[djbob]

I'm at the end of my Mini3 build and purchased a Tenergy battery to use. With the battery contacts filed down to correct size the battery is still too tight to fit. The outer plastic (the Tenergy label) tore so I completely removed it. Underneath that was another clear plastic wrap around the plastic battery casing. The battery fits a little better but this clear layer is beginning to tear/impede proper insertion. Would it be safe to remove the clear wrap as well? The battery might just fit without this. I just don't want to remove it and risk the Mini3 or the battery.

Thanks

 

[MisterX]

Should be OK without that but check it with your DMM before installing everything in the case.

 

[holland]

I removed the clear, all the way down to the black plastic. It's still tight. The Tenergy isn't recommended. I ended up buying the batteries that AMB recommends, as it fits perfectly. Too bad, cheap batteries would have been good too.

 

[FallenAngel]

If I could shove a Maha PowerEx 9.6V in there, you can fit a Tenergy battery. Just use a hammer

 

[holland]

LOL. I was able to squeeze it in. I was not happy with the constant pressure exerted on the PCB. I decided to go the "safe" route.

 

[ruZZ.il]

I've been using the tenergy batteries in 2 of my own, and one of a friends mini^3s with no problem at all. its a bit of a tight fit, yes. I usually put it on the board and just push the whole thing in together, or out together, but I hardly ever remove it. the batteries are hardly ever (so far never) been removed except on my one, which I mess around with irrelevantly, so its essentially not a problem at all.
They're good batteries that last a while, and for their price, I recommend them too.

 

[sbyers77]

I've built two Mini^3s with Tenergy batteries. While it's a tight fit it will work.

I found that the top (and bottoms) of the Hammond case was slightly bowed inward, probably due to their manufacturing process. The trick was to gently pry open the case to make it true or bow slightly outward. After that it should slide in and out well. Mine doesn't touch at all except for the lip at the top of the battery which provides a small amount of pressure and holds the battery in place.

Edit: I'm using the Tenergy batteries with the labels on and the case does not look like I've altered it in any way from prying it open a bit.

 

[amb]

There are manufacturing tolerances both on the battery and the Hammond case. I've seen some Hammond cases bow inward slightly just like what sbyers77 described, but I've seen just as many that bow outward. Interestingly, the silver ones seem to have the most variation whereas the black ones seem to be consistently straight. Maybe it's just the small number of samples I've examined and it's not representative of overall tendency.

FWIW, none of my own builds (about 6 of them so far, both silver and black cases) required any shaving down of battery contacts for the Accupower 270 battery.

 

[rhester]

Funny but all the builds I did had to have the contacts filed down to fit the Accupower battery in. And I am not the best in the world with a fast runnig dremel.

 

[MisterX]

Quote:

FWIW, none of my own builds (about 6 of them so far, both silver and black cases) required any shaving down of battery contacts for the Accupower 270 battery.

Roughly 85% of the Accupower batteries I used have fit without issue.
But the other 15% were such a PITA to correct that I decided grinding the battery snaps was the lesser of the two evils for me.