Cordless battery pack dismantle?

[Oren]

Bosch 18v battery pack.

I removed 4 torx screws from the battery pack. I suddenly found the last hole was not a torx screw (using my glasses), but looks like a plastic cap/tab of some sort. I was guessing it might be "an alignment post" and the case would pull apart. Not a chance, any more effort at pulling would crack the case.

What's the secret to getting the case apart? Is this an anti-DIY- tinker thing?

I'm thinking I could easily drill the plastic out an look for a screw under it, but thinking gets me in trouble. The cap and screws all sit at the same depth and this makes me think there is no screw under this cap.

Thanks.

-- Oren

"I didn?t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you."

[Art Todesco]

I have used a small moto tool bit to cut a slot in these kind of things .... and then use a regular screw driver to remove it. If it's not recessed, you could use a thin cut off wheel to cut the slot. If it is recessed, a small dentist-like burr can be used to carefully cut the slot.

[Jim Yanik]

Art Todesco wrote in news:wPBNi.4389$ [e-mail]:

some cases may also snap together(or be heat-sealed/glued);the screws are for ruggedness.

[terry]

innews:wPBNi.4389$ [e-mail]:

Dig at it. It may be a 'torx' screw head under? (Some of which will come out with a hexagon Allen key); or hexagon head screw. Replaced batteries in cordless drill packs recently in a similar manner.

[willshak]

on 10/5/2007 11:14 PM Jim Yanik said the following:

I just took apart a Ryobi 12v battery pack. 5 screws and the top came right off. 10-1.2v batteries. 9 in the box and 1 in the neck that goes into the charger. The batteries do not just drop out of the case. They apparently are glued in at the bases, including the neck battery. That's as far as I got. I'll save the rest for later. :-)

[Oren]

Thanks to all for the comments.

I carefully drilled the plastic out of the last screw hole and this exposed the last torx screw. All holes are recessed and this one is a little deeper than the other four.

Thanks.

-- Oren

..through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo..

[Oren]

Well I buttoned mine back up. I'll be sending two battery* packs off for a rebuild. :)

They will convert (if possible) from 18.0 Volts 2.4 Ah NiCd to NIMH.

My third pack is new and in a pinch cost 90 bucks or so.

* 18.0 Volts Replace NiCds with higher capacity - > 2100mAh $ 48.00 18.0 Volts Replace NIMH / or Upgrade NiCd to 3300mAh NIMH $ 72.00

-- Oren

..through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo..