Converting a flashlight to 18650 batteries. Converting a battery-powered headlamp to rechargeable

Overview of 18650 batteries for different devices, conversion of the battery to a screwdriver, best batteries with Aliexpress

TEST:

To understand if you have enough information about a lithium-ion battery:
  1. When purchasing 18650 batteries for a flashlight with protection, which manufacturer is preferable?
  1. What indicators should give chargers for 18650?

a) The output is 5 volts and the current is from 0.5 to 1 of the nominal capacity of the battery itself.
b) The output is 10 volts and the current is from 1 to 3 of the nominal capacity of the battery itself.

  1. In which temperature range Is it advisable to store the battery?

a) + 10 - + 25 - ideal indicators. The battery does not tolerate too cold or hot rooms. b) At a temperature of +20 - +45 degrees.

  1. How many stages does a lithium battery go through?

a) Two.
b) four.

  1. How many charging stages does a lithium battery have that takes less than an hour to charge?

Answers:

  1. b) It is advisable to take Chinese KEEPPOWER batteries. Samsung does not release protected models.
  2. a) The correct output indicators are 5 volts and a current from 0.5 to 1 of the nominal capacity of the battery itself.
  3. a) + 10 - + 25 - ideal indicators. Do not place the battery in other conditions.
  4. a) Two stages - first with a voltage of 0.2-1A, and then with a high constant.
  5. a) Only one. A high voltage is immediately applied to the element. The rest of the steps are missing.

The problem of nickel-cadmium battery, installed in a screwdriver, in that it must be constantly used. If the battery is completely discharged or not used for a long time, then the crystallization process will begin in it, and the battery will soon completely fail.

To replace battery you will have to spend a lot of money, since batteries suitable for a screwdriver are not cheap.

For these reasons, screwdriver owners modify the battery a bit to connect lithium cells to it. But before starting such work, you need to think about whether it is necessary to make such an alteration and whether it is advisable at all.

Definition: Battery 18650 is a 3.7V battery.

3 pros and 5 cons of alteration for a screwdriver

Benefits of a remake:

  1. The energy density of the elements will become better than nickel-cadmium. It means that screwdriver will retain its original weight, even be somewhat lighter, while the output voltage will remain within normal limits.
  2. Lithium accumulators charge much faster than others. It only takes one hour to safely charge them.
  3. For lithium-ion batteries no memory effect. From this we can conclude that there is no need to completely discharge them before installing them on Charger.

Disadvantages:

  1. If you install lithium battery, it will have to be carefully monitored: when charging - above 4.2 volts it cannot be charged, and discharged by less than 2.7 volts. Otherwise, the battery will simply fail.
  2. 18650 cans are used as lithium elements. They are different from nickel-cadmium in size. In addition, you will have to find a place for the charge controller discharge wires. And all this should somehow fit in the body of the screwdriver.
  3. Charging for cadmium batteries may not be suitable for rework. You may have to additionally look for a universal charger.
  4. It will not be possible to work outdoors in winter, because the lithium battery does not tolerate negative temperatures.
  5. Li-ion battery costs more than cadmium.

It is also important to know 3 nuances before starting work

  1. First you need to determine the number of elements in battery. It is best to use 4 elements, since three will only give 12.6 volts.
  2. Collecting the battery 18650, pay attention to the capacitance and discharge current. When the battery is running, the current consumed is in the range of 5 or 10 amperes, but if you sharply press the power button, it can jump up to 25. This suggests that maximum value discharge current should be approximately 30 amps on the battery 18650.
  3. You should also pay attention to the controller. Its characteristics must be equal to the rated voltage and current discharge. For a 14.4V battery, the controller is the optimum voltage. The operating current must be several times less than the maximum allowable.

How to avoid 4 mistakes when assembling a 18650 charger

To properly connect to battery lithium cells, you will need to follow the instructions exactly:

Chargers for 18650 batteries

For battery 18650 will have to use correct charging. At the output, it will produce 5 volts and a current of 0.5 to 1 of the nominal capacity of the battery itself. If lithium cells support 2600 mAh, then a current of 1.3-2.6 amperes should be used to charge it.

device for lithium batteries charge the battery in several stages:

  1. First on battery a voltage of 0.2-1A is applied.
  2. Further charger already passes at a constant voltage.

If the charger has impulse mode, it will greatly speed up the charging time.

