rechargeable batteries

Where can you buy rechargeable batteries such as Panasonic 1.2 Volt which are designed to be soldered. I took apart my battery packs for my 18 volt cordless drill and they have 15 NiCad batteries which say Panasonic 07-99. They are wrapped in brown paper and made in Japan. Thanks

I don't know of any batteries that are designed to be soldered. You can use some of the "miracle" fluxes to do it but most battery packs have spot-welded leads on the bats. Hughes make a lot of the more commonly used welders. Two welder contacts very close to each make the connection. Once considered a DC cap type discharge to do it. Low voltage, "high" current (just a few amps, if that much), very quickly discharged. Doesn't take much. Respectfully, Ron Moore

You CAN buy the batteries with solder tabs already welded on, but I have had good luck with a VERY hot iron sodering "solder braid" to standard batteries to make upbattery packs. Iron needs to be heavy and hot so the solder job is QUICK, otherwize you dammage the batteries (valving in particular on niMh batteries)

If you are in a hurry Radio Shack sells some sizes of Ni-Cad batteries with solder tabs on them. I've replaced the "C" size Ni-Cads in a couple of our Dust Busters with ones from there.

Likely they won't have ones with the right shape factor to fit your pack though, but give their web site a shot.

Happy Holidays,

Jeff

A fellow I knew in Texas did this primarily for rc models, but I believe he supplied batteries all over. Here's the link.

This (NiCad) technology is still used in rc models, although rapidly being overtaken by NiMH and Li-Poly batteries in planes.

Pete Keillor

Check out

some AA's but at 2Ah they may have as much jam as the dead NiCd's

Ted

Don't waste the time.

I've had two rebuilt from here, and they do great work and good prices, if you don't mind a few days without your drill.

I rebuilt a 12 volt drill pack a couple of weeks ago. using 1.2 volt, 1300 mAH cells I got by taking a 19 volt battery pack I picked up at Big Lots. Brand new for $11.99. I had to rearrange some of the cells. I first cleaned the contacts using a wire brush on the Dremel tool. Then soldered using a BIG iron with rosin core solder. You do need to be quick about it.

This is an incredibly common situation, particularly with the el cheapo Chinese disposable drills - the batteries die long before the drill wears out. MOST electronic suppliers have them - in Australia, we use a company called WES. (No use to you, alas) - suggest you contact a local TV technician and ask to see his supplier catalogues - they have sizing charts as well. Yours are probably "Sub C" size.

With a decent drill, its worth doing - with a $30 one, no - it will cost more for decent cells to repack. The ones with welded tags CAN be soldered - BUT you need to scrupulously clean the tags first (oil from ther manufacturing process) , use a VERY hot iron (100w) and be FAST to prevent cell damage. If you have access to a spot welder, thats the preffered method.

Anderw VK3BFA (a working electronics tech trying to become a metalworker....)

The yellow pages.

Look for a Battery Store, usually under the "batteries" Heading.

If you are in a center that does not have one of those, look under "toys" and "hobbies" for stores that deal to the radio control car or airplane folks. Solder tab cells are stock in trade for these guys. Typically they will want to know what capacity you want and what size cells you need. Normal for cordless tools wouls be what's called a "sub C" cell and they can be had with capacities from 1100 milliamp/hour on up to aroud 4000 mah. Pick a capacity that is about 10 times the rated output of the charger, for NiCad cells.

Cheers Trevor Jones

What you want are tabbed cells with solder tabs already spot-welded on. I've made packs up by soldering to cell bodies, if you get the small ones too hot, they vent and you lose electrolyte. Only worth it if you can get the cells for cheap, e.g. bulk surplus. Surplus cells are where you can find them, All Electronics would be one source. One source for bulk new cells is Mouser Electronics, they're on the web. You can also get them made up in standard pack configurations, might save you some time. The catalog does give physical dimensions for the cells so you can match them up unless they're really screwy. Downside is that buying brand-name cells may run you more than the cost of a whole new drill.

Stan

Offhand, I'll say yes, with a big (BIG) "but".

The "but" is that you will want a new, suitable, charger. Or you will have to be willing to eat the cost of a couple battery packs learning what fries them.

Possible, but not real practical unless you are willing to spend.

has a bit of info, geared towards the RC car guys, who tend to run their batteries down then recharge immediately.

Cheers Trevor Jones

Around here, we call that a Roseanne Barr butt. :)

I guess you guys all know that song they used at the end of Shriek? "I like big butts and I cannot lie......"

I wanted to use a couple of lines of that song in a cheap digital play back device. Something like those audio greeting cards you can get and record your own message on. I was going to rig it to start singing when somebody sets on the toilet seat. :)

I had my 15 year old daughter try to find the song on the internet for me. She doesn't have a ton of experience with that kind of thing and I guess I didn't warn her properly. So, for the rest of you guys.... Never do a google search on the word butt. :)

It's my understanding that NiCad excels in applications with big, short-duration current draws, as in power tools. NiMH is more suited to steady draw at lower current, with few peaks.

Of course, I have nothing to base that on.

Also in my NiCad packs there are 3 contact points +, - and there is a third, what is it for? Inside the pack it is wired to a little thing about 1"long,

1/4" wide and 1/8" thick.

Overheat thermostat - cuts the charge cycle short if the batteries are about to do their imitation of Krakatoa.

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Sir Mixalot "Baby's Got Back". Only know of this from the video clip shown incessantly when it was first released.

Bill Lee