(ET) The Elec-Trak of batteries; our flooded nicads

[Jay Donnaway <jray3 aol com>]

  Christopher Zach mentioned putting together another pack of his nicad 
cells for a freshened ET.  I'll second that notion, as I'm also still 
running 30 of the milspec bb600 30 Ah 1.2V cells from our 2005 group buy.  
These cells were used on the dragstrip in my Karmann Eclectric from 
2005-2010, and have been on arguably tougher ET duty EVer since, getting 
covered with dust, DC dump-charged mid-mow from a 48V pack, and then run 
down again until the E14 tractor just crawls into the shed and gets 
recharged with a salvaged ferroresonant golf cart charger.   I hose the 
pack down a couple times per year and top off the distilled water once per 
year and have only killed a few cells, always due to overheated loose 
connections or an interpack short caused by a buildup of conductive 
electrolyte on the cell tops.   Like the Elec-Trak, these cells are simple 
and tough, and can last for decades with basic maintenance. 
The one thing I've nEVer really solved is full containment of the vented 
KOH electrolyte, which is very high Ph so dissolves paint and causes 
corrosion in a jiffy.  I tried the stout poly bags that Jim sells for pack 
isolation, but had to discard them after they became a soupy toxic mess 
with holes worn through the bottom from my pack jostling around over the 
rusty base.  I suppose a fully welded plastic box liner or rubber pads 
plus the containment bag would be better.   Anybody else found a good way 
to cope?   I haven't tried a pad loaded with chemical buffer, as that 
would have to be acidic, and I'm not sure that fighting fire with fire is 
the right way to go atop antique steel. 
Meanwhile, my I-5 rEVival with LFP cells remains a pretty museum piece in 
the corner of the garage, needing only some final wiring before the trusty 
rusty E14 can return to hibernation or get a rustoration.  
Last note, these cells can be shipped by UPS, but are of course very 
heavy.  SAFT America in Valdosta Georgia accepted my dead cells for free 
recycling at InMetCo in Pennsylvania, but I have to pay the shipping.  
(I've helped other NiCad users in the Seattle EV Association consolidate 
dead cells for a shipment.)
-Jay

  
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