In the event that the battery has graphite, then the voltage should not exceed 4.3 volts per cell. If this indicator is exceeded, then the energy density will increase, and the oxidative process will begin.

There are lithium batteries, charging in less than an hour. They do not provide for the second stage - the current is immediately supplied by 80% and after that it starts to work. This is normal for a lithium type battery.

Answers to 5 frequently asked questions about choosing an e-cigarette battery

Battery

Look at the picture battery 18650 for an electronic cigarette. It is quite difficult to find the right sample battery for an electronic cigarette, since there are many varieties with varying degrees of power. For example, long-term, but on full power they cannot be included. Others will not heat up even at 40 amps, but they require frequent recharging. When choosing a battery for an electric cigarette, people are wondering about the criteria.

There are five main criteria: energy intensity, rated current indicator, voltage in use, temperature in use, cost. It makes no sense to pay attention to other nuances, like the color of a cigarette. All this is secondary. To choose a good unit, you should study in detail all the criteria. As a result, the buyer will receive all the necessary information for a good purchase.


Energy intensity

Electronic Cigarette

Energy intensity expressed in milliamps per hour. Accordingly, the higher this indicator, the better the model will be. Safety depends on the rated current indicator. The conclusion suggests itself that it is desirable to buy batteries with the highest current supply rate. For example, an LG hb6 battery has 30 A, which means it is also suitable for 40 A. But having made such a purchase, a person will prefer a high voltage and sacrifice energy intensity. The energy capacity of the above battery is only 1500 mAh. Therefore, it will hold a charge less than options with 3000 mAh.

Select indicators rated current, which won't overheat the device, but don't sacrifice battery life. It is better to purchase the LG HD2 model, which has an indicator of 25 A and microamps per hour. This will be the average. As for the voltage, you should not focus on this nuance when choosing - if the cigarette has the two previous indicators are good, then the voltage will be sufficient.

Which battery is better for a led flashlight. Tests for charging flashlights.

You also need to choose devices, having a low degree of heating. Overheating an electric cigarette will soon damage the entire mechanism. That is why the battery must be taken one that will work at the lowest temperatures. Price cigarettes approximately the same and this is not the most important criterion. It is advisable to build on indicators first of all.

Top 3 Best Battery Chargers

Nightcore digital charger D4

Charger device can power four batteries. This is a well-established brand, loved by many owners of lithium batteries.

Device equipped with a convenient display - you can study various data, including the speed and time of charging, the voltage on each element. The battery status is very convenient to observe on such a display.

It's universal charger, designed not only for model 18650. D4 should be used by people with a large number of mobile devices in which several types of batteries are placed.

Beginners will quickly master the work, since charging takes place in an automatic mode.

Efest luc Blu6 oled Bluetooth intelligent Charger

It is also very good model charger devices, designed for 6 batteries. In order to safely charge, a special protection against high current, voltage and so on is installed in the device.

The user is able to connect his mobile phone with charging via Bluetooth- You can remotely monitor the battery level. The only drawback of charging is the high price.

Nightcore i2 intelligentcharger

Charger went on sale recently. This is modern look device, equipped with interesting features and improved design.

Users don't have to worry about speed and time charging, because the device determines everything in automatic mode. From a person it is only necessary to install the battery in the right place.

There is only room for two batteries on the device, but the charger is very compact and can be taken with you on a trip.

Li-ion 18650 battery for flashlight

  1. Li-ion accumulators operate in the range of 4.35 - 4.2 volts. They are often used for the performance of LED lights.
  2. You need to watch to battery not discharged below established level- 2 volts. In order not to constantly monitor the necessary voltage, you need to use battery for a flashlight with protection. They keep the elements from overcharging or deep rarefaction.

Companies Samsung, Panasonic, LG and Sony do not manufacture such equipment. For this purpose, it is better to purchase a Chinese KEEPPOWER device.

The best 18650 batteries on AliExpress by reviews

  1. rechargeable battery
  2. Samsung icr18650
  3. Rechargeable flat Top Battery

Ideal conditions for batteries- temperature +10 - +25 degrees.

Many are familiar with lanterns, ttype "Era" or "Cosmos" FA21M, as well as their numerous clones under other names. Witha 30 watt halogen lamp and a 6 volt/4.5 ah lead gel battery. They are still on sale, as they were many years ago - except that the lamp has changed to an LED panel ...

