[Tfug] Source for notebook batteries?

[Jim March]

SURE ENOUGH!

http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/rebuilding-laptop-battery

http://www.electronics-lab.com/articles/Li_Ion_reconstruct/ - note the
"proceed to page two" button at the bottom.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/18650.html

I know something about this subject from setting up my own solar
plant, basically a supersized version of this same concept.

It turns out the "charge controller" that measures how much power the
batteries have taken in are integrated with the battery pack; I always
thought it was on the motherboard.  See also:

http://www.linuxjournal.com/files/linuxjournal.com/ufiles/bat_0124.jpg

There's also a temp sensor in there to chop power in the case of a
thermal runaway - something Li-Ion batteries are prone to.  For the
love of God, don't rip that out thinking "oh, this doesn't connect to
anything!"  It does.  It's connected to saving your a$$ :).

This looks to be absolutely practical, esp. if you understand
series/parallel wiring and know basic soldering.  And I see no reason
not to go with higher mAh ratings for each cell, as long as the
voltage is the same.  The worst that can happen is, your charge
controller won't fill them quite to capacity - say, the originals were
2400mAh each, you throw 3,000s in there and only get 2400 worth of
power.  You're out, what, $4 per cell?  Worth the modest gamble,
because odds are you WILL get 3,000mAh.

It'll take a bit longer to charge versus stock but who cares?