Rewrapping 18650s hints and tips?

[Joergl100]

It's not dangerous to use flame? Just want to be sure before I try

Not at all. It is as dangerous as lighting a candle...

Nothing in my hand...between my controlling fingers gets hot. Do not be ancious, that's all!

I need 1 minute for one battery...as seen in my picture, and they are all perfect. Not rocket science...

I wrapped more than 50 batteries that way. So what? Calm down...be relaxed a bit more!

 

[Anthony_Vapes]

I made a simple video to help

 

[Zutankhamun]

I bought uncut 18650 shrink wrap from bay and then measured 6ml extra of the battery length and cut it so you have 3ml each side.
I use a hair dryer and just move it around so I'm not concentrating the heat so much.
Look after your insulators for the positive when you remove the old or buy extras.

Couple of times you may make a mistake but they are super cheap so don't worry.

Buy uncut shrink wrap it's so much cheaper.

I've heard that some people's hairdryers are not good enough.
Mines revlon if that helps.

Ps. I've heard they're good for styling hair as well as rewrapping batteries

Edit; obviously coulda got it cheaper from somewhere else like FT but I was in a rush!

 

[ChelsB]

I made a simple video to help

Excellent video, thank you!

 

[Anthony_Vapes]

Excellent video, thank you!

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[beckdg]

Last year a similar question was a disaster.

TEOTWAWKI talk abundant.

Congrats ECF!

You're learning.



Tapatyped

 

[badinfluence357]

I use a lighter. Run it back and forth quickly and it wraps great. Tip: apply heat to the top and bottom first spinning the battery as you apply the fire to it..... If it needs more heat apply it sparaticly for the secound go around to get a snug wrap.
Double wrap your batts, the sleeves sold are thinner than the ones the manufacturers use.
When removing the original skin make sure not to damage the positive post dounut thingy because you need it for the rewrap.

Sent from my LGMS550 using Tapatalk

 

[Anthony_Vapes]

I use a lighter. Run it back and forth quickly and it wraps great. Tip: apply heat to the top and bottom first spinning the battery as you apply the fire to it..... If it needs more heat apply it sparaticly for the secound go around to get a snug wrap.
Double wrap your batts, the sleeves sold are thinner than the ones the manufacturers use.
When removing the original skin make sure not to damage the positive post dounut thingy because you need it for the rewrap.

Sent from my LGMS550 using Tapatalk

I got my sleeves from fatdaddyvapes. it was like 5 bucks for 100 of them and they are nice and thick

 

[beckdg]

Double wrap your batts, the sleeves sold are thinner than the ones the manufacturers use.
When removing the original skin make sure not to damage the positive post dounut thingy because you need it for the rewrap.

Sent from my LGMS550 using Tapatalk

My wraps are thicker and tougher than the originals.

Got them from a Chinese seller on ebay. Like a buck a meter or something ridiculous.

Anyway... if you shop around you can choose the thickness.

That donut is unnecessary. I have a couple of batts that have been rewrapped for over a year without them.

All is just dandy with those cells.

The trick is making sure the ends of the wraps properly cover and isolate the negative housing all the way to the positive post.

Which should be done whether you can save the donut or not.

Past that the donut is just an extra layer of protection and serves to make the positive end more aesthetically pleasing.

Tapatyped

 

[Darth Omerta]

Tutorial: Re-wrapping a battery

How can we extend the life of our batteries? | E-Cigarette Forum


IMO an open flame anywhere near a battery is a bad idea. The outer casing of the battery is a thin metal rolled over on itself so while the sides might be able to handle some higher heat from an open flame, the positive and negative poles are more susceptible to rapid heating. The open flame can also scorch or weaken the wrap making it easier to tear. A medium powered hair dryer would be optimal for rewrapping a cell IMO, as it is not as hot as an open flame and much easier to control the direction of the heat.

The "donut thingy" is called an insulator ring and it is not for aesthetics, it is a very important safety feature. The positive terminal is only the small isolated part in the middle of the top of the cell. The rest of the casing is negatively charged. Using a cell with a damaged or missing insulator ring increases the risk of shorting the cell and causing either venting or thermal runaway.

 

[beckdg]

The "donut thingy" is called an insulator ring and it is not for aesthetics, it is a very important safety feature.

What do you suppose is going to happen to that insulator ring in the event a decent shrink wrap is compromised at the positive end of the battery?

IME, the insulator ring is nearly always compromised just as well. If not, broken completely through and useless.

In this event, what would you do?

Where would you get a new insulator ring?

I wasn't able to source any.

A couple of mine were destroyed within 2 months.

And the new shrink tube has been on there well over a year without any compromise. Which happens to be a perfectly sufficient insulator all by itself.

Again, if your insulating shrink tube doesn't extend past the edge of the positive terminal, that insulator ring should be considered completely useless.

The shrink tube is your insulator.

The insulator ring is simply an added layer... and has no way of keeping itself in place... and is more brittle.

We need to get away from the thought that the insulator ring is necessary as an insulator and focus on teaching how to wrap properly and identify an insufficient wrap, especially near the positive terminal.

