TUTORIAL: HOW TO REFURBISH A BATTERY PACK.

[barneyj]

Don't attempt this unless you're pretty comfortable with power tools and a soldering iron.  I didn't take pictures while performing the build so you'll have to settle for a reenactment of sorts.

I used a cut-off wheel on my Dremel tool to cut into the corners to sever the posts.  The upper right and lower left have thick posts and the other corners have little pins.  Be careful with the Dremel tool.  Use safety glasses as the wheels can shatter.  Once you cut through that, the tan top parts comes off.  Unscrew the two silver screws and the cells will come loose.


Here are all the parts.  The cells in the picture are the new ones. 


A shot of the bottom of the pack.  The upper left is marked "+" and the lower right "-".  The contact at the upper right is attached to one end of the thermistor.


Same shot as above with the cells out of the cage.


This is the top of the cell...  it's the bottom when inserted into pleo...  You can see how the tabs are soldered together.  Use the original cells as a reference to build your pack.


The thermistor was removed from the original pack and placed in the corresponding space on the new pack.  Scoop up as much of the thermal grease from the original as possible and tape it into position.


One leg of the thermistor is soldered to the last negative post and the other to the plate you see lifted away.  It's attached to an insulating pad.  Make sure the insulating pad is there - you don't want to short the end of the thermistor to any other post on the pack.  Move the other insulating pad from the original pack.


I drilled through from the underside of the tan cover plate at the post then counter sunk it.


Countersunk screws won't protrude from Pleo's belly.  If you have modeling paint, you can probably paint the screws to match the plastic bezel.


I hope that helps. 

[CleosDad]

Excellent tutorial! Good find on the batteries too. Thanks for the info.

[49er]

Hi barneyj,

when you put screws in the top of the battery holder, did you tap the threads in the holder or use self starting screws. If you used a tap what size did you use? If a self starting screw what size? And what length of screw did you use?

[barneyj]

I had some 3mm machine screws.  It went right into the existing hole in the pin.  You just need to be careful about over tightening as it'll probably strip it out easily.  I think the screws are 5 or 6mm long.

Actually when I first built the pack, I just used the latch to hold the pack in place without the bezel.  The kerf from the dremel was pretty wide so I didn't think it was going to go back on properly.  There's still a gap, but I can live with it.  Maybe someone can try cutting with something thinner like a razor saw.

[Burberry016]

This is a little complicated for me.  I think I'd rather just milk $49.99 on new batteries than go through the trouble.

[barneyj]

For those who find the refurb a bit daunting but have a nonfunctional pack, please don't dump it.  Those willing to perform the surgery may be interested in buying them from you.

[Burberry016]

Oh, that's a good idea!

[gucci_boi7782]

Barneyj, I think it's a brilliant idea; even if halfwits like myself couldn't do it to save our lives!

[mweed]

I remember someone back on the pleoworld forums looked at doing this, but replacing the batteries with higher mAH rated ones.  The R/C modeling world offers a whole slew of possibilities and different chargers that could be used.

[49er]

Here is a link to that.  http://web.archive.org/web/20080103171218/http://forums.pleoworld.com/showthread.php?t=902

[Burberry016]

I wonder why UGOBE used NiMh batteries...

[mweed]

Earlier discussions in the link from 49er's post cover that.  It was a comprimise.  Originally pleo was going to have built-in non-removable batteries.

[Burberry016]

I think that would be better than these batteries...

[mweed]

No way!  Once the built in batteries go dead (of which all batteries will in time) then your pleo would be dead . . .

[Pintokitkat]

Actually when I first built the pack, I just used the latch to hold the pack in place without the bezel.  The kerf from the dremel was pretty wide so I didn't think it was going to go back on properly.  There's still a gap, but I can live with it.  Maybe someone can try cutting with something thinner like a razor saw.

I had one cell go dead and Little Jim started to simply give one, very clear snore when I switched him on.  No 'Hi', just one snore.

So I tried a craft knife (known as a Stanley knife in the UK) and pushed it between the green and brown plastic where the fixing bar swivels out.  If you look at the battery pack just there, there is a thick bit of green to one side of the bar and a thin bit to the other.  That's where barneyj refers to the thick posts and the thin ones.  By pushing down the thick seam and wiggling the knife, the two bits of plastic (brown and green) split apart quite easily and although the thin pegs broke, the thick ones came apart intact, so they would re-locate and press together when the job was done without having to drill, countersink and screw the bits together.

So don't immediately reach for the Dremel.  Try a craft knife first.

[barneyj]

Glad you were able to pry yours apart.  As you can probably see in the first photo, I tried prying it.  Unfortunately, the big pegs are glued in solidly on my pack. 

[BauerMECH]

Earlier discussions in the link from 49er's post cover that.  It was a comprimise.  Originally pleo was going to have built-in non-removable batteries.

Battery concepts - note the one on the left... it required the removal of the disk via screw. The skin then stretched to expose two more screws. Once those were removed, the panel could be removed and the batteries taken out. Disconnect the leads to replace battery if they failed. You can see where the power adapter plugged in for charging the bat pack. Ya got the problems mweed stated earlier plus, ya had to wait to play w/ Pleo until charging was complete (couldn't toss in a new pack), and Pleo would get mighty hot and would take a lot longer to wait for packs to cool before turning Pleo on.

[gucci_boi7782]

Very cool picture Bauer!! Thanks for posting!!