Question re tags on rechargeable Ni-MH battery - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: niemand
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2021, 11:24:27 am
content: I have an electric toothbrush that uses a Ni-MH battery that has a "tag" attached to each terminal as shown in the photos below. I am trying to replace the battery.My questions:How are these tags attached to the battery terminals?Can these tags be removed via a soldering iron?Thanks.

author: TheMG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2021, 01:15:06 pm
content: They are spot welded. Only way to remove them is to physically pry them off to break the welds but this usually significantly damages the tabs.In your case I would just try to shape the tabs on the replacement cell to look like the original. Other option would be to cut the original tabs off a cm or so from the cell and solder to the tabs of the new cell.

author: perieanuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2021, 03:38:20 pm
content: hi, those ones are easy to solder on the new accu, just use your scalpel to scratch the new accumulator before soldering with some iron having at least 60Wif the acc doesn't need to be solidary with the pcb, cut the fins leaving some millimeters and solder wire from the fins to the pcb, that's easiest.the acc may be attached with some double-sided adhesive with the case if the pcb has screws for fixing it to the case.

author: niemand
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2021, 03:48:15 pm
content: Quote from: perieanuo on October 29, 2021, 03:38:20 pmWhat is an "accumulator" or "accu"?Here's the toothbrush in question:(https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Braun+Oral-B+Professional+Care+9900+Triumph+Ni-MH+battery+Replacement/28633)

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2021, 04:40:39 pm
content: "Accumulator" is an alternate term for "battery", but uncommon in American English usage. In British English usage, it means a "storage battery".In other technologies, such as hydraulics, the term is used for analogous equipment that stores energy.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2021, 05:35:27 pm
content: They are called tabs, not tags.If you already bought a battery without tabs, you can have tabs welded on at a "Batteries Plus" store. Or, a friend who is into RC models may have a spot welder.Otherwise, buy a new battery with tabs.It's better not to solder directly to a battery.BTW, it's very hard to get a toothbrush waterproof again after opening it.

author: johnkenyon
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 30, 2021, 10:03:24 am
content: Quote from: TimFox on October 29, 2021, 04:40:39 pm(Going off at a tangent...)To me (native British English speaker, whose travelled a bit) "Accu" is a European/continental way of saying "battery". "Accu" either means battery (e.g. Dutch/scandinavia) or has been used in trademarks so that it has become analogous with whatever a battery is called elsewhere in Europe.The use of "accumulator" for a rechargeable (usually wet cell) battery is archaic British English, For me, it comes under the heading of "I understand what you are saying, but I would never say it".When dabbling with battery operated valve radios, it's a useful way of differentiating between the low voltage/high current battery that feeds the filaments, from the higher voltage/low current battery which provides the plate voltage, which was usually a dry non-rechargeable battery.