AD28 batteries no longer available? Substitutes?

[poppydog]

Originally Posted by Paul JD

It looks like these may not be available any more. Up until quite recently they seemed to be available from quite a few sources (red Eveready ones) but everywhere I have looked now seems to show them as out of stock or not available.

I carried out this minor modification a few days ago as I had difficulty getting the AD28s and tried running with a PP3 but didn't last 5 minutes. Purchased a pair of AA battery holders and soldered the wires directly to the holes in the battery connector pins, no chopping out or modifying. Lidl AA rechargeable batteries are very good.

Not 'period' I know but it enables me to use this Perdio radio without fuss.

Regards
Poppydog

[emeritus]

Amazon seem to have the Duracell version available from several suppliers. The last Duracell one I had came in a two -part interfitting plastic housing that could be prised apart, revealing a space big enough , after removing some struts, to take a three or four- AA cell battery holder. I was going to do that when the Panasonic battery in our kitchen torch dies, but despite being several years past its best by date, it is still soldiering on.

[Paul JD]

Originally Posted by emeritus

Amazon seem to have the Duracell version available from several suppliers.

I wasn't aware Duracell made one - I can't seem to see any on Amazon, do you have a link?

[emeritus]

Weird. My earlier search ("LR25 battery") was on my smartphone. Doing the same search (with no maker specified) on my laptop only brought up Eveready items. Searching "Duracell LR25" brought up similar, but not identical, results to the one I had got using my smartphone. Screenshot attached.

[TonyDuell]

Another search that may be worth trying is 'bardic lamp battery'. Without wanting to go way off-topic, the Bardic lamp is a handheld signalling lamp that was used on railways and is still used by preserved railways and railway collectors. Said lamp uses an AD28 battery

[ThePillenwerfer]

I've had a look 'round out of curiosity with the same result as Paul. There may be hope as the suppliers are showing them as "out of stock" rather than "No longer available," "Obsolete" or some-such.

[factory]

I've asked my brother who volunteers at Crewe Heritage Centre, but I suspect I will get the same answer that the AD28/3R25 battery is no longer available.
The Bardic lamps are not just used for railways, there are GPO, MOD, RS and probably other versions.
I suspect Unipart-Rail will probably have the batteries, but I can't imagine they would be reasonably priced from them and of course they sell modern LED signal lamps, which will have probably reduced demand for the AD28 bettery.
I wonder if the Duraleak one is actually the smaller 3R12 battery.

David

[emeritus]

Large customers can probably have them made to special order. Some years ago I posted some extracts from a 1980's Vidor Professional battery catalogue showing that many HT batteries, such as the 120V "Winner", continued to be available as stock items for some years after they had ceased to be available in the shops, and that other obsolete types could be supplied to special order.

[Nickthedentist]

Originally Posted by poppydog

I carried out this minor modification a few days ago as I had difficulty getting the AD28s and tried running with a PP3 but didn't last 5 minutes. Purchased a pair of AA battery holders and soldered the wires directly to the holes in the battery connector pins, no chopping out or modifying. Lidl AA rechargeable batteries are very good.

Not 'period' I know but it enables me to use this Perdio radio without fuss.

Regards
Poppydog

This is probably the best way to go.

Add some kind of fuse though as the short circuit current of rechargeable cells is high enough to start a fire without much difficulty.

N.

[broadgage]

I would be very surprised indeed if production of AD28s has ceased.
There is still significant demand from HM forces and from the rail industry.

I consider it more likely that these batteries are produced not continually, but in batches of a few hundred or a few thousand, with gaps in production during which some other battery is made.

This time, for some unknown reason, existing supplies have been largely depleted before manufacture of the next batch starts.

I am not aware of any alkaline equivalent.

[Paul JD]

Originally Posted by broadgage

I would be very surprised indeed if production of AD28s has ceased.
There is still significant demand from HM forces and from the rail industry.

Really? I would be surprised if they hadn't moved on to newer technologies by now? It seems Network Rail at least are using LED lamps with rechargeable batteries now.

http://www.whiteknight.uk.com/rail-industry.html

[MotorBikeLes]

Poppydog, You seem to have a range of different AA cells in your holders. Not a good idea! too many leaking cells when correctly used, but mixing them up as you are doing is a recipe for more leakages.
Les.

[Electronpusher0]

I restuffed the AD28 battery for my railway lantern using cells from a 996 lantern battery, the cells are exactly the same size.
Peter

[Backtoreality]

A few months ago I noticed a number of sellers on eBay asking £20 plus for Eveready AD28s. Previously I had bought a pair for around £8 including postage! I think they've gone!
David

[broadgage]

There are indeed a number of alternatives to the Bardic handlamp for railway use, nevertheless the older lamps remain popular and are widely used.
HM forces also use these lamps for signaling purposes when radio silence is needed, or as a standby facility.

[Phil G4SPZ]

I have an elderly Ultra Transistor 101 which takes a pair of AD28s, and when I acquired the set several years ago and restored it I was a bit surprised that AD28s were cheap and readily-available then.

I suspect there is one single source (in the USA?) which turns these out in batches, as has been suggested. I’ve quickly found half a dozen retailers on line, all showing out of stock.

Anyway, thanks for the warning! I’ll look after my batteries, as they will need re-stuffing in the future, although to be honest I’ll probably fit three D cells in a holder rather than F cells.

[emeritus]

As stockists are showing "out of stock" rather than "discontinued", they might just be awaiting delivery. A couple of years ago, the traction quality AGM sealed lead acid batteries for my electric bike were out of stock at Farnell, and on enquiring, delivery was not due for some three months. They did arrive eventually.

[davyrocket2]

With the lantern you get four cells and the AD28 only needs two I do this as I have two bardic lamps one a silver one railway type and a yellow apparently issued to London transport

[Paul JD]

Originally Posted by davyrocket2

With the lantern you get four cells and the AD28 only needs two I do this as I have two bardic lamps one a silver one railway type and a yellow apparently issued to London transport

The AD28 is 3 cells, 4.5v

[mark_in_manc]

I wonder if laptop cells, 18650, about 4v, would be close enough. 3 in parallel would last a good while and the size looks about right - and they're free in a dead laptop battery near you