How to make a battery pack for Pleo for about a third the cost of a real one

Ive looked at a couple of instructions for making battery packs for Pleos, but they seemed too complicated. So I decided to try to make my own using the simplest materials, fewest skills and least messing about I could. Youll need batteries, wire, a thermistor, solder and insulating tape. Although the instructions run to three pages, it actually takes about 20 minutes. Honestly, its dead easy.

HowtomakeabatterypackforaPleo
Forthebatterypackyouwillneed: SixNiMhAAbatterieswithasbigamAhaspossible.Youcanget 2500mAhquiteeasily One15kthermistor Solderandagoodsolderingiron Thelidoffatin Somethinwire Insulatingtape Amultimeterisuseful SomethingtoroughenthetopofthecellsaDremelwithagrind wheelorabitofsandpaper Astripofpaper Asmallscrew Alollipopstick Forthechargeryouwillneed: Amatch Method Arrangethecellsintothreerowsoftwoonerowwithapositive,negative,positive terminalupwardsandtheotherwithanegative,positive,negativeupwardsandthen wrapastripofpaperaroundthemtokeepthemtogether.Thepaperallowsthemto slideupanddownagainsteachothersoyoucankeepthemlevel. ThispictureshowwhatImgoingtocallthebottomofthepackthelowerendwhen itsinPleo. Slightlyroughenthepositiveandnegativeterminalsofthecellstogivethesoldera cleankeytostickto,thenputasmallblobofsolderoneachone.Useagood solderingironforthis,notalowpowerone,asyouneedtogettheheatconcentrated ontheterminalquickly,otherwiseyoucandamagethecells.Ifthesolderdoesnt melttothetopoftheterminalintwoorthreeseconds,taketheironawayitsnot powerfulenough.Iuseasmallgaspoweredironcostabout20andisreallyuseful (althoughIdidmanagetoburnaholeinourkitchenworktopwithitmuchtothe disappointmentofmywife). Cutfivepiecesofthinwire,longenoughtobridge twoterminals.IusesomecoppertapethatI recycledwhenItookacarsteeringwheelapart,but usewhateveryouhavehandy. Solderthreebitsofwirehorizontallyacrossthe terminals,likethis: Justtoconfuseyou,Iveturnedthepackaroundinthispicture,sotheresapositive bottomrightinsteadofanegativeasinthepreviouspictures.Sorry. Theturnthewholethingoverandgoontopagethreeoftheseinstructions.

Welcometopagethree.Withmesofar? Orientthepacklikethis: Itjustmakesiteasierformetodescribewherethingsgo.Celloneistopleft,cell twotoprightandsoontocellsix,bottomright. Ok,roughenandsoldercellfivetocellthreeandcelltwotocellfour.Alsoroughen andsolderblobcellsixatits10oclockposition.Youll needthisinamoment. Cutasmallpieceofthetinlidnearlyaslongasthewidthoftwocellsandaswideasone,androughenitsbottomleft cornerandthewholeofthetophalf.Putablobofsolderonitsbottomleftcorner. Takethethermistorandsolderonelegtothetin,likethis: Thencovereachlegandtheundersideofthetinwithinsulatingtape: Slipthethermistorinthegap betweencells3,4,5and6and soldertheotherlegtocell6. Nowisagoodtimetocheckyourconnectionswithamultimeter. SetthetesttoDCvoltsandcheckthereis7andbitvoltsacrosscellone andcellsix.Ifnot,checkacrosseachhorizontalpair(1and2,3and4,5 and6)toseeifyouhave2andabitvolts. Whenyouhavesevenorsovoltsacrosscellsoneandsix,switchthe metertomorethan15kandtestbetweenthetophalfofthetinand cellsix.Itshouldshow12korso,dependingonthetemperature. Thatshowthethermistorworks,bytheway.At0oCthethinghasa resistanceof15k,butasitstemperaturerises,itsresistancefalls.The batterypackgetshotinsidePleoorwhenitsonthecharger,soifitgets toohot,thecircuitryinPleoorthechargerseesthedropinresistanceand eitherstopsPleoinhistracksorstopscharging(sotheredlightsblink) untilthingscooldown. Ifyouhaventgotathermistor,anordinary8kto10kresistorwilldo, butitdoesntgiveanyprotectionagainstthepackoverheating.Iveused oneforages,thoughandgotawaywithit. Ontopage4...

Ok,nearlytherenow. Nowslidethepapersleeveupandwrapalongpieceoftapeallthewayaroundhorizontallytoholdthepack together.Takethepaperoff. Putapieceofinsulatingtakeoverterminalstwoandfour(betweenthemandthepieceoftin)andanotherover terminalfive,thenturnthepackover.Puttapeoverthewiresononeandtwo,and fiveandsixtokeepthemsafeandstopaccidentalshortcircuits. Wrapalonglengthoftapeverticallyaroundcellsthreeandfourtocovertheir bottomwiresandholddownthepieceoftinonthetop. Wraptwolonglengthsoftapehorizontallyaroundthepacktotidyupallthetatty endsoftapeandfinallytestthevoltageacrosscellsoneandsixagain.Itshouldstill be7andabitvoltsandtheresistancebetweencellsixandtheexposedbitoftin shouldstillbearound12k. Thatsit.Youvemadeabatterypack. NowmakesomethingtoholdthepackinplaceinsidePleo.Cutapieceoflollipop stickabout4cmlongandroundtheendsoff.Screwasmallscrewintothemiddleofittomakeahandle.Itshould looklikethis: WhenyoupopthepackintoPleo,pressthepackagainstthesprings insidePleoandtuckthisstickfirstintheslotononesideofthebattery holderandthenslideitintotheslotontheothertoactasalittle bridgeandholdthepackinplace.

Andfinally,tofoolthechargerunitinto thinkingithasaproperPleobatterypackinserted,takeawoodenmatch andcuttwobits1cmlong.Supergluethemtogetherand,whenyoure usingahomemadepack,jamthemintothelittlerectangularholeinthe chargertopushthetinyswitchinsidetoon.Thenyoucanbalancethe packonthecontactsandholditinplacewitharubberband,Whenyou wanttousearealPleopack,simplypopthematchbackoutwithapin. IvemadethreepackslikethisandtheyrunLittleJimforanhourandahalfeachandcostlessthan15apack. Thatsaboutathirdofthecostofaproperone,ifyoucangetholdofone(theyarerarebeastsintheUK!)

The usual disclaimer bit. I have made and used these packs without problem . Electrically, they should be the same as proper Pleo packs. However, if you decide to make one, I will accept no responsibility for any damage to you, your property, friends, relations, lifestyle and most importantly, Pleo. Make it at your own risk.