Edison Battery Manual

[thunderhead]

I found this online.

http://home.cybertron.com/~edurand/Otherstuff/Edison.html

[elvin1949]

Thanks i needed that

later

elvin

[drdongle]

I checked out the web site and there is a lot of interising stuff there.

[Norm]

  About putting fresh electrolyte in and goofing

up the battery....wouldn't that do the same with

a regular lead-acid battery...but I remember

Delco had a 'dry ' battery at one time and they

put the electrolyte in when it was ready to be put in service.

  Was also interesting to note that Edison batterys could be laid up if discharged or charged?

                   ( :>) Norm.

[hvirtane]

A nice booklet.

Thank you.

Anyone knows, if you still

can buy these batteries?

- Hannu

[thunderhead]

I believe they are made in China and somewhere in Eastern Europe.  These are the only new ones I've heard about - I know they're used in industrial applications, but an industrial battery is a large thing made to order.  I haven't been able to trace the Eastern European manufacturer, but the Chinese ones are sold by Shenzhen Topway Solar Company:-

http://www.solar3000.com/inverter_battery.htm

I have also seen secondhand Eagle-Picher NiFe batteries taken from the Dodge TEVan and advertised for sale:-

http://www.thesustainablevillage.com/servlet/display/product/detail/24154

Lastly, I've seen them on sale as Russian Army surplus stock:-

http://www.armyradio.com/arsc/customer/home.php?cat=87

If anyone buys one of these, or even gets prices, I'd love to know how they get on.

[kernow]

I picked up a load of 1.2V 45Ah NiFe cells made by 'Alcad' (ex-hospital UPS).

They measure 45 x 45 x 250 (mm) with M10 terminals.

We have them set up as 4 banks of 10, they soak up ('spare') power from the genny (when we're welding or using power tools) and are also fed by a 150W Rutland Windgen and a 40W polycrystaline PV, which helps account for their (~.33% per hr / ~5% overnight) discharge.

They serve their purpose well - the duty cycle of the big genny has been slashed as there is now enough in the bank to run computers/lights/band rehearsal in the evening.

...but best of all, it doesn't matter if they are run dead every evening or someone leaves a light on! (that's the sort of abuse that killed £200 of lead-acids last year...)

-

Cheers for the link, BTW - they even look like mine

[kernow]

A couple more comments that may be of use to anyone lucky enough to get their hands on NiFe cells:

To reach full charge, they need around 1.65V per cell (16.5V on a 12V battery).

When 'flat', a 12V battery sits at around 10.5V

The only problem we have is that occasionally if the bank is at full charge and holding at or above 15.5V, the inverter says 'Uh-oh! Over voltage!' and fails to start - easily remedied by flicking on a halogen (introducing a small load) which makes the voltage dip to a point where the inverter is happy.

And finally, but most important - buy yourself a new hydrometer and mark it clearly for use only with the NiFe cells.

The electrolyte is potassium chloride - you really don't want to mix even a tiny bit with sulphuric acid from a lead-acid cell (or vice versa).

-

My main reason for getting them in the first place is that nickle and iron are more environmentally benign than lead, cadmium etc.

[thunderhead]

The electrolyte is not potassium chloride, it is potassium hydroxide.  But you certainly don't want to pollute it with sulphuric acid.

[newtman]

i have 2 sets of 20 1.2v nife nicads. really old 10 years and i need to replace the electrolyte in it. were can i get dry KOH potassium hydroxide electrolyte. i found a place but its in europe. it was a caving supplies store. i called all the places  in the phone book they dont have any or know anything about nicads.

[thunderhead]

Some people make soap as a hobby.  Some of their hobby supply shops sell potassium hydroxide and lithium hydroxide.  Since it is to be used on people it might be more pure than other sources.

[Caradoc]

The Chinese-manufactured NiFe batteries are now imported by Beutilityfree.com

Evidently, prices are a bit lower than in the lower right corner of this link:

http://www.beutilityfree.com/batteryNiFe/battery_flyer.pdf

Caradoc

[Caradoc]

Just found better/cheaper source. Details to follow.  -Caradoc