Actually, in a lead battery and high power, the problem of such flashlights lies. Their power is categorically redundant for a house / garage / car, etc. - unless in the field or on the water such a searchlight makes sense. Dimensions are also redundant - it is not clear where to put / put this dinosaur ...
As a result, everyone who bought such a lantern or received it as a gift (they liked to give them on February 23, hehe ...) sooner or later put them away, and when they got them out on occasion, they found that the battery was hopelessly degraded - the lantern is quickly charging , burns after that for a couple of minutes, and goes out ...


The cost of a new battery is completely unreasonable, it often exceeds the cost of a flashlight assembly, so such flashlights are often sent to the scrap.However, the huge body gives DIYers room for creativity. You can put an LED lamp there, you can fill it with lithium batteries so that it burns continuously for six months, you can insert a PWM controller and much more.
True, the lantern will still remain hefty and awkward ...

I picked up such a lantern at a dacha dump in a complete set in a box - apparently, it lay in someone's dacha until the battery completely degraded, and after finding out the price for a new one, it was sent to the trash. And I decided to make a compact flashlight out of it to illuminate the route when swimming. on a boat at night. A feature of the alteration is the use of native halogen lamp- firstly, it already exists, which means it is free, and secondly, it shines really powerfully. Converting this lamp to LED is not very advisable - the geometry of the reflector, designed for an incandescent lamp, is not very suitable for a diode ...

We unscrew the excess overall plastic from the lantern - the black “crown” around the reflector, the handle, throw out the battery, remove the switch, and then cut off the “head” with a cutter from a hacksaw blade - this is what we need:


Here's what happens:



We cut out a cover for the head from any plastic and put it on 5 M2 screws with nuts.



Oddly enough, holding this freak in your hand is quite convenient. I only made a rope lanyard so that the lantern would hang on it if it slipped out of my hand.
But fantasies will - you can even attach a three-kopeck door handle, even screw in a bolt and, if necessary, screw an empty tube with a pressed nut on it, which acts as a classic lantern handle - as you like. You can even attach an elastic band and make a headband of extreme power ...


Lithium batteries, now it's time to put this scheme into action by upgrading a few flashlights. Next, see a couple of applications of memory boards with TP4056 in flashlights:

Batteries taken from old cell phones, found with the same capacities, balanced and soldered into a block. In the first version, 1.5 A, in the second, 1 A. They charge quickly - about 1-3 hours, depending on the current PSU used.

Then I started reworking another old camping flashlight for a 18650 lithium battery, painted a signet under it, came out almost like the original, but smaller. I tried charging, it works. I'll take the whole lantern.

But I completed another old camping flashlight. It is possible to change lenses for different focusing of the light flux. I replaced the acid battery with a 18650 type battery and added a charger on the same TP4056, the capacity of the used battery is 1.3 A:

One more case. They gave me a good case from an ancient flashlight on an incandescent bulb, with recharging from the mains.

The gel battery built into it was long and hopelessly dead. After a little thought, it was decided to build in it a block of parallel lithium batteries 4 pieces of 800 mA each, and expand the functionality by embedding two LEDs at 60 mA and 150 mA into the case.

In place of the removed retractable fork, an additional aluminum plate-radiator was cut out and an smd LED was screwed on for a working current of 150 mA. And in place of the former light bulb, an 8 mm round 60 mA LED was installed.

There was a lot of free space inside, respectively, a ready-made memory was built into the flashlight for, again, TR4056. The LEDs on the charger board fit perfectly under the hole of the former power LED. Under these charge indication LEDs, a Plexiglas cone indicator was machined and glued into the case. The result was a compact and resource-intensive (3.2 A) flashlight with a recharge from 5 V.

A protective plexiglass was added to the case to protect the LED from dust. And this is a disassembled case, for a more understandable visual acquaintance with the filling of the converted flashlight. There is still an empty space left, it is quite possible to add a step-up converter for recharging a cell phone.

Thus, old electronic structures and devices can be given the opportunity to serve further, using a modern electronic base in a new technical quality. And all this will help to do a small cheap chip 4056. With you was Igoran.

