Rechargeable Nife or Edison cell HT battery - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

audion_1908 · 24th May 2014, 11:54 pm

I have a rechargeable Nife or Edison cell HT battery from the 1930s, the cells are like small test tubes. Does any one know where I can get it repaired, I have no workshop otherwise I would have a go.
There are two banks of 50 test tube cells so about 60v per bank and 120v total, and as its Nife could be still salvageable!

broadgage · 25th May 2014, 11:17 am

Are you certain that it is nickel iron ?
IME, such small batteries are usually lead acid.

If it is alkaline, then simply cleaning the elctrodes in tap water, then distilled water, and then refilling with the correct electrolyte should do it.

If lead acid, you will probably have to replace the plates, which is easy for such small and simple cells.

Mr Moose · 25th May 2014, 11:56 am

Hello,h
This sounds like a Milnes HT unit. Does it have a long series parallel switch down the centre?
I think they are Ni Fe cells with potassium hydroxide as electrolyte.
I have a couple of Milnes HT units in need of restotation and one came with the instruction book and I will see if I can find it.
Yours, Richard

Herald1360 · 25th May 2014, 1:54 pm

100 cells and 120V is definitely not lead acid and is consistent with nickel iron. I don't think there were any other chemistries in popular use then for rechargeable cells.

25th May 2014, 2:54 pm

I think they do not like the CO2 in the atmosphere, maybe floating a bit of (silicone?) oil on the top of the electrolyte would be a good idea.

emeritus · 25th May 2014, 4:01 pm

I have a 1940's book on accumulator charging that mentions both NiFe and NiCd (Jungner) alkaline batteries. They were of pretty well identical construction to the Nickel-Iron NiFe batteries and at that time were called "NIFE Nickel-Cadmium batteries". It only mentions the existence of HT batteries using NiFe cells arranged in 10V banks.

It has this to say about the electrolyte of NiCd alkaline cells (whose S.G. should normally be between 1.16 and 1.19).

Chemical Ageing of the Electrolyte

Potassium Hydroxide has a great affinity for carbon dioxide. This it absorbs from the atmosphere, forming potassium bicarbonate, a very soluble substance.

This loss of caustic potash goes on continually and results in the gradual lowering of the specific gravity of the electrolyte. Generally, after about a year's service the specific gravity has reached the minimum value of 1.16, the cell has become sluggish in action, and the electrolyte needs renewing.

The conventional NiFe cell needed an electrolyte with a nominal initial SG of 1.200, and had to be kept air-tight. The NiCd cells needed a nominal initial SG of 1.17.

NiFe cells cannot be trickle charged, whereas NiCd cells can "float" across a DC supply like Lead-Acid batteries.

audion_1908 · 26th May 2014, 8:46 am

I got it as I am interested in Nife batterys, it has been a long time but it looks like the Milnes HT unit that sold on ebay for £0.99!
my HT battery is untested, I have just multiplied the number of sells by 1.2 volts, but the problem is I am in a small flat, and so not really safe to mix up new electrolyte
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...tart=0&ndsp=20

I will post some pics later if any one is interested?

24th May 2014, 11:54 pm	#1
audion_1908 Hexode Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chertsey, Surrey, UK. Posts: 456	Rechargeable Nife or Edison cell HT battery I have a rechargeable Nife or Edison cell HT battery from the 1930s, the cells are like small test tubes. Does any one know where I can get it repaired, I have no workshop otherwise I would have a go. There are two banks of 50 test tube cells so about 60v per bank and 120v total, and as its Nife could be still salvageable! Last edited by AC/HL; 25th May 2014 at 12:31 am. Reason: Thread Split

25th May 2014, 11:17 am	#2
broadgage Nonode Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: North Somerset, UK. Posts: 2,129	Re: Rechargeable Nife or Edison cell HT battery Are you certain that it is nickel iron ? IME, such small batteries are usually lead acid. If it is alkaline, then simply cleaning the elctrodes in tap water, then distilled water, and then refilling with the correct electrolyte should do it. If lead acid, you will probably have to replace the plates, which is easy for such small and simple cells.

25th May 2014, 11:56 am	#3
Mr Moose Octode Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Gloucestershire, UK. Posts: 1,043	Re: Rechargeable Nife or Edison cell HT battery Hello,h This sounds like a Milnes HT unit. Does it have a long series parallel switch down the centre? I think they are Ni Fe cells with potassium hydroxide as electrolyte. I have a couple of Milnes HT units in need of restotation and one came with the instruction book and I will see if I can find it. Yours, Richard Last edited by Mr Moose; 25th May 2014 at 12:07 pm.

25th May 2014, 1:54 pm	#4
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,535	Re: Rechargeable Nife or Edison cell HT battery 100 cells and 120V is definitely not lead acid and is consistent with nickel iron. I don't think there were any other chemistries in popular use then for rechargeable cells. __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O

25th May 2014, 2:54 pm	#5
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Rechargeable Nife or Edison cell HT battery I think they do not like the CO2 in the atmosphere, maybe floating a bit of (silicone?) oil on the top of the electrolyte would be a good idea.

25th May 2014, 4:01 pm	#6
emeritus Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK. Posts: 5,339	Re: Rechargeable Nife or Edison cell HT battery I have a 1940's book on accumulator charging that mentions both NiFe and NiCd (Jungner) alkaline batteries. They were of pretty well identical construction to the Nickel-Iron NiFe batteries and at that time were called "NIFE Nickel-Cadmium batteries". It only mentions the existence of HT batteries using NiFe cells arranged in 10V banks. It has this to say about the electrolyte of NiCd alkaline cells (whose S.G. should normally be between 1.16 and 1.19). *Chemical Ageing of the Electrolyte* Potassium Hydroxide has a great affinity for carbon dioxide. This it absorbs from the atmosphere, forming potassium bicarbonate, a very soluble substance. This loss of caustic potash goes on continually and results in the gradual lowering of the specific gravity of the electrolyte. Generally, after about a year's service the specific gravity has reached the minimum value of 1.16, the cell has become sluggish in action, and the electrolyte needs renewing. The conventional NiFe cell needed an electrolyte with a nominal initial SG of 1.200, and had to be kept air-tight. The NiCd cells needed a nominal initial SG of 1.17. NiFe cells cannot be trickle charged, whereas NiCd cells can "float" across a DC supply like Lead-Acid batteries.

26th May 2014, 8:46 am	#7
audion_1908 Hexode Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chertsey, Surrey, UK. Posts: 456	Re: Rechargeable Nife or Edison cell HT battery I got it as I am interested in Nife batterys, it has been a long time but it looks like the Milnes HT unit that sold on ebay for £0.99! my HT battery is untested, I have just multiplied the number of sells by 1.2 volts, but the problem is I am in a small flat, and so not really safe to mix up new electrolyte http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...tart=0&ndsp=20 I will post some pics later if any one is interested?