NI-CAD leisure battery?

[fodtommo]

I work for a company that manufacture heavy machinery, for some of our units we use 1.4v NiCad Cells linked together to make up 12 or 24v units instead of Lead Acids.

2 of these 12v units have 'come into my posession' and I am planning to use one as an LB.

Apparently they like slow discharge so Im hoping it might work ok. Has anyone ever done this?

[Plasticman]

Whats the capacity of them individually and whats their charging spec'
mike

[fodtommo]

Dunno - I will find out tomorrow and post!

[fodtommo]

OK - there are 10 x 1.4v cells each rated @ 24A/hrs, so 240A/hrs

[tonytech]

OK - there are 10 x 1.4v cells each rated @ 24A/hrs, so 240A/hrs

If you were to connect them in parallell you would get a 1.4V 240 Ahr battery, Current is additive.
But if you connect them in series I think you will end up with a 12V 24Ahr battery. Currrent is common.

T

[Plasticman]

as ^^^ ssays, not really much use to you
mike

[fodtommo]

oh well free stuff cant always be useful, thanks guys

[sarran1955]

Hello,

I've just fitted LED lights throughout, with eventually a 12 volt video consumption.

With a drain of 6 watts, you can use your nicads no problem. I wouldn't try linking them to a split charger, just recharge them when they run out. Should last for months....

Cordialement,

[tonytech]

Hello,

I've just fitted LED lights throughout, with eventually a 12 volt video consumption.

With a drain of 6 watts, you can use your nicads no problem. I wouldn't try linking them to a split charger, just recharge them when they run out. Should last for months....

Cordialement,

With a drain of 6W (about 4 LED lamps) equaling 0.5A you will get about 30 - 40 hours use. Add a TV or run your radio from the batteries and this will drop dramatically.
Also watch out for the dreaded NiCd memory effect. Recharging a partly discharged battery will reduce the depth to which the battery can be charged in future.
T

[California Dreamin]

As a side note....NiCads have an inherrant issue with memory retention. To ensure 100% capacity is available they need to be fully discharged and recharged regularly. If they are recharged from say 50% and often, you run the risk of the batteries only allowing 50% of there capacity to be available.

Martin