A solderless battery mod

[Cisco]

Excellent job. Neat,clean, and simple. Doesn't get any easier then that.

Not a huge fan of bottom buttons, but an awesome job none the less...

Welcome to the modding addiction...


Cisco....

 

[Some Guy]

No cut of slack needed at all!!! This is brilliant!
Simply, clean and no solder which is a big plus in my book at least.

Very nicely done.

Question: You have to make sure the button/switch makes contact with the outter shell to complete the negative circuit connection yes?

Much thanks to all for the kind words!

Nubee: The spring at the bottom (negative end) makes the electrical connection from the batt to the housing..So the negative is always connected..I suppose a person could do it without the bottom spring but I thought it could be a bit intermittent unless it was pretty a tight hole

 

[nubee]

Thanks Guy.

I thought that might be the "magic" piece.

I wouldn't change a thing - this simply little puppy covers all the bases in less than 10 minutes!

 

[Jason365]

I will be building one of these t his weekend. Slightly different pill bottle, it will use a 3.7 rcr123. and the same solderless design. It is a brilliant idea. i need to find some good battery spring though. any ideas? I will start ripping up some flashlights for springs I guess.

Jason

 

[youtubecommercial]

I like it and I have a few of the same bottles.. PM me when you have one ready you want to get off your hands .. I can't make my own cuz I dont have any tools

 

[Some Guy]

I will be building one of these t his weekend. Slightly different pill bottle, it will use a 3.7 rcr123. and the same solderless design. It is a brilliant idea. i need to find some good battery spring though. any ideas? I will start ripping up some flashlights for springs I guess.

Jason

I had a bit of a problem finding springs also..Small parts.com sells them and so does Grainger and other places.But you need to know wire diameter and spring tension (forgot how they word that) etc..A bit confusing.I was able to find a spring assortment at Home depot.So once I found the size and wire diameter I wanted I should be able to order online now.
Where is ATX? Austin Texas?

 

[ainako]

Ever consider a write up for this? I am currently using a 14500 nicostick and IMO this is the next big thing to come for us home modders. Excellent job!

 

[laurel099]

Really nice design! I would love to see a tutorial.... I'm DYING to power my own atty! I even bought connectors wired from a user here... Scared to take the plunge but man... Would love to try to build a mod. This one intrigues me

 

[Some Guy]

Ever consider a write up for this? I am currently using a 14500 nicostick and IMO this is the next big thing to come for us home modders. Excellent job!

Thank You!
I suppose I could go into more detail if needed.Probably would not need to if I could take a decent pic lol. I will add some better description later if you want.

 

[laurel099]

Thanks Some Guy... Your pictures aren't bad but some of us aren't experienced enough (or at all in my case) to grasp just pictures.

I've soldered before...years ago. I'm thinking about modding, reading about it but wish I knew more about the stuff. Seeing one's like yours just make me wish I could do things like that....

If you have enough time and the inclination I know I would love a tutorial Thanks so much for sharing! I'm already looking for a case that would fit my CR123 batteries and thinking of ordering the size you used LOL!!

 

[CloudBurst]

I just ordered a few of these to mod and would love to see a tutoria; also. It's a great little mod!

 

[Some Guy]

More detail or how I went about making it.

This is for the 510

I cut the part with the keychain hole in it with a dremel cutoff wheel.
I suppose you could use a hacksaw.
Maybe just a blade without the frame? This will be the button.

To make the button: You can buy a tap and drill set at the hardware store. I used "6-32NC" it comes with a 7/64 drill bit (the correct size for the tap). Both for like $4.25 .Tap handle is another $4 or just struggle with pliers lol.
Put it in a vise or clamp it in visegrips and drill it through or not much past the horizontal hole for the keychain.
Try not to mangle the top end too much with the vise.
Tap the hole.
Use a #6-32NC x 1/2 inch long machine screw and put a nut on it as far as it will go. Then a #6 washer and another larger #10 washer.
Screw the whole mess into the button. Turn the nut down to the washers.Try to center the big one.
This creates a lock nut with adjustment to mess with later.

Drill the button hole on the body out with a 5/16 inch bit. may have to wobble it a bit as it is a few thousands too small.

The atty/batt connector hole: You may be on your own here hehe.
I did not have anything close. I think it is .340 .
But I just drilled a 5/16 hole and wrapped some emery cloth around a 1/4 inch drill bit and reamed it to size that way.
Unless of course you have an adjustable hand reamer.

The atty/batt connector itself: Dremel again.It needs the outer shell cut off so the batt can make contact with the center of it and only the center of it (the positive connection).
Get one at Alt Smoke or off a dead batt or I think a member here sells them also.
This needs to be press fit (very tight) for the electrical connection.

I did not have very good luck with my press fit after a few days and had to epoxy it in. I used conductive epoxy but doubt it is necessary.

Springs: I used two 1/2 inch wide by 9/16 long with a wire daimeter of .025 Fairly loose springs.
5/8 wide would be better.
The bottom one needs to be unwound/bent at the bottom so it is bigger than the washer on the button assembly as it travels inside it.
Or find a conical one.

This thing has got some crap on it from when they stamped it out on the inside. And possibly the outside too.
I had a hard time getting continuity ANYWHERE on it without sanding. So the bottom (button end) needs to be sanded on the inside at the bottom where the spring touches the body.

The upper or positive spring: I eliminated the foam you see in the pic. I put a layer of epoxy pooled around the atty/batt connector and centered the spring in it.
It is best to do this in two layers. An insulating layer and a glue layer for the
spring. Because you don't want an elecrical connection with this spring to the housing as it is close to the positive button on the batt.

Add a 18500 battery with positive end toward atty connector and adjust button travel as necessary.

The big washer may not be necessary but made it easier for me.

I hope this helps or at least saves someone some grief in making it.

That's more words than I spoke all week!

 

[laurel099]

Thanks for the detail there... Might be over my head but I could ask my husband for some assistance

I found a pill bottle yesterday that is the perfect size for my cr123 batteries. I did not find the longer one but... I'm looking forward to trying to make one of these

Jeez... You should speak more often - you're teaching us here THANK YOU!!!

 

[Some Guy]

Thanks for the detail there... Might be over my head but I could ask my husband for some assistance

I found a pill bottle yesterday that is the perfect size for my cr123 batteries. I did not find the longer one but... I'm looking forward to trying to make one of these

Jeez... You should speak more often - you're teaching us here THANK YOU!!!

You are very welcome Laurel.
Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[Jason365]

Thanks for the sanding tip. I have one of these partially finished, and could not get a good connection for the ground. I will do that tonight.

Jason

 

[ainako]

thanks for the extra details SG

 

[Some Guy]

Your welcome ainako

 

[youtubecommercial]

Going to get my son to try doing this for me

 

[nick76]

very nice!!!

 

[blacksheepfoto]

Im still a little confused on the button. Could you do an exploded/side by side pic of that. Each part next to each other in order from left to right, as they go together?