Thank everybody for the comments, I can tell by the color of your faces that I need to hang onto these batteries tightly.
Thanks amiklic1 for those links, I had read your threads here just before posting myself. They cleared up a couple questions I had about these batteries. I hadnt viewed that page with HBLNife before now though. Hopefully you can get your batteries cleared up.
I was afraid that I'd have a hard time running these at anything but the 32v(I guessed those v wrong). If need be I
could see if I can pick up a couple more of these since the different battery ages dont affet Ni-Cd banks.
Thanks Bruce S, I'm going to have the read through your post a bit so everything will soak in. These batteries dont have the lower bus bar on them right now so I was able to test each cell. They all read 1.2v varying from 1.23v to 1.28v. I beleive these are still in very good condition. Thanks for the offer to take these off my hands but I'll be hanging on to them for a while. Besides I'm not sure if you'd want to drive to New Mexico.
I did find some info for the cycling of these batteries and they seem to be normal to other batteries in that respect. but they do have the ability to deeply disscharge(1v? I'll have to look again) several times without much risk of harm. It looks like a home brew shunt regulator will work fine with these, if you over charge them they mearly use more water.
Nife seams to be a name-brand.. or a association sorta, I'm still trying to figure out that one.
I have not been able to find the maker of the 'KPH122 P'. Saft Nife sells the 'SBH### P' styles with the ### indicating the Amp-Hours of the battery. I guess I have a decent about of amps sitting here to run my lights.
Here is some bits and pieces I found regarding the care, and use of flooded Ni-Cds in this PDF.
http://www.saftbatteries.com/130-Catalogue/PDF/io_bb_en.pdf
"In most applications the electrolyte will retain its effectiveness for the life of the battery. However, under certain conditions, such as extended use in high temperature situations the electrolyte can become carbonated. If this occurs the battery performance can be improved by replacing the electrolyte.
The standard electrolyte used for the first fill in cells is E22 and for replacement in service is E13
Once the battery has been filled with the correct electrolyte at the battery factory, there is no need to check the electrolyte density periodically. Interpretation of density measurements is difficult and could be misleading.
Type 'H': The SBH(kph too?) is designed for applications where there is a demand for a relatively high current over short periods, usually less than 30 minutes in durations. The applications can have frequent or infrequent discharges. The range is typically used in starting and power backup applications.
Charging value for the H type, would be minimum 1.43V to a max of 1.5V per cell.
The block battery can be charged by all normal methods. Generally, batteries in parallel operation with charger and load are charged with constant voltage. In operations where the battery is charged separately from the load, charging with constant current or declining current is possible. High-rate charging or overcharging will not damage the battery, but excessive charging will increase water consumption to some degree.
During charging, more ampere-hours are supplied to the battery than the capacity available for discharge. These additional ampere-hours must be provided to return the battery to the fully charged state and, since the are not all retained by the cell and do not all contribute directly to the chemical changes to the active materials in the plates, they must be dissipates in some way. This surplus charge, or overcharge, breaks down the water content of the electrolyte into oxygen and hydrogen, and pure distilled water has to be added to replace this loss."
I myself normally lurked, and if any other lurkers come along with Ni-Cd batteries this may be a nice reference thread.
I'll be adding any info I believe is relevant on this style of battery to this thread. If anyone is willing to add more info, or wants to point out wrong information, I'd be grateful. I'm sure future people will as well.