Discuss the article CONVERSION OF FLASHLIGHTS TO LITHIUM BATTERIES

Literally "on the knee" the lantern was disassembled, the network connector was removed (the charge was from 220 in the original) and "interfering wires" - they could not be touched in fact :)
Instead of a native battery, a power bank with a can of 2600 was attached, the native cover was removed from the power bank (metal is useless next to printed circuit board), secured with electrical tape so that the structure does not crumble during vibrations or possible falls of the background.


In fact, everything can be done MUCH more accurately, but I was interested in the simplicity and speed of the solution at the time of the rework.




Something like this happened (the wires could not be pulled out through the bank, but at first there was an idea for a slightly different location, I didn’t redo it).
The power bank itself was fixed by inserting it into the former network connector, even without additional. fasteners quite firmly "sits"




Main advantages:
The lantern is alive!
Pretty easy and inexpensive!
It is easy to change the battery (in case of failure) - they are common and inexpensive.
You can charge from any USB (including in the car), as well as, if necessary, use the flashlight itself as a power bank. There is a lamp charge control.

The flashlight shines normally. I didn’t try to detect in time - but it shines for a VERY long time, for several hours for sure, I didn’t try to discharge it at once.

In this article you will learn how to inexpensively convert a screwdriver battery from Ni Cd to Li ion batteries 18650 , thereby modernizing screwdriver battery, making it more powerful and increasing the time battery life. All stages of the alteration are described in detail, so there should be no problems, all the necessary components are listed and available.

Required components for conversion


For re-whitening, high-current 18650 batteries with a capacity of 2500 mAh. Data accumulators have already welded leads for soldering, which is very convenient and, in addition, you can significantly save on battery compartments. You can order them on the Internet, they are supplied in a batch of 4 or 6 pieces. You can buy them from the links below:

Buy 18650 batteries — 6 pcs.

Buy 18650 batteries — 4 pcs.



Also, for the conversion, you will need two BMS 12.6V 40A boards, I bought it here:

Buy BMS board 12.6V 40A



The charger will also need to be redone and for this you will need a voltage and current stabilization module.

Video on how to remake the charger, see the end of the article

Buy voltage and current stabilization


At the time of the rework, all components (for two batteries) cost only 1,100 rubles, which is much cheaper than buying new battery for a screwdriver, in which all the same Ni Cd batteries will stand. After looking at the prices on the Internet, I found that one battery costs from 1200 rubles, and for the alteration of TWO batteries, I spent only 1100! All links to the components can also be found at the end of the article!


Battery rework

The first step is to carefully disassemble the battery case and discard the old Ni Cd batteries.



Then you need to disconnect the battery power terminal.



Two wires need to be soldered to it, preferably with a large cross section; in this alteration, wires with a cross section of 4 mm² and a length of approximately 100 mm were used. In the photo above you can see the red wire, it was left in order not to confuse the polarity, it is also desirable to solder the red wire to this wire in order to avoid trouble and you will know for sure what it is +.

Solder the negative wire to the shiny contact:



Then you need to insert the terminal with soldered wires back into the housing in its place, be sure to observe the polarity!



To fix the terminal, you can pour hot glue inside the glass, more the best option I did not find a fixation, especially since it holds very well!




Now you can start soldering the batteries. We remove the heat shrink tube from the batteries and bend them in such a way that we can solder them in series.





Next, apply hot melt adhesive to the side of the resulting battery, where the contacts stick out to the top and glue the BMS board as shown in the photo below. Please note that the plus and minus boards and batteries are opposite each other!!!




Then we bend the battery contacts onto the board contacts and solder them, starting from the minus!



We solder a short wire to the contact of the B1 board, the other end of which is soldered to the junction of the batteries!




We also solder a short wire to contact B2, the other end of which is soldered to the junction of the batteries on the opposite side!




Well, in the end, we solder the last, positive contact.



Now it remains to connect the case terminals with the resulting battery, for this we solder the red wire to the “P +” contact, and the blue, negative wire, to the “P-“ contact.


This completes the alteration of the battery! It remains to fix the manufactured battery and put the second part of the case in place. No more than an hour of time was spent on reworking two batteries, and, as mentioned above, 1,100 rubles of money. After the tests, the screwdriver began to work no worse than with the factory battery and, I would say, much better in terms of power and the charge lasts longer. I advise everyone to remake their old batteries!))
Buy Socket for connecting the charger
Buy soldering iron

For those who do not have the desire to remake the charger, then at the link below, you can buy a ready-made one.

Buy a ready-made charger