This is a short video on modifying protected 18650 lithium cells so that they fit into battery holders designed for standard non-protected lithium cells.
The name 18650 actually means that the cell is 18mm diameter by 65mm long, but protected cells often have an extra cap on one end and a small round PCB on the other. You can usually see the gold plated PCB on the negative end of the cell. Although the PCB is very thin, it's still thick enough to stop cells fitting into holders designed for cells that are exactly 65mm long.
To remove the protection PCB and make the cell shorter you can carefully slit and peel away the outer layer of heatshrink sleeving and then remove the extra circuitry as shown in the video. Be very careful not to slit right through to the inner cell as you could short circuit the cell and cause high current flow. Likewise you should be careful of any loose connections or strips as they could short to adjacent metalwork.
The name 18650 actually means that the cell is 18mm diameter by 65mm long, but protected cells often have an extra cap on one end and a small round PCB on the other. You can usually see the gold plated PCB on the negative end of the cell. Although the PCB is very thin, it's still thick enough to stop cells fitting into holders designed for cells that are exactly 65mm long.
To remove the protection PCB and make the cell shorter you can carefully slit and peel away the outer layer of heatshrink sleeving and then remove the extra circuitry as shown in the video. Be very careful not to slit right through to the inner cell as you could short circuit the cell and cause high current flow. Likewise you should be careful of any loose connections or strips as they could short to adjacent metalwork.
I know this is an old video but thanks for this
I've got a portable fan that runs on 18650s, and the new batteries I ordered for it turned out to be protected ones that wouldn't fit
Doing this gets them to fit perfectly
Why don't the CR123a batteries I got from work fit my gunlight and small maglight style pocket light I have? They seem to wide. They don't fit in the tube. Don't the CR123's and the CR123a's have the same diameter and length?
THANKS FOR VIDEO 👍
Can somebody tell me what brand of unprotected battery is exactly 65mm tall? I am nervous that i might damage the battery and waste money
Seems like backwards reverse engineering. Better to leave the batteries safety feature and just adjust the USB container.
What it is nic!
Great tip ! Thank you.
"How to make protected battery to fit standard holders?" "Use a non-protected battery instead!"
such helpful wow
cant take any video seriously if they are using ultrafire brand which is known to be a total scam.
my battery was new brought last month is LG 18650 and now is totally out of charge cannot charge plug in charger do you think that circuit board have problem or I remove circuit board battery should be fine???
Now I wish the ones I just got were like that the ones I got won't fit my ecig because it's not flat I peeled the labelling and stuff off and got down to basically a small metal can it looks like the nub was screwed on to it but now the entire can is negative so I guess I Have to find cells with that protection circuit or ones without the + nub on them oh well I can still use the 10 I got won't be wasted I can make use of them this winter I'm sure.
Thanks for this! I got some UltraFires for free from work and found out they were way too long to use in my vape
Do you know how to just get a longer holder? I would prefer not pissing around with lithium batteries – especially because if they blow up after being cut down, the manufacturer will probably not be liable because they can argue that the modificatiom caused it – even if it did not.
Is it safe to put it after this in a electronic cigarette mod?
Just paid a fiver for a LG HG2. One of the best lithium batteries you can get. Not sure why anyone would try this type of mod on a protected cell.