Battery Differences - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: bobcat2000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2021, 05:16:57 pm
content: Hello World,I need to replace the lithium battery from my Bluetooth speaker. It uses one of those batteries that has a wrapping and a wire with a plug. One of those is average $12+ each from Amazon.On the other hand, one of those camera battery that does not have a lead or plug is average two for $8.I see that the one with a plug has a charging board. Does the camera battery also have a charging board inside?Can I just solder the camera battery to my Bluetooth speaker? So, I can save some money? That is almost 70% saving.Thanks!

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2021, 05:28:27 pm
content: The original BL-5C is 1020mAh, so 1500mAh may be fake.I think most phone batteries comes with a protection board inside.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2021, 06:37:43 pm
content: It's not a charging board, it's a protection board, the purpose is to prevent a catastrophic failure (fire) in case the circuitry in the device fails in some way that over-charges or short circuits the battery. Some devices have the protection circuit built into the device, many have it built into the battery. I would not recommend installing a non-protected battery in a device that was designed for a protected one but the other way around is probably ok. You can also remove the protection board from a worn out battery and transfer it to a new battery in many cases.

author: bobcat2000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2021, 01:55:45 am
content: Ah! Interesting idea. Take the board from the old battery.I have this battery with the blue wrapper. It doesn't look like there is protective board inside. So, I should be able to use the camera battery. What do you think?

author: bobcat2000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2021, 02:06:18 am
content: Quote from: tunk on October 13, 2021, 05:28:27 pmI think the rating is the total. So 2 of these added up to 1500mA. So, about 700 each.Actually I want to use the one for the Nikon or Olympic. They are about the same size as the battery in my bluetooth speaker.This one has a bigger terminals. Easier to solder the wires. But do you think there is a protective board in this battery?

author: abdulbadii
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 12:45:12 am
content: Quote from: bobcat2000 on October 13, 2021, 05:16:57 pmThe Battery Module, not 'a charging board'its functions is to monitor, prevent its discharge near a certain threshold, etcThat's for $$$ of Battery Differences you worry oncertain threshold is, for Li-ion 2.9-2.6V, for Li-Po (Li with phosphate) 2.2V depends on the detailOn use of the cheaper, just alert if device usage show battery drop so then take it out and read by MM

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 04:26:33 pm
content: Quote from: bobcat2000 on October 14, 2021, 02:06:18 amDon’t eventhinkof soldering wires to a battery pack like that one!!! We don’t know its internal construction, and if the heat of soldering damages the LiPo pouch inside, you could be in a world of trouble.Seriously man, don’t do it. Just buy a proper pack from a reputable vendor, one with a protection board in it. The meager $8 savings do not justify the risks of cobbling something together.Rechargeable lithium batteries demand respect, and unless you’ve spent the time to learn how to handle them properly, which is certainly more than $8 worth of time, it’s not worth it for a simple repair like this. Just buy a proper replacement.

author: bobcat2000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 09:06:42 pm
content: I can use my 15W iron to solder the leads. My 15W iron is not even hot. Perfect for small stuffs.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 09:10:08 pm
content: On the contrary, the lower power the iron, the longer the heating duration of the joint, the more damage from heat spread!

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 09:12:07 pm
content: The age old method of soldering something like this is to use a clip on heatsink. I've also used a bit of wet paper towel on occasion.

author: bobcat2000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 09:20:24 pm
content: Perfect! I have the perfect tools to do a great job if I am not going to burn down my house.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 09:31:31 pm
content: I have that exact same soldering iron, though it's probably been 20 years since I've plugged it in. I have that exact same heatsink too.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 09:55:15 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on October 15, 2021, 09:12:07 pmAnd how exactly do you propose using a heatsink or wet paper on the flat contacts on the battery pack shown above?

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 09:58:29 pm
content: I was talking about the ribbons that come out of the actual pouch itself. The flat contacts on a pack like that are pads on a PCB, I've soldered directly to pads like that on more than one occasion. Inside that plastic housing is a pouch cell which is soldered to that PCB. Sometimes the PCB is a protection circuit, other times it's just a terminal board and the 3rd connection goes to a thermistor.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 10:02:42 pm
content: Quote from: bobcat2000 on October 15, 2021, 09:20:24 pmThat iron won’t burn down the house. But a lipo battery soldered with it could.Like, seriously,do notsolder to the contacts of a battery pack. If you inadvertently cause damage to the lipo pouch inside, you could end up with a fire you can’t extinguish. (And possibly not at the time of soldering, but at some point later on.) There’s a reason battery contacts are spot welded, not soldered.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 10:04:57 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on October 15, 2021, 09:58:29 pmThe OP wasn’t talking about soldering to the ribbons coming out of the pouch. He wants to solder to the outside pack contacts.It could be a PCB in which case it’d be pretty safe, but if it’s not… I just really don’t think it’s worth the risk, not for $8.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2021, 10:06:31 pm
content: If this was a big 3,000 mAh high drain LiPo I'd agree, but a little pack like that really isn't very dangerous, there just isn't enough stored energy. I've deliberately burned up a few worn out ones and it isn't very exciting, it's like lighting a few matches all at once, whoosh, a little flame and a bunch of smoke then it goes out. It's not going to create a raging inferno that can't be extinguished and if the cell is damaged you'll know pretty quickly, it will smell funny and rapidly self discharge.Everyone has their own comfort zone in terms of risk, and everyone needs to evaluate their own situation. Personally I would not hesitate to just solder wires to it, but YMMV, do so at your own risk, it's what I'd do, not what I'd endorse others doing.