May 21, 2023

Maybe the last year harvesting loptop batteries - May 2023

I have had 3 laptop packs sitting on my workbench for nearly a year. I must have over 100 18650 cells in my "stash" and there is little point in spending the time to add more, but these need to be taken apart and finished off.

I also need to check my stored cells and perhaps charge some of them so they don't self discharge to dangerous levels. A significant project.

Pack 1 - Dell -- 2023-A

This is a small grey Dell battery type M9014, 56 Wh. Inside are six red Sanyo cells, all measure 1.7 volts. I am going ahead and carefully recharging them.

Pack 2 - Sony -- 2023-B

A long black pack VGP-BPS9/B 11.1 volt, 4800 mAh. Inside are (amazingly! six green Sony cells. They are in pairs, measuring 2.5, 3.0, 3.0

Pack 3 - Dell -- 2023-C

This is a big black 97 Wh pack 11.1 volt type M5Y0X. It claims the cells are made in Japan. 8.25 Ah Inside are 9 cells I have never seen before. They are purple with yellow around the positive terminal. They do have faint markings: Sanyo UR18650ZTA R12B. This is a 3000 mAh cell, 5.8 Amp, full charge to 4.35 volts Six measure 3.0 volts, three measure 1.7 volts. I put a black stripe on the 3 that measured 1.7 volts.

All of the 2023-C have charged up nicely, calibrating to 2300 mAh.

All three packs came from the bin at "Suburban Miners".

Have any comments? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's electronics pages / tom@mmto.org