but most of them were Ryobi or craftsman that you can buy batteries for as cheap as you can rebuild them. I've rebuilt a few Milwaukee and dewalt for friends for a couple bucks in the pocket.
mnster
Well-known member
I've upgraded my nimh batteries to lithium packs for a rc car. Requires a special charger and that I don't run them below the specified voltage so its not for everyone. But, was a way for me to use the drill again. Lithium was way more compact and fit in the nimh cases with ease.
correct
I have industrial tools not plastic ones......
some were old when my Father got them.....they just keep on working
signcrafter
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I bought mine off ebay. Bought a 100 pack to get the best deal. Just search "sub c" batteries on ebay and weed thru the results to find the best deal for how many cells you want.
Zeke
Well-known member
I think if you became a GJ sponsor and offered the service here as sort of an exclusive, you'd do OK.
OP
krdiesel03
Well-known member
I buy lots of 10 and just swap around the cells. I remove the cells with the tabs still on them.
OP
krdiesel03
Well-known member
Yes on the 18650's So far I am just doing the cman lithium, and offering them on ebay. If i can get this running any better I may offer GJ the service.
HighPlainsWrencher
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Thought about doing some 14.4 Snap On batteries but after all said and done you can find them rebuilt on ebay for what you would have in parts not to mention your time.
signcrafter
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So you're not using new cells? You're just taking two packs that may have a bad cell or two and replacing with used cells?
OP
krdiesel03
Well-known member
That is correct, then running them through 3 cycles to verify operation
Hi krdiesel. I rebuilt one of my NiCd packs recently, but I use new cells from ebay. No pics, but my rebuild looked virtually identical to what hofferwood posted above.
The problem is that is that the cost of the cells can be nearly as much as a new pack. I've thought about trying to reuse some of the old cells but was worried that the pack would not be balanced with a mix of old and new.
Also, I don't have equipment to spot weld those tabs that the OEM packs use. I had problems trying to solder onto those things. The replacement cells I used come with a smaller "solder tags" that are easy to work with. Could you please tell us what equipment you are using to connect the tabs on the OEM cells.
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signcrafter
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I'm sorry but I don't consider that rebuilding the pack and I hope you are honest in your ebay listing that these packs are not rebuilt with new cells. Cells fail for a few reasons but usually when one cell fails others aren't to far behind. All the rebuilders I have checked into use all brand new cells.
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krdiesel03
Well-known member
Yes I am being honest in the listing, I have not had any issues and I am offering a warranty on them.
With this cost of new cells and the cores even buying them in huge lots it is less expensive to buy new packs.
Sorry, but that's a "hack job"!!
If one or two cells are bad the others aren't far behind. The way to rebuild these packs is to replace all the cells.
Why would you do all this work and leave behind "walking wounded" cells??
I've done that on a couple occasions and ended up with a very short remaining life of the pack - never again!!
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Thanks jacked. I thought I'd need something like that. Probably easier for me to stick with new cells with solder tabs then. I've got another pack I want to rebuild very soon.
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krdiesel03
Well-known member
That is why I verify the run time. I know it is not the BEST way, I did not want to get into a argument on the internet, I was looking for ideas on how to do it better.
These are tesla car pack pulls so the case is perfect, and allot of time the cells are just sleeping, I have a charger to jump start the sleeping cells and then any that will not take a proper charge I replace with tested cells
Ok, so not just swapping around cells from other dead drill packs then.
BTW. What's a "sleeping" cell.
OP
krdiesel03
Well-known member
I have a Cadex 8000 at work that performs testing and charging the cells, I then dremel out the cells that do not test perfect and replace them with other tested cells.
If a cell is discharged to far then will go into a protection mode. If you have a proper charger you can "jump start" the cells .
If a cell is discharged to far then will go into a protection mode. If you have a proper charger you can "jump start" the cells .
signcrafter
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You're correct that using new cells leaves very little profit. It's worth it to do your own because you already own the core and buying new cells is cheaper then new batteries. This also depends on brands. I've had friends ask me to rebuild their Ryobi or craftsman packs and it's just not worth it. You can buy new batteries for cheaper then the cells. Big names like dewalt and millwaukee are worth rebuilding since the packs are more expensive.
I'm not going to put you down for what you're doing but it isn't the right way to rebuild packs and I wouldn't buy one from you. Like mentioned when one cell is bad the others aren't far behind and you can't tell this by your testing. They may test good and fail in a week or month.
Care to share how much you are charging for a rebuilt pack? Or link to an ebay listing. I'm just curious as to how your rebuilt with used cells compared to rebuilt with new cells.
OP
krdiesel03
Well-known member
I am charging 29 for the packs and $5 for express shipping, these are the 1st gen lithium with the LED gauge. Used packs are listed for $33 to $35, so I am running them through a testing machine and offering them for less than used.
