[Ken Currell]

I have been opening Makita Lithium Ion packs to use the cells to power my Multiplex transmitters. Some of the shrink wrap is stuck to the internal battery parts and tears when the cells are removed. It is a very thin film and tears easily.

I started out by using industrial heat shrink but it is too thick.
I am going to try some pieces of monocote, ultracoat or any other similar scraps of covering material.

[Ken Currell]

I just finished a cell.

It worked fine. I recommend that you use a low heat covering and also to have a fairly damp cloth handy.

As soon as the covering has shrunk wrap the cloth around the cell to help remove the excess heat captured by the metal case on the cell.

I used some real cheap covering and it is a bit ragged on the end caps but will still work just fine. A better covering material will likely shrink a bi better around the ends.

Insulating the cell is the main goal and it passed with flying colours.

[tech1]

Hi Ken,

If your cells are bundled tightly with the can's together, use a material that will not rip or break down at high cell temperatures. (packs run hotter as they age) Otherwise if the covering were to shrink and tear, you may short the entire pack.

Just a heads up.

[pep]

Hi Ken, CA them together before you wrap them.

Phil

[Ken Currell]

Thanks Guys .

Good tips to think about.

They are going into my transmitter. There is no extra room for the heavy duty industrial shrink wrap. It makes the cells too large in diameter.

Same is true for my starter packs but the cells don't touch each other. There are built in insulators in the battery case.

There won't be a heating problem at all.

The only ones that are being wrapped this way are a few that the plastic film has been torn off.

Another thing that works good for wrapping battery packs, is the clear shrinkwrap made for heli blades.

Dave

[Vulcan1]

Ken,
I have some really thin walled heat shrink but it was for 2.5" size. I will have a look in my catalouge or go on line and see if I can find some more. Heat shrink comes in all sorts of wall thickness's, some with sealant which I used on heavy equipment. Can you measure the wall thickness with what you tried using.
John

[Ken Currell]

I am looking for something like the film on the Makita Lithium Ion cells.

[Vulcan1]

Ken,
From what I get off one cell it is about .006" for thickness. I will do some checking as I have some .012" but it is not large enough to get a cell in.
John

[Ken Currell]

That is .006 after shrinking.

When you see the actual battery holder for the 14.4 volt pack you will realize that the thicker stuff might not allow the cells to fit in it.

I have found another possible solution to the problem.

I am removing the film from some dead cells and replacing ruined ones with the salvaged ones from the dead cells. Instead of using tape to hold it in place I will use the monocote over it. The glue on the tape would fail due in due time but the Monocote should stay in place.

The monocote holds up to heat better than you think as it is so hot when it is shrunk on the battery I would burn my hand trying to hold onto it. Batteries never get that hot in normal use. If they are hatter than that they will need to burn through the original insulation as well as the Monocote.