# Polarion PH-40 battery disassembly?



## maverick (May 1, 2011)

Hi guys, I have a PH-40 that I bought about 4 years ago. Anyway, the battery seems to be slowly dying now and I found some other people on CPF saying that it is not too hard to open up and replace the 8x18650 li-ions inside. But I've so far been unable to find any photos or instructions describing how to actually do this. So anyone done it? Is it actually feasible? Will the charging/discharging protection still function normally if the old cells were replaced with higher capacity cells?

Thanks in advance!


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## dudemar (May 1, 2011)

I believe CPF member Lips did this once, but I could be wrong.


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## Patriot (May 1, 2011)

dudemar said:


> I believe CPF member Lips did this once, but I could be wrong.



Yes, Lips replaced with with some high quality cells but I think it's best done with a battery welder. The copper tabs need to be securely fused to the pos. and neg. of each of the 8 cells. I only know of one person on CPF that owns one.


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## dudemar (May 2, 2011)

The two battery packs for my PH50 are dying. I'm kinda interested to see what can be done with them.

In the meantime I'll buy new ones from Ken.


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## maverick (May 2, 2011)

Patriot said:


> Yes, Lips replaced with with some high quality cells but I think it's best done with a battery welder. The copper tabs need to be securely fused to the pos. and neg. of each of the 8 cells. I only know of one person on CPF that owns one.


 
I thought so, and I was wanting to get one for a few other projects anyway. Can anyone recommend a good one?


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## Lips (May 2, 2011)

Lux Luthor rebuilt two packs with Sanyo cells. He did it a little different than the stock way with a custom shrink wrap pack inside. I'll have the photos I'll post of his work. The packs will pop apart easily. Jellydonut has a pack now he did and I believe it got 1 hour 41 min on new pack with 2600 mah cells. 


Old packs


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## DM51 (May 3, 2011)

Very interesting thread! I have an old pack that is down to holding ~80% charge, so I'd like to have a go at putting in some new cells.

What are those beige-colored cells - 4S2P 17670s?

Also, how do you open up the casing? I don't want to damage it...


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## dudemar (May 3, 2011)

To me they look like they're snap-shut. Maybe carefully use some kind of thin tool (maybe a pocket knife?) to get one of them started, then work your way up?

NOTE: I haven't tried this, so I wouldn't advise doing it! This is purely speculation!


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## Lips (May 3, 2011)

The packs come apart easy and go back together easy. You may have to put a piece of electrical tape on it after opening but no big deal. It will go back together without loosing parts!

The beige are LG brand 4s2p 18650. Polarion changed battery types they used (I think first LG then Sanyo) The packs use *unprotected* cells and the electronics inside take care of rest... I used 2600 mah Sanyo off ebay for rebuild. I think there may be some quality unprotected 3000mah out there now ( Saw BVH got some somewhere).

There is no protection circuit on the 18650 battery so no worry about messing that up when connecting tabs. I have no idea the safest way to do this so that's why Lux took care of it! I probably have 60 pictures of all this somewhere...

I believe stock batts have 2200mah so going with 3000mah is a really big bump in runtime...


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## Patriot (May 4, 2011)

I've got a dead pack myself and would be interested in having either Lux Luthor or Jelly donut built a pack. I wouldn't mind sending money in advance in case some cpfer wants to order the cells, build the packs and throw in some labor. I'd rather spend the money on premium cells instead of another 4400mah stock battery. I wish that we could just buy a 5800mah pack from Polarion but they still haven't updated their cells. Anyone paying attention to cell capacity in the last two years knows that we've got some legitimate, reliable options that will far outperform a stock pack.


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## dudemar (May 4, 2011)

I feel the same way as Patriot. If anyone is willing to do a pack for me I'd also be willing to pony up some cash.


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## jellydonut (May 4, 2011)

Patriot said:


> I've got a dead pack myself and would be interested in having either Lux Luthor or Jelly donut built a pack. I wouldn't mind sending money in advance in case some cpfer wants to order the cells, build the packs and throw in some labor. I'd rather spend the money on premium cells instead of another 4400mah stock battery. I wish that we could just buy a 5800mah pack from Polarion but they still haven't updated their cells. Anyone paying attention to cell capacity in the last two years knows that we've got some legitimate, reliable options that will far outperform a stock pack.


 Hello,

The reason I have the pack is because I bought the light from Lips, and it already had a pack built by LuxLuthor with Sanyo 2600mAh cells. I'd love to mod battery packs but seeing as I've never even opened one I'm not gonna start doing that.


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## maverick (May 4, 2011)

Thanks to everyone who's provided info so far. Perhaps I'm just being naive, but the mod doesn't seem too hard at all. Since I haven't paid much attention to rechargeable li-ion cells lately, what's the highest capacity un-protected cell that's made by one of the large manufacturers? It seems like all you would need to do is buy suitable batteries equipped with solder tabs and then away you go....


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## forexer (May 4, 2011)

Panasonic NCR18650 2.9ah... very good cells.


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## maverick (May 4, 2011)

forexer said:


> Panasonic NCR18650 2.9ah... very good cells.


 
Cool. So any problems with just buying 8 of these and soldering them together? I've never soldered Li-ions before, are they more/less heat sensitive than nimh?


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## DM51 (May 4, 2011)

Lips said:


> The packs come apart easy and go back together easy.


 
Is it glued so you have to cut it, or what? The seam is clearly visible all the way along, but I've tried prying it apart and it seems very stubborn. I don't want to break it.


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## Patriot (May 4, 2011)

DM51 said:


> Is it glued so you have to cut it, or what? The seam is clearly visible all the way along, but I've tried prying it apart and it seems very stubborn. I don't want to break it.


