Tesla pack disassembly problem

[plazenby740t]

Hi everyone,

I've run into a problem with Tesla made (Toyota used?) cell packs I bought for a dune buggy project.

Backstory

I have a 1981 Toyota dolphin motorhome with a 4 cyl, 22r with 98hp of fury so towing a get around vehicle is not an option. The idea was to tow an electric converted dune buggy with these 3 cells and the 72v 10kw bldc motor I have. I've since realized it's near impossible to make a road legal dune buggy in Canada so I've opted to shift to a motorcycle. Got a rolling chassis of a 1983 Suzuki GS750ES and as such have to re-evaluate battery configuration as these cells just won't fit. I purchased a bunch of connectors and misc from KarT_PS here on this forum and started taking the casings apart.)

The Problem

I removed a few cells to check for fitment and they're all covered in this hard black resin. I've tried acetone and varsol with no luck, chiseling away at it is an option but we're talking weeks of painstaking effort.

Is there an easier way or am I sentenced to calloused hands and wasted time?

Thanks

Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

 

[eee291]

I say that its a total waste of time.

Find someone who wants these blocks for solar or a car and buy yourself some Cells that are easier to handle. It's just not worth it.

 

[18650.UK]

I have to agree with the above.

The resin used is designed to withstand unbelievably high temperatures without breaking down/melting and any kind of solvent is going to prove tricky to use without actually soaking the cells for long periods.

If you're just looking to dissolve any final bits, clean the cells up, methyl-ethyl-ketone (Butanone) will normally take it off but i think looking at time vs effort economy, as above, unless you're dead set on using those cells, your best option would be to use the pack for some kind of home/RV based renewable energy storage and use another cell for the bike.

In the UK, we have been supplying TT Zero teams with circa 900 Sony VTC6 cells to run their racing bikes. Do you have a particular range target?

 

[Hillhater]

.....Is there an easier way or am I sentenced to calloused hands and wasted time?

Before you give up,...try a little isp alcohol to see if it will loosen the bond. It works on many serious glue joints.

 

[plazenby740t]

Buying these units is so much cheaper per cell and the cells are such good quality that if a way can be worked out to separate them with relative ease then its a no brainer to go that route.

Sooooo off to the pharmacy I go! Thanks for the suggestions, I'll update with the results.

 

[brone]

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=85401

 

[billvon]

If you're just looking to dissolve any final bits, clean the cells up, methyl-ethyl-ketone (Butanone) will normally take it off but i think looking at time vs effort economy, as above, unless you're dead set on using those cells, your best option would be to use the pack for some kind of home/RV based renewable energy storage and use another cell for the bike.

Agreed. Either make this pack fit the application or go with another pack. The Chrysler Pacifica packs are cheap and a much better form factor.

 

[TheBeastie]

Buying these units is so much cheaper per cell and the cells are such good quality that if a way can be worked out to separate them with relative ease then its a no brainer to go that route.

Sooooo off to the pharmacy I go! Thanks for the suggestions, I'll update with the results.

That should be a Model 3 pack, as that was the first packs to receive the super-hardened resin battery pack design only.
The upside to this is that if you decide to try and use the battery in its existing/non-disassembled block only, then you have considerably lowered your fire risks.

Its the older Tesla battery packs that are easier to pull apart but suffer from "spontaneous combustion syndrome", most notably the Model S Teslas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdaFk3w6rUY
[youtube]CdaFk3w6rUY[/youtube]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdl78nU-NN8
[youtube]hdl78nU-NN8[/youtube]