[RE-wrenches] Nickel-Iron Batteries

[bob ellison]

Dan,
You are correct, they can get to too high a voltage now. The comment applied
to the olden days before MPPT controllers.
Now they can get too high a voltage because we are running panels at much
higher voltages than we did 15 or so years ago.
Thanks for the correction; I didn't think about the MPPT controllers that
exist now.

Later,
Bob Ellison

-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Exeltech
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2012 11:19 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Nickel-Iron Batteries

Bob is correct in his warning about the Chinese Ni-Fe cells.  As I recall,
they had a translucent white case, but there may have been others .. and as
Bob mentioned, they did indeed have a very high failure rate.

Thanks Bob for remembering this.

Mine are (and were) Edison cells, and were imprinted with the word "Edison"
on the caps and the cell cases.

A quick word of advice ...

You *can* get the charge voltage (and subsequently current) too high in the
sense the cells out-gas hydrogen and oxygen just like lead-acid, and will do
so vigorously when fully charged.  The plates won't warp due to heat as will
lead-acid, but the risk of of an H2 explosion is still very real.  This also
causes the electrolyte to be deposited all over the tops of the cells and
elsewhere.  It's oily and difficult to clean up.


Dan


--- On Mon, 5/7/12, bob ellison <reellison at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: bob ellison <reellison at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Nickel-Iron Batteries
> To: "'RE-wrenches'" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> Date: Monday, May 7, 2012, 4:38 AM
> 
> The bigger warning is with the "Chinese" NiFe cells.
> 
> There was a company importing them 15-20 years or so ago.
> The failure rate was very high and the factory support was almost 
> nonexistent. Unless you're a tinkerer, they are great cells to stay 
> away from!
> 
> I know people who use the original Edison cells in power systems and 
> have seen people just using them as a DC source.
> Don't worry, you can't get the voltage too high when charging them. 
> They just take it. They don't freeze and if I remember correctly, temp 
> does not alter the output either. There are plenty of the original 
> Edison Cells still out there.
> 
> Later,
> Bob Ellison

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