Lithium Ion 18650 Batteries Scrapping

Hi there. I was discussing batteries on Reddit and someone recommended I join here and ask

Basically I have about 100 pounds of Lithium Ion 18650 battery cells from laptop batteries. I am breaking down laptop batteries and using the good cells for a side project. These cells are the dead ones that could not be used (0.00v, vented, burnt, etc). I'm expecting to have maybe around 200-250 pounds of them by the time my project is completed, and I'm wondering what to do with them. My local battery store will take them and recycle free, but I was hoping to get some cash out of them that I could use to go by more batteries. The cells are removed from plastic, nickel strips taken off, and stacked in a box with cardboard spacers to prevent shorting. Someone recommended selling on eBay, but I think most people buying there are looking for good/working cells.

Thanks.

Take a look at the Scrap Buyers & Sellers section. Email or call a couple of those guys to see what they would pay. I know some have prices listed for lithium ion batteries, but those prices are for complete units that have not been ripped apart.

Good luck!

One thing I've come across is that DOT regulates shipment of lithium batteries and is quite particular about shipped weights being less than 66lbs.

Also, different states have procedures about the labeling of Universal Waste in transit. But all of this is probably elsewhere on the forum.

I'd be concerned that, with regards to third-party shipping, there might not be an adequate way to cover the shipping of multiple, smaller loads in the sale of the material. Plus, you pretty much have to tape/bag every single battery contact before anyone will buy from you and allow it to be shipped to them, in the first place (though maybe one of the forum buyers will find separation by cardboard an adequate measure, but your shipper likely won't).

I think you could stuff about 15-20 pounds into a large USPS Flat Rate box. But that's going to cost you nearly $20 and I don't know anyone paying over a dollar per pound of those batteries.

Not meaning to discourage you but shipping Li batts has never been easy for me. And with pricing between $.25-.80/#, that I've seen, it's hard to make a case for it unless you have a very favorable shipping arrangement, send more lucrative/less intensive material you can include in the load, or connect to a local yard with a healthy appetite for them.

I'm such a noob I thought 18650 was the amount of batteries he had. lol

Originally Posted by armygreywolf

Loose 18650s are not classified as laptop li-ion batteries anymore. You may find a buyer here but the likely case is to take them to the battery store for recycling.

I have 2 5 gallon buckets of Li-ion batteries that came out of some wireless business phones I need to get rid of. I called a Batteries Plus store and they want to charge me a lot for them to take them. I guess I'll keep looking.