Portable Black+Decker Vacuum Cleaner Fix - Aspirador De Mano Dustbuster Litio 16.2Wh Con Acción Ciclónica. Modelo DVJ315J

You may spend +70 Eur (dollars or your equivalent currency) for a great portable vacuum cleaner, and after a few months or a year, it doesn't work that well...

Yes, it still works, but less than 1 minute working and it is worthless. Needing for re-charge some 3-4 hours, that's not practical anymore. But here is how to fix it for the good.

With 17 Eur and some tools you may have, you can have it like new.

Before the fix: the vacuum cleaner lasts for less than 1 minute.

After the fix: if works continuously for more than 5 minutes (I got tired at that point and all needed was clean).

DISCLAIMER: powerful Li-ion batteries, and similar are not only mighty, but also dangerous if not handle properly. Read batteries instructions, and get proper advice, as puncture, short-circuit, and other mishandle can lead to an unplanned exothermic disassemble (aka: very dangerous fire). Sorry but I don't get any responsibility for any missuses.

Here you'll see some tips, to avoid issues, and get it fixed, but take extra care, get informed. Let's go!

Supplies

You will need:

• +60 W solder iron,
• solder paste
• and 3 x Li-ion 3.7V 2500 mAh (or the quantity and rating needed for your device).

Besides that, screw drivers and some wires to make the connections. See the instructions to note if you need something else.

Step 1: Step 1: Disassemble the Vacuum Cleaner

First you need to disassemble the machine.

This device has been designed for quick clean of its bag-less filter.

But accessing the batteries is another story.

You'll need to remove +15 screws, most similar, until you have all its pieces apart.

Step 2: Step 2: the Battery Pack

Then you'll see the battery pack. One little screw and four electronic solder points keep the pack together with the electronic control circuit.

The names on the battery pack doesn't give much of spare parts:

2017 48-BM 005
MPP108LA-2 16.2Wh

Besides a document from the manufacturer, that indicates it may belongs to a non-replaceable battery device. So yes, it's not designed as a battery replaceable device. We knew that already arrived at this point anyway.

Measuring the batteries, and calculating the power give us already the type of battery it uses, even before opening the battery pack: Li-ion batteries rechargeable 18650, per cell, at 3,7 V.

Each battery is a LGDAHB71865, Q274JO13AK. I found this page talking about its specs.

But I made the calculations before I found that page: with 16.2 Wh 3 cells and 3,7 V means about 1460 mAh per cell.

In my case I use a 2600 mAh batteries so I can get more juice from them.

I recommend purchasing also ones with tabs already soldered, it will make the whole fix easier. (see pictures in next steps).

Step 3: Step 3: Some Tries Before the Fix

First I though: why not only fix it but improve it?

These batteries are great but don't last long as we saw with our dear device.

Usually these batteries last 400 - 600 cycles at much.

That means about 2-3 years with two uses per day, normally less.

So making the battery replacement easier will be great right?

Using battery holders for these batteries will be great. Using standard ones and improving them with thick wiring was not easy: the plastic tends to melt while soldering the thick wires.

But things get worse when you have your new pack: it doesn't fit even making some extra room inside the vacuum cleaner. These devices have optimized space inside. Don't try to make too many holes for it, or the dusty air will get everywhere, even ruining your device. So...

Step 4: Step 4: the Actual Fix. Creating a New Battery Pack.

Re-using the battery pack holder is the next logical step.

But these old batteries are really tight inside. Again be careful when handling these batteries. Any puncture on their case or short-circuit will make them burn, nasty smoke or both.

The process goes as follows:

1. Take some pictures, draw the battery pack with the electronic circuit, so you know later where each cell goes. Documenting will be your help in the next step.
2. Take note of each positive and negative terminal. I assure you it will be very helpful.
3. Cut carefully the plates that link the batteries. Then push each of them out.
4. Handle the old batteries with extra care, and dispose them as they should locally as electronic battery waste. Besides legal topics, they can harm the environment, other people and goods.
5. Now you have the shell of the battery pack. Make some extra room inside it, as the batteries fit too well.
6. Place the new batteries inside, taking care of polarity, also the physical direction of the connecting tabs. It will help you later to solder back the fixed battery back to the circuit board.
7. Some tips here:
   1. Prepare some 1mm square wires with solder paste: peel them, twist and put solder paste. On that way they will be thick enough to conduct the needed current,
   2. but also be flexible enough for assemble them. Their length should be 5 cm, so you have some extra room for connections.
8. Use then pliers to keep the tabs straight and thermally separate then from the cell. The pliers will get the extra heat so the cell remain cool. That will preserve the cells and avoid risks. (See some pictures above).
9. Then remove the pliers and add some extra solder paste until the cell's head but not much. Right after it's soldered, place the pliers on that cell's head, so you remove the heat as quickly as possible but the soldering is good.
10. Keep going until you reproduce the connections that were previously in battery pack.

At this point you should have your new battery pack, ready to go back to your dear machine.

The final picture shows my old solder iron tip. It was not strong enough, so it was finished before closing the fix. Another 60W solder iron was good enough for the work. Note this before you start the fix.

Step 5: Step 5: Fixing All Together and Test.

Check your notes and pictures, to see how the battery pack is connected to the circuit board. Physically a screw can show you how it goes, but electrical connections are critical too.

If you made the previous step good enough, it will be a matter of cutting the extra wiring, and solder each one.

Be careful here of not making any short-circuit with the electronic board: your new battery pack is not fully charged, but it really does have charge!

Well done! Your fresh battery pack is ready. screw back the fan before doing a quick test, to see if all works.

Then place back the rest of housing, until the vacuum cleaner is fully assembled back.

Give it a full charge with its usual charger, before using the vacuum cleaner for the first time.

And enjoy until the next fix!

Please, if you liked this instructable please give it a Like.

If you use these instructions please notify it and let a comment, it will help me know it's useful.

Thanks for reading and sharing!