£75 ???

[elton]

I'd be much happier with spring contacts than soldering or welding in those circumstances.

I don't know what circumstances you're referring to, but spring contacts are for convenience only, under any circumstances. There are no conditions under which they'd be more reliable than the permanently bonded alternative.

 

[MY littlebirchwoo]

Hate to put my hand into this one but. . Some years ago I worked for a company that used to make these battery packs in Felixstowe, not necessarily for this exact device bit would usually be loaded with either discharging or rechargeable batteries. It's a wonderful myth to think of intricate spot welding and the like - no we used soldering guns and glue guns! Most of our stuff was for the commercial marine and fuel dispensing industries!

 

[GrahamHR]

Is it relatively straightforward to solder to a AA battery like that? Can you get the contacts hot enough to make a weld with a regular solder gun without damaging the Cell?

Cells are available with solder tags already welded on, so they are soldered tag to tag, rather than directly to the cell ends.

Graham

 

[oldgit]

We frequently get old marine portables up and running again,by cutting open and repacking original case with standard 1.2v off the shelf rechargable cells.Just go old standard soft solder and all.



Not sure would be happy to trust one on a Transat tho !

 

[sarabande]

e.g.

http://cpc.farnell.com/1/1/619-battery-ni-mh-tags-aa-1-3ah-1-2v-gp125aah1a1p-gp-batteries.html


and you can buy them ready-soldered in blocks.

 

[PCUK]

At least everyone else will now know they can recondition their own units for less than a tenner!

 

[lovezoo]

another point of note is the batteries that have been used are marked as being good until 2021 by the manufacturer... I wonder what then is the reasoning behind shaving 10 years off that life expectancy?

To allow for the user periodically pressing the test button, rather than just sitting on the shelf unused?

 

[[2068]]

I'd be far more concerned about how easy it was to open the case

It wasn't at all easy to open the case.

Think "destructive process involving a workmate, a vice, plus hammer and chisel".

 

[oGaryo]

At least everyone else will now know they can recondition their own units for less than a tenner!

or know they can leave the one they have for a further 10 years as the batteries in the original don't expire until 2021

or would having them in the unit mean there's some sort of leakage current that reduces the life?

 

[Chris_d]

It would be interesting to open the new one as well, I supect the cells inside would have the same 2021 date on them.

 

[lovezoo]

or know they can leave the one they have for a further 10 years as the batteries in the original don't expire until 2021

or would having them in the unit mean there's some sort of leakage current that reduces the life?

There is definitely some leakage on this thread:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3147857&postcount=27

 

[oGaryo]

It would be interesting to open the new one as well, I supect the cells inside would have the same 2021 date on them.

FlowerP.. please do so and report back

 

[[2068]]

It would be interesting to open the new one as well, I supect the cells inside would have the same 2021 date on them.

Interesting but not "oh no, there goes another £75" interesting.

or would having them in the unit mean there's some sort of leakage current that reduces the life?

The unit has "soft" test buttons, so some part of it is active all the time.

 

[[2068]]

FlowerP.. please do so and report back

I'll let you know in June 2017

 

[oGaryo]

you'd think for a critical device such as this, rather than throw it away on the assumption the batteries are dead after a certain period, they'd include a simple battery condition indicator that shows when the battery needs changing... not just a press and tst thing, but similar to the little strip on a duracell battery that shows the overall condition of the battery pack (green, amber, red)... and then just put something in the blurb to start checking regularly once the life xpectancy is up... silly me though, that'd mean they'd not sell so many replacement battery packs so that'll never happen

 

[oGaryo]

I'll let you know in June 2017

thanks, it's in my diary, will pm you end of May

 

[DAKA]

I'll let you know in June 2017

Are you sure you didnt get them mixed up and cut open the new one


I keep my out of date one in my grab bag but seeing as yours is now beyond taping back together how about taking the AAs out and testing them in torch to see how long they last ?

 

[MrB]

Are you sure you didnt get them mixed up and cut open the new one


I keep my out of date one in my grab bag but seeing as yours is now beyond taping back together how about taking the AAs out and testing them in torch to see how long they last ?

Don't take them apart, just test the voltage of the batteries in series to see that they still have.

You can buy the battery packs already made up. Model boats, planes ,cars even Airsoft guns use them.
Look here... http://www.strikalite.co.uk/prodcat_type/21/ALL/0/Airsoft_Gun_Packs.html://
I have a 9 AA rechargeable pack sitting on my desk right now. It's shrink wrapped to keep it together.

 

[elton]

At least everyone else will now know they can recondition their own units for less than a tenner!

- and to be wary when buying second hand equipment containing sealed batteries.

 

[Beyondhelp]

Just to say these kind of spot welded batteries are used EVERYWHERE. RC models/planes/cars/laptops/phones/cameras/consoles/cordless power tools could go on and on...

Its a proven method and extremely reliable.

Price tag is still a joke however.