Recycling Large Lifepo4 batteries

[weirded]

Having a somewhat difficult time finding a place locally that'll take back my 10kWh (200Ah x 48V) LiFepo4 batteries. Wondering if anyone has had any success doing this, and what kind of places they went to?

Do I need to deconstruct the batteries into smaller/individual cells?

The original manufacturer has gone out of business.

Any pointers appreciated.

 

[hwy17]

Yeah, probably hard or nearly impossible.

Can't dispose of solar panels where I am so I posted them for free on craigslist. Maybe that would work for the batteries too?

Or maybe try this?

Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Recycling (takes < 1 minute)

We make Lithium Iron Phosphate battery recycling incredibly easy. Find out how, and everything you should know when recycling your LIP batteries.

www.batteryrecyclersofamerica.com

 

[Deveak]

Down cycle? Do they still function or they completely trashed? I'd gladly take some old and worn but functioning lifepo4 batteries. They can always do light duty work till the cows come home.

 

[weirded]

Down cycle? Do they still function or they completely trashed? I'd gladly take some old and worn but functioning lifepo4 batteries. They can always do light duty work till the cows come home.

They’re unfortunately damaged and no longer workable safely. Chemicals oozed out of some of the cells and burnt/melted balance wires.

 

[Ampster]

redwoodmaterials.com
It was started by one of the Founders of Tesla, JB Straubel. On their site is a list of cities they serve. They list cities in California.

 

[AshleyL]

They’re unfortunately damaged and no longer workable safely. Chemicals oozed out of some of the cells and burnt/melted balance wires.

Would you mind to post pictures and what/how did it take to reach that damaged point?
It will be a good lesson for us as well.

 

[weirded]

Would you mind to post pictures and what/how did it take to reach that damaged point?
It will be a good lesson for us as well.

Posted previously in this thread:
https://diysolarforum.com/threads/melted-wiring-in-gsl-battery-any-idea-what-went-wrong-here.74821/

 

[Deveak]

They’re unfortunately damaged and no longer workable safely. Chemicals oozed out of some of the cells and burnt/melted balance wires.

ah dang. Judging by your forum post on it that company sounds SKETCHY. If you do find a recycler, you could keep the metal cases and bits and unburnt bobs for future projects.

 

[weirded]

redwoodmaterials.com
It was started by one of the Founders of Tesla, JB Straubel. On their site is a list of cities they serve. They list cities in California.

Oops I missed this post. Thanks for the pointer, will investigate!

 

[Cronix]

Have you checked your local dump? Many have battery/electronics recycling. I had to get rid of a bunch of home UPS units and that's where I went. Didn't cost anything.

 

[weirded]

Have you checked your local dump? Many have battery/electronics recycling. I had to get rid of a bunch of home UPS units and that's where I went. Didn't cost anything.

Yeah, I've been talking to them, and they're wanting me to go to some vendors.

I really want to avoid having to disassemble these myself, there are chemicals in there that are likely toxic, and the burnt wire bundles are likely to cause additional shorts as I work on them.

 

[Sky-HHI]

I am running into the same problem with trying to recycle an older byd 24 volt battery. No one wants to recycle it and no one wants the battery. It still have some life in it if someone wants it. I am in South Carolina, it will be FREE to anyone that needs it

 

[400bird]

My local county runs hazmat disposal. It seems like the goal was to stop people pouring oil on the dirt and coolant down the sewer, but they will take anything. They took 4 cells, no problem.

 

[Sky-HHI]

Not in South Carolina, they do not want to infringe on anyone's rights to pollute the state. We are lucky the state will recycle used motor oil and lead acid batteries, I may have to travel to another state and properly dispose of this battery.

 

[S Davis]

They just passed a law in WA State that if you sell batteries you need to have a recycling system to take back the old/defective batteries.

 

[SolarSalvation]

Did you ever find a method to recycle your batteries? Unfortunately LiFePO4 batteries cost money to recycle. The materials recovered from them do not pay for the actual recycling process, so any companies offering a recycling service charge a high fee. As mentioned, your best bet for a small number of them is a local waste collection service.

 

[weirded]

Circling back - instead of recycling, I listed them for free on FB marketplace, and someone picked them up (to pick out good cells and build a battery with). I disclosed the complete history and warned them, but they wanted to proceed anyways.

 

[hardtop]

Yeah, thats a good question. If the industry is moving towards EV's then we have a big problem in the future with all the battery waste. Small time DIY shouldn't matter because we don't scale nearly the same. All I've heard in the news about recycling traction batteries has been nonsense really. Once they are done they leave a big waste and that doesn't count the massive mining holes in the ground to mine all the minerals to make it.