instructables

Lithium DRILL Battery 18650

by Killmyfeel

Hi, everyone!

Today I'm gonna show you how I converted (replaced) my old Ni-Cd drill to li-ion using 18650.

Step 1: Parts

1) High-Amps (30A) Lithium batteries 18650, capacity rel="nofollow">http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/bzHMC

3000mAh (really, tested): zuy

http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/vue25J6 4) Battery level indicator:

2) BMS Protection Board For Li-ion (12,6V/3S 20A): http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cF8fTkc

http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cGBDG0Gu 5) Small push switch:

3) 12,6V Lithium battery charger (adapter): http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cr67D6dK

6) Some copper wires

Lithium DRILL Battery 18650: Page 1

Step 2: Disassemble a Drill

1) Disassemble a drill battery handle.

2) Separate contact block from old batteries ("+" on the top and "-" at the side).

3) Break off extra plastic elements.

Lithium DRILL Battery 18650: Page 2

Step 3: Fitting

4) Find place for all components. I used hot glue gun to make battery pack.

5) I also glued BMS to batteries.

Lithium DRILL Battery 18650: Page 3

Step 4: Soldering
6) I soldered batteries and BMS protection board
together, like shows in the picture. Batteries can not
be overheated! So I used soldering acid. I touched it
no longer than 1 second. I used 2.5 mm² copper wire.
Theory:
-Electric current. For drills or screw drive we should
use high current batteries. I used 30A lithium.
-Voltage. My old batteries are rated at 12V. Every li-i
on battery 18650 has 3-4.2V. And so I decided to
connect 3 pieces in series. My battery pack has
3*3=9V (discharged) and 4.2*3=12.6V (charged).
Lithium DRILL Battery 18650: Page 4
-Capucity. My old Ni-Cd batteries had 1200 mAh. My
new li-ion batteries has 3000 mAh. I tested it using
my tester. So expect more than twice the run time
than the original pack.
-BMS. Li-ion batteries must have protection. Batteries
can be broken without protection. Short circuit may
heat and make fire. For 3 battery in series exist
special "3s BMS Protection Boards". Protection board
watch for voltage of each battery. It turns off if one of
battery has less then about 3V (2.75V maybe). It
rated at 25A.
Step 5: Level Indicator

7) I soldered level indicator and button to BMS like in It works from 9 to 12.6V.
the photo. Don't confuse polarity! And then I covered
up battery contacts using insulating tape. 8) I soldered contact group to BMS with 2 copper
wires 4 mm².
There is special level indicator for 3 batteries 18650.

Lithium DRILL Battery 18650: Page 5

Step 6: Inside Handle

9) Put it inside handle.

I guess I'm lucky :)

My battery handle fit perfectly! Batteries fit tightly, and there is place for indicator. It fit tightly too. I only drilled the
hole and poured epoxy into it. I also drilled hole for button.

I'm so happy :D

Battery handle is ready!

Lithium DRILL Battery 18650: Page 6

Step 7: Charger

10) I disassembled my old charger. I removed all For my "3s battery pack" I use 12.6V charger. I chose
components between input connector and contact 1A charger. So charge process takes
plates, and soldered piece of wire to unite input 3000mAh/1000mA = 3 hours. You may buy 2A, and it
connector to contact plates. will take 3000mAh/2000mA=1,5 hours.

Old adapter can't be used! I'm lucky again :) The new charger has plug-in
connector like my old! Perfect!
Theory: There is special charger for Lithium batteries.

Lithium DRILL Battery 18650: Page 7

Step 8: Conclusion

I tested my new battery. I cleaned my brick wall of old plaster dust (I'm doing repair). I started at 18:40 and finished
at 20:30 nonstop.

1 hour and 50 minutes. Perfect!

Thank you for reading! I'm waiting your comments. Welcome to my YouTube channel.

And as always, sorry for my english :)

Lithium DRILL Battery 18650: Page 8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG7nY34xKLY&t=3s

I see you tested the capacity of the batteries and thats wise. You might also weigh them and that
should give about 45 gramms. If they are less they are fraudulent cells and there are lots around.

If you are able to get these cells to explode please tell me how. I have pulled them apart charged
and uncharged ,overcharged them and dead shorted them without getting a sucessful bang or
even a high pitched whimper . Just a rapid heat up if you dead short them but there is not enough
energy in them to light up or go bang.

Unless you can demonstrate that you should take the statement out of your instructable.. Its just
Wowserism. Worrying people without good reason.

Also I would be interested in an update of how long these cells last before they are dead. In my
experience used like this they don't last very long .
Hello, tytower! Thanks for reading.
About capacity.
There are many tests and measurements of this "Liitokala" batteries on the web. Their weight is
46.3 gramm. And their capacity 3000mAh. They have only one flaw - they heat more then LG cells
when they work on 20A. But they 2 times cheaper ($8 vs $3,5).
About explode.
I corrected this sentence. I saw some videos with short circuit. It made fire. If you want to check it,
you should take new chargered cell without protection, short thick wire and make the short circuit.
Example 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYBnEGYWgz4&t=251s
Example 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLBOqRg79bg
But not all cells do this. I don't know why.
Also you may hammer a nail into new chargered cell:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnZuMfq6kec
I hope you can :)
"...how long these cells last before they are dead..." - I don't know too. I will find out it. Ask me
about my drill in 2021 or 2022 :)
I had a look at the first link and pretty obviously batteries are meant to hold large amounts of
energy so if you intentionally short them then the short itself will heat up to ignition point and you
will exceed the battery discharge limits so obviously things ignite .
Notice though that the battery itself did not ignite!!! Fully charge it , punch nails through it , throw it
around etc etc you won't get an explosion or fire no matter what you try. You can only short it to
demonstrate the power which is what is being done and applies to all storage batteries.

The second is exactly the same just producing a dead short. All the charge on the cathode can get
out via the short.

The last link appears to show what I could not achieve but analytically screwing a screw in slowly
like that would short the case to the cathode at a point where almost all the energy can come out
via the screw to the shell so its a dead short situation again . I think these are all staged .
If the battery case has the room, a second set of cells in parallel would likely eliminate the heat
issue. By going 3s2p the draw at top amperage would be split between the cell groups. as a bonus,
you may MORE than double run time.

Lithium DRILL Battery 18650: Page 9

But only if there is room. it LOOKS like there is, but it would be tight and without having the case
and cells on hand, it is just an educated guess.
Nice Job!

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