If we're dependant upon that ring, we're screwed.

Tapatyped

 

[beckdg]

The "donut thingy" is called an insulator ring and it is not for aesthetics, it is a very important safety feature.

Fun fact.

Did you know that on some batteries, that insulator ring actually doesn't extend to the outside of the cell and cover ANY of the negative casing?

Tapatyped

 

[Eskie]

Battery insulators, 20 for $1.50. 18650 Battery Terminal Protector (Flat Top) (20 Pack) [Flat Top Protectors] - $1.50 : Battwrap, PVC Battery Wrap
They're also sticky. So easy to keep in place while shrink wrapping.

 

[Darth Omerta]

$1.18 Paper Insulation Gasket for Flat 18650 Battery (50-Pack) 50-pack - 17mm diameter at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

Sorry, I misspoke apparently its called a gasket.

We are not dependent on it but it is an important safety feature nonetheless. To me what you're suggesting is that we instead depend on perfectly wrapping the cell at the top with zero margin for error.

Both Mooch and Baditude have discussed the importance of the insulator ring. Can you successfully use your battery without it? Sure. Im not saying that it cant be done safely. But I am saying that you shouldnt ignore its importance.

Just because you have had success for over a year with no damage to your wrap doesnt mean everyone will. Take the Reuleaux 3 cell battery sleds as a perfect example. Their sleds tend to have large posts for the positive pole and can be quite damaging to the wraps. *I think its better to have some protection for mods that have large pins for the POS end of the cell.

^*I edited this part in after the fact somehow I erased it when creating original message

Fun fact.

Did you know that on some batteries, that insulator ring actually doesn't extend to the outside of the cell and cover ANY of the negative casing?

Tapatyped

The ONLY part of the cell that is POS is the little isolated part at the top. ALL of the surrounding area is NEG and connecting the 2 at the same time can cause a short. It does not take much.

 

[Darth Omerta]

Thanks @Eskie....you got it up quicker...but I was typing lol

 

[Eskie]

Thanks @Eskie....you got it up quicker...but I was typing lol

But yours are cheaper.

Gotta throw that into the next little parts order from them. Then again, the ones I posted are only $1 for shipping, so if you're in the US and need them in a few days instead of a few weeks they are handy to have bookmarked. They also sell wraps, and are really part of Illum. Not sure why they made a separate little business out of wraps and insulators.

 

[Darth Omerta]

Thats awesome. Im in Canada so shipping might be a bit higher on them for me. I like ordering mine from FT but they also carry wraps and gaskets at a local B&M so if Im ever in a pinch then Ive got a source...15 cents for wraps and 25 cents for the gasket I think!

 

[beckdg]

Both Mooch and Baditude have discussed the importance of the insulator ring.

Don't insult me. Let's keep this to people who actually have practical knowledge, if you're going to quote "experts". And more importantly, those that aren't still preaching debunked internet myths and "safety" for the sake of "it sounds good".

Can you successfully use your battery without it? Sure. Im not saying that it cant be done safely. But I am saying that you shouldnt ignore its importance.

I don't see it's importance. It often doesn't even span both terminals and commonly fails before the shrink does.

But I'm not saying don't install it.

By all means, do what makes you feel better.

But it's better to wrap a battery without it than leave an unprotected battery around (or worse, throw it in the trash) because you lost or broke it while rewrapping.

This never gets discussed, and IMO, it's very important because things will happen.

The ONLY part of the cell that is POS is the little isolated part at the top. ALL of the surrounding area is NEG and connecting the 2 at the same time can cause a short. It does not take much.

No...

"Can cause a short"?!?!

That's the DEFINITION of a short.

Please don't explain simple crap to me.

I'm very well aware of how a battery works.

Tapatyped

 

[Darth Omerta]

I am not trying to insult you. I am simply sharing my understanding of how batteries work and why the insulator ring is important.

What exactly is wrong with referencing experts when discussing battery safety? I do not believe that Mooch "preaches debunked internet myths and "safety" for the sake of "it sounds good"." In fact, I think he is one of the leaders in debunking many myths about batteries and battery safety so Im reasonably sure that its a reliable source to quote in support of my statement that the insulator ring is important.

My apologies for using the word "can" when talking about a short. You're right it is the definition of a short. I misspoke.

I mean not to offend you or argue with you here. We all need to set our own safety precautions. I feel that it is an important safety feature and there are many people that might read this thread that dont fully understand battery chemistry or how they work.

I apologize if you take offence to me explaining where the POS terminal is and that all of its surrounding area is NEG but it needed to be said. The insulator ring does help to protect the space between the POS and NEG terminals of the cell as it is designed to expose ONLY the POS terminal.

 

[beckdg]

FTR: I hold Mooch in the highest regard.

I even donated money I didn't have to spare when he was raising funds for new equipment.

But I maintain there's a couple topics which he, understandably so, takes a conservative approach.

That won't change the fact that I know those donuts don't reach the edge of the cell to serve as an insulator of the negative terminal end should something tear the wrapper.

An insulator is simple. It either covers the part needing protection from exposure or it doesn't.

In the case of the gaskets, it doesn't.

Tapatyped