 
DM, there appears to be five mechanical locking tabs along each side of the battery. It looks like those have to be pried open. I'm going to give mine a try now...


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## Patriot (May 4, 2011)

Patriot said:


> DM, there appears to be five mechanical locking tabs along each side of the battery. It looks like those have to be pried open. I'm going to give mine a try now...


 

That didn't work. I think if I use a large set of snap ring pliers and pop the clam shell open from the contact end of the battery that might do the trick. Problem is, my snap ring pliers don't have that much spread. I'll have to borrow a set from my pappy when I stop by tonight.


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## BVH (May 4, 2011)

My parallel opening set would probably do the trick - but then I'm not exactly close. Patriot, I'm a little disappointed that you don't have every conceivable tool you might ever need already in your toolbox...


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## karlthev (May 4, 2011)

GREAT thread here gentlemen!!


Karl


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## Patriot (May 4, 2011)

BVH said:


> My parallel opening set would probably do the trick - but then I'm not exactly close. Patriot, I'm a little disappointed that you don't have every conceivable tool you might ever need already in your toolbox...




Could you swing by really quick with that parallel set Bob, that would be swell!! What, you've got a problem with driving 500 miles now..:nana:

Hey, the large snap ring pliers opened up the shell. They appear to be the same sanyo cells as in Lips pictures. Now I we just need to find cells with tabs but I'm a complete noob at this. I guess I'll need some shrink wrap as well.


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## BVH (May 5, 2011)

It was a long time ago but when I was buying my Panasonic NCR18650s off Ebay, there were two sellers. One with tabs and one without. Oh, and Patriot, I'm already enroute. Wait up for me, ok?

Just took a look on Ebay. A "panasonic ncr" hit took me to a seller whos pic looks to show cells that at one time had tabs that were welded on and have been removed. There are 4 small spots on the electrode. Maybe communicate with the seller to see if he has them with tabs?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Panasonic-NCR18...=390266429165&ps=63&clkid=8927903672972452928


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## Lips (May 5, 2011)

Proper tool or careful opening will probably keep locking tabs intact. I used couple pieces of electrical tape on slit to keep them closed...


Ultrafire has some 3200mah protected batteries out there but they probably overrate the mah. Cut the skin to get to the unprotected? Sanyo tabbed cells are on ebay too...


My understanding is Lux rebuilt the Polarions by making his own shrink wrapped pack and adapting that to the protection circuit.
There may be a simple way to have some shrunk wrapped packs built with high capacity cells and then for the end user to simple snip a couple-three wires, re-solder and redo the pack. Not sure though! 

Lux Luthors pics ( They are big so I'll just list them)


*Polarion Pack*

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0678.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0679.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0680.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0681.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0682.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0683.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0684.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0685.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0686.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0687.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0688.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0689.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0722.jpg



*Razorlite Pack*

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0690.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0691.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0692.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0693.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0694.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0708.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0709.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0710.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0712.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0713.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0714.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0715.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0716.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0717.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0718.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0719.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0720.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/pike444/Lips/packs/IMG_0721.jpg


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## DM51 (May 5, 2011)

Patriot said:


> the large snap ring pliers opened up the shell


 
We want *PICS!!!*

Hmm... I suppose I'll need some snap ring pliers... wonder if anyone around here has some... 



Patriot said:


> I'll need some shrink wrap as well


 
Me too... I don't suppose Mrs. DM51's clingfilm would do, lol.


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## Patriot (May 5, 2011)

DM51 said:


> We want *PICS!!!*
> 
> Hmm... I suppose I'll need some snap ring pliers... wonder if anyone around here has some...



Or any tool that will work as a spreader. Once you apply a spreading force at the end of the battery, it's easier to get a flat blade screwdriver between the halves and pop the clips open. Haha! Yeah, Cling wrap might just work!

I probably won't dig into this project until after vacation. I've just got too many different things projects going on and a vacation coming up, to jump into another right now. I might decide to pass altogether and just ask Lux to do it if he'd be willing. I'll have to decide when the time comes. The pictures that Lips posted are excellent though! I started to thing, 'hey that doesn't look too bad' and then saw that razor light pack!


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## sassymouse (Jun 27, 2011)

Hi Guys,
I am looking for an agent/distributor of Polarion products in Hong Kong. Do you know any contact number I should call? I need a large quantity of PH40 for a project.

Thanks a lot!


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## dudemar (Jun 27, 2011)

Hi sassymouse,

Welcome to CPF! The best person to contact is Ken J. Good from Polarion USA:

http://www.polarion-store.com/contact_us.cfm


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## tab665 (Jun 29, 2011)

did anyone get thier battery packs open? perhaps we could all just contact ken with a good argument for higher capacity packs. wouldnt hurt.


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## petrev (Feb 8, 2017)

Re-animation !!

Hello to old thread.

Just had to take my pack apart as it died 
This thread helped a lot - Thanks All.

My pack is slightly different - 5 Tabs per side and some mastic type rubber glue - Thankfully not too much glue effect so it came apart OK.





One of the pairs in my pack is showing a reversed polarity (only small) so that level needs replacing at a minimum - will probably just update with 8x 2600mAH cells as they cost only a little over double the cost of 2x 2200 cells.

My pack only has one PCB at the charger end and a roundish contact end PCB.

Thanks for the assist,
Pete


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## adamlau (Mar 1, 2017)

Good info here. I will be swapping out with 8 x Sanyo NCR18650GA 3500mAh soon. A local battery shop is willing to tack the contacts to the cell ends for me.


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## Polarion-Sparetech2 (Jun 29, 2020)

Update 2020 - Polarion still makes replacement batteries. We do not advocate taking batteries apart. New batteries are 5700 mAh and contain the new charging board that eliminates deep discharge problems that occurred in 2011, 2012.


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