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miro · 02-01-2012, 09:29 PM

While I have not used the 18650 cells for head light operation, I have used it for other lighting challenges.
About 18 months ago I was given a laptop power pack ($0.00) so I opened it up to see what was there. I found 2 cells were no good, but the remaining 7 cells were OK.
I have since used them for re-powering a DeWalt battery drill replacing the NiCads ( takes some mechanical skill to retrofit them).
I use an ATX computer power supply to charge them - usually at about 0.3 to 0.5 C using nichrome element as a resistor to limit the current.

The really, really neat part of this is that a lot of these laptop battery packs can be found lying around local one-man neighborhood computer stores. I get them for between $0.00 and $5.00 per pack with 9 cells inside.
Since starting all of this I've re-powered many more drills, lights, and other high current applications and I've had no failures yet.

I don't see why they wouldn't work as a power source for the head lights.

In any event, you'd be re-cycling the laptop power packs in a much more meaningful way.

02-01-2012, 09:29 PM	#43 (permalink)
miro Yariscar Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: canada Posts: 12 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Li-ion Battery Source 18650 cells While I have not used the 18650 cells for head light operation, I have used it for other lighting challenges. About 18 months ago I was given a laptop power pack ($0.00) so I opened it up to see what was there. I found 2 cells were no good, but the remaining 7 cells were OK. I have since used them for re-powering a DeWalt battery drill replacing the NiCads ( takes some mechanical skill to retrofit them). I use an ATX computer power supply to charge them - usually at about 0.3 to 0.5 C using nichrome element as a resistor to limit the current. The really, really neat part of this is that a lot of these laptop battery packs can be found lying around local one-man neighborhood computer stores. I get them for between $0.00 and $5.00 per pack with 9 cells inside. Since starting all of this I've re-powered many more drills, lights, and other high current applications and I've had no failures yet. I don't see why they wouldn't work as a power source for the head lights. In any event, you'd be re-cycling the laptop power packs in a much more meaningful way.