Leaf Blower Battery

[Radio Fixer]

This powerful blower is maybe 2 years old and works great but has reliability prob.  Not long from having it I couldnt get the battery to charge and was sent a new one.  Not the fault and I was sent a replacement charger and was given the battery as well.

But now one of them refuses to accept any charge.  Both were always put away fully charged and normally held it fully until the next use.  I can say this as the batteries have a button on the back and a strip of LEDs.  Push the button and all 5 light then its topped right up.   Any ideas as to how to 'shock' it into life?   It does have the top cover held with 4 screws but I thought I would ask first before getting inside.

There are 3 connection points so one maybe is a sensing one?

   

thanks Gary

[Murphyv310]

Is the one that doesn't accept a charge showing any LEDs? If not I'd not recommend any form of "Shocking" a Lithium Ion battery into life, they do not like being low (below 3v per cell) for very long, there is a much larger possibility of fire or explosion trying to recover a totally flat Li-on battery, I'd dispose of it carefully and safely IMO.

[Radio Fixer]

Not showing any LEDs at all.

Um! wise words Trevor but hard to do as its a £100 item.

Do they really go bang?

May carefully (googles, gloves screen) take the top case off and have a look.

thanks Gary

[Mike Watterson]

They will burn violently if overcharged.
They can burn violently if any attempt to charge if too flat.

Send it to recycling centre.

[boater sam]

These batteries do not smoke, fizz or go pop. They explode and emit flame which cannot be extinguished, its a metal fire.
That is why an electric car that threatens to go off is dumped into a skip full of water for a day as the only safe way of dealing with it.

Don't mess, dispose.

[Radio Fixer]

OK! thanks for the words of wisdom.

Better to be safe than very sorry.

Gary

[PerdioPal]

If you can get it apart enough to measure each cells voltage go an measure. Any below 2V are probable really dead but it is worth trying a current limited PSU set to 4.20V and about 1C (Ah capacity) until the charge current drops to about 1/10th of C. Do all the cells to maintain balance. Lithiums are not that dangerous if treated with a bit of respect, worth a read of Battery Universities site https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu...eries-work
An aside, in about 2000 my battery pack design was the first for a "Japanese cell maker" to allow direct use of their "naked" cells.

[Radio Fixer]

OK thanks.  May give that a go   

Gary

[Murphyv310]

Hi
Well there is no harm in checking each cell. In a totally flat state they are safe, I've successfully recharged 18650 cells that were at 2.8 volts but I'd never consider any lower than that no matter what you read on the internet. I did a course run by Sony in 1995 on lithium ion batteries and the dangers were well documented back then and what I was taught sticks. All I can say is meddle with these batteries at your own risk, never never fire amps of charge current into a severely depleted Li-on to kick it into life, £100 is a lot cheaper than loosing your sight etc

[Mike Watterson]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022...light-fire