I have 2 left and they will be the last ones. the cost of cores in the last month are running around $100 for 10 and only averaging 3 packs worth of cells a pack.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261303618824
I have 2 left and they will be the last ones. the cost of cores in the last month are running around $100 for 10 and only averaging 3 packs worth of cells a pack.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261303618824
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That looks like a fair deal. I see your description is "refurbished" not rebuilt, so you're definitely not misleading anyone. Sounds pretty fair to me.
Craptain
Well-known member
I had my Bosch batteries rebuilt for much less than the cost of replacement. And a little less than I could have done it myself. I would consider doing it myself in the future if I could buy the cells at a low enough price. I did once swap cells from a different pack to an obsolete pack. It was simple enough.
signcrafter
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Thanks for the link. I'm not trying t beat you up to hard but there are some things that caught my attention.
"Craftsman C3 19.2 battery pack. In almost like new condition, Cells are tested and replaced with tested OEM Samsung cells. Pack is then tested for proper operation, charging and output."
While you aren't lying I don't believe this is 100% forthcoming. To me replaced with OEM Samsung cells would infer new cells if I read the ebay listing without reading this thread.
"These are a great deal, they have a greater current output than the new compact batteries, include the charge indicator and are less money!"
What all test do you do to them? Are you sure that the amps per hour output of the used cells are greater then the new batteries? I don't have a clue, just wondering how you are basing that claim.
I would say your batteries are a decent deal for "tested used batteries". Another thing that concerns me is you say you buy 10 packs at a time and only get enough cells for 3 "good" packs. Like mentioned when cells go bad in a pack, especially when over 2/3 of the cells are bad, the others usually aren't far behind. So in my opinion the packs you are selling are like a ticking time bomb just waiting to go bad.
If you want to do this as a business you might advertise on craigslist. Then use new cells and charge accordingly. Call around and see how much the other rebuilders are charging and lower it a few bucks. This way you don't have to buy cores and you just use the customer's dead pack and replace the cells. Basically giving them a brand new pack. The only problem like I mentioned before is that the cheaper packs like Ryobi and craftsman just aren't worth rebuilding because they are so cheap new. But the bigger names like dewalt and Milwaukee and many others there is room to make a few bucks while still sending out a rebuilt battery with all new cells.
OP
krdiesel03
Well-known member
That is why i say "tested oem samsung"
greater current output is based on the specs of the pack, the older lithium compact packs had 10% more current output then the new compact lithium packs. Same as the new XCP packs BTW.
The battery tester that i use gives me a readout of current and voltage.
These are electric car pulls. I find it interesting that the cell in position 1 is always good. 2 and 3 are ether all good or all bad, and 4 -5 are always bad. Must be something strange in the charging circuit or the protection to cause this. I was wondering if the board let 4-5 run down to 2.6 and then when they set for a few weeks they drop to low.
I do not see much market in Farmington for this, any not worth the time to make it a business.
greater current output is based on the specs of the pack, the older lithium compact packs had 10% more current output then the new compact lithium packs. Same as the new XCP packs BTW.
The battery tester that i use gives me a readout of current and voltage.
These are electric car pulls. I find it interesting that the cell in position 1 is always good. 2 and 3 are ether all good or all bad, and 4 -5 are always bad. Must be something strange in the charging circuit or the protection to cause this. I was wondering if the board let 4-5 run down to 2.6 and then when they set for a few weeks they drop to low.
I do not see much market in Farmington for this, any not worth the time to make it a business.
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kendogg
Well-known member
Can Ryobi battery packs be rebuilt like this? I have like, 7 18V NiMH battery packs. Being able to 'upgrade' them to Lithium Ion batterys would be prety awesome, let alone rebuilding the old packs themselves.
has anyone rebuilt any of the Rigid 18v lithium packs? I opened one up today. They have Samsung INR18650-15M batteries inside...A quick search looks like they are about $6 a piece...
Although there is also a internal circuit board. Any idea what it does?
I've also got some NiCd dewalts that I need to fix. Is it possible to convert to Li Ion? Or do the Lithium dewalts have some internal circuit board also?
Although there is also a internal circuit board. Any idea what it does?
I've also got some NiCd dewalts that I need to fix. Is it possible to convert to Li Ion? Or do the Lithium dewalts have some internal circuit board also?
The circuit board is the battery management system (BMS). It'll prevent the battery from dipping too low in voltage (discharging), or too high (when charging). Some BMS will do more than others.
To convert, you will need the BMS. Lithium batteries are picky.
To convert, you will need the BMS. Lithium batteries are picky.
Sounds like the Dewalts will be staying NiCd...unless I pick up some Lithium cores somewhere...
Farmall450
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I'm also curious where you get your cells/kits to rebuild 'em.
OP
krdiesel03
Well-known member
you can find cells on ebay.
You can not convert nicad to Lithium, I would think the ryobi would be the same as the craftsman.
You can not convert nicad to Lithium, I would think the ryobi would be the same as the craftsman.
You can do it. Its just not something I would recommend doing without some knowledge of what your working with.. I certainly would not do it for someone else. But for personal use it can be done..
You could even add in a low voltage cutoff if you wanted to for safety..