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I have a pair of Knog Blinder Mini Dots which were left with their non-user-replaceable LiPo batteries flat over winter and now won’t take a meaningful charge.

I’m handy with a soldering iron but less so at getting into electronics like these. Has anyone seen teardown instructions on the web or done it themselves? Any tips?

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    Is the rubber completely molded over/around the plastic body? Or can you get the rubber strap off without damaging it? Maybe there are screws on the back of the plastic body. If there are no screws it’s probably glued and/or held together with hooks.
    – Michael
    Sep 12, 2021 at 15:48
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    I haven’t tried—“can you get the rubber strap off without damaging it” is the kind of information I’m looking for :)
    – Robert Atkins
    Sep 12, 2021 at 17:55
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    Once you get the first open, try and do the same for the second, but with the added benefit of more info. Don't assume the front and rear lights are the same though. You can figure out what replacement battery you need after getting the original out. Sorry this isn't more helpful, but remember, they're already functionally useless... breaking them apart and documenting is better than simply disposing of them.
    – Criggie ♦
    Sep 12, 2021 at 22:49
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    It's unfortunate that so many of these types of products are specifically designed to make repairs like changing the battery as difficult as possible. I have a similar Knog light and after looking closely at it, I don't see any way of getting it open other than to peel off the rubber cover and see what's beneath it.
    – jwh20
    Sep 13, 2021 at 13:31
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    They’re not “specifically designed” to make repair difficult. They’re designed with things like small size, low cost and water resistance prioritised above user-servicability. It’s not a conspiracy, just engineering trade-offs.
    – Robert Atkins
    Sep 14, 2021 at 14:26

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I found this image which suggests that you'll have to open it by force - I'd try a razor saw if there's no obvious edge to pry. You may not need to replace the battery - if there's a protection circuit that is refusing to charge just because the voltage is too low then careful manual charging may bring it back to life (or it may make the cells bulge and burst into flames - there's a reason for the protection circuit).

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