Cell covering flaking off / best protected inexpensive 18650

gnappi

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
47
I have some unprotected cells recovered from laptop packs that the plastic covering is flaking off. They are several years old and still charge and hold a charge but I'm wondering if they should be decommissioned?

Also I need a number of protected cells for low power single 18650 flashlights. The capacity isn't very important as they're for home use where spares will be available when they need re-charging.
 

iamlucky13

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 11, 2016
Messages
1,139
The wrapper is very important - it electrically insulates the case, which is electrically common to one of the poles, from accidental contact with anything connected to the other pole, which would cause a short circuit.

If the batteries are still useful, however, you can put new wrappers on them. Here's a guide:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?356063-Rewrapping-a-battery

You can buy heat shrink many places, and pre-cut battery wrappers are available from retailers like illumn.com. They also sell a good selection of both protected and unprotected 18650 batteries for what seems to me to be very good prices.
 

WalkIntoTheLight

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
3,967
Location
Canada
If you don't want to re-wrap them, at the very least wrap electrical tape around them to cover any bare cell. Electrical tape works fine, but might make the cells too fat for some lights.
 
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