Dewalt Flexvolt 12Ah Li-Ion Battery Repair - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: greencardigan
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 05:52:47 am
content: Hi,I'm in the process of repairing a Dewalt Flexvolt 12Ah Li-Ion battery pack that had one dead cell. I've replaced the cell, but found there were a few SMD fuses on the cell sense circuits (on the flex PCB near the dead cell) that appear to be blown.Can anyone help identify what the fuses are? And if they would be fast or slow blow? See photo attached. Maybe Littelfuse 0.5A and 1A fuses based on the TF and TH, but I'm not 100% sure. And I don't know why they would be different to each other either.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 08:27:33 am
content: Why did that cell die?I wonder if the pack has suffered a failure of the cell balancing circuit, which could explain both a dead cell and the blown fuses. Clearly they're not carrying the full load current of the tool, but maybe they're carrying the cell balancing current? Maybe the fuse(s) died when the cell did, and it became no longer possible to equalise the cell voltages?

author: greencardigan
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 09:29:44 am
content: Not sure why the cell died. Although it seems to be a reasonably common failure mode in these batteries based on my googling. One cells goes completely short and the other cells in that string compensate. You effectively end up with 5 cells paralleled with 4 cells.The balancing seems to be working. I had them mostly all balanced when I replaced the cell, but after charging they are all really close.I had to short the two dead fuses to get it to charge.

author: bernmc
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 25, 2022, 11:40:44 pm
content: Old thread I know, but... what cells are in these 12Ah batteries?The 9Ah Dewalts have 21700's (samsung or LG), and the 15AH has 18650's (Samsung)

author: greencardigan
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2022, 01:17:10 am
content: Mine had Samsung 40T 21700

author: bastl_r
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2022, 11:45:02 pm
content: Quote from: bernmc on November 25, 2022, 11:40:44 pmHiThe 9Ah batterys had Sanyo 20700 inside.The 12Ah 21700 Samsung.The 15Ah are probably Samsung too.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2022, 03:40:46 pm
content: And most of the Dewalt batteries arethey are NOT totally pushed into the charger contacts pinsthey don't balance wellthey don't support as we can guess cold temperature, constructors leave them in their truck ....the Flex 60v pack (have 3 battery group of 5 = 15 batteries) in them, they don't balance wellAnd you don't leave them uncharged / depleted as you may guessI had access to their innards from a Dewalt repair friend loll not impressedSome of the battery pack have an small metal conductor sheet in them , it can act as a fuse, i simply use an 16- or 14 awg gauge wire to bypass it, yeah no more protection, i have some of theses "modified pack", and they take huge beating and stay strongand yes as the previous thread, you're right for battery model types

author: bastl_r
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2023, 06:34:50 pm
content: I believe, that there is no balancing on the 54V (europe) or 60Va(us) batteries because the charging will allways done by 18V.