NiCd batteries - refurbishment ?

[Channel Hopper]

I was given about 60 nickel cadmium batteries used for golf carts and burglar alarms some years ago. I got through about 20 in my time with servicing various bits of kit I did not install. Some on the pallet were used, many new /boxed and all remaining tested so far hold charge ,but not for long.

The vast majotity are recogniseable names with date stamps and numbers that mimic the official release models, so I doubt they are fakes/clones. 7.2 Amp and above, all I believe are 12V

Can they be refurbished or in some way rejuvenated, or are they only good for landfill? They will fill the car boot completely and I don't want to drive to the dump and be told they cannot be accepted for recycling.

 

[PaulR]

Most supermarkets and places like B&Q have buckets for old batteries. Go and fill a few dozen of those up.

 

[Tururu]

The NI-CD with liquid electrolyte can be recovered and serviced for a few years, changing the electrolyte, but the normal ones do not.
They create "beards" between the electrodes that are shorted when the voltage drops.

One trick I use for electric bike batteries, is to give a discharge to each inverted cell polarity, to destroy those "beards", eye that overheats of noses, careful with the load, with 2 packs of these bad batteries, you take one Operating, almost 80% load.
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Las de NI-CD con electrolito liquido se pueden recuperar y dar servicio unos cuantos años, cambiando el electrolito, pero las normales no.
Crean "barbas" entre los electrodos que se ponen en corto al bajar la tension.

Un truco que uso para baterias de bici electricas, es dar una descarga a cada celula invertida la polaridad, para destruir esas "barbas", ojo que se recalienta de narices, cuidado con la carga, con 3 paquetes de estas pilas mal, sacas uno operativo, casi al 80% de carga y otro al 50%.

These are from 24V 9-10AH. Nothing cheap, what prices./estas son de 24V 9-10AH. De baratas nada, que precios. (20 unit.).
Akku für Yamaha Kynast Sparta Fahrrad Akkus 24V 10AH | eBay

 

[4wd]

ehhh.... do you -really- need these things, and -really- like to spend waste lots of time on them :O)
Been there, done that (once given lots of batteries at work (nimh which were quite ok, but absolutely zero practical value, just kept 2 and got rid of the rest at recycling).

hold charge ,but not for long

Signs of going downhill, like humans (remember things, but not for long :O)

 

[Channel Hopper]

As the first post, I have been using them up to replace clients alarm batteries and some gate opening mechanisms. I also have a couple of UPS units here that will need their batteries replacing soon.

My error is not checking closely with the labels on those left in the shed. Some are marked with manufacturer and model, a couple of others do have further detail confirming they are lead acid (sealed) as opposed to Ni-Cd, but I can't confirm if they are all the same interior design.

I'll try charging a couple over the weekend.

The alternative is to buy new as and when , plus pay the shipping charges.

 

[2cvbloke]

If they've been left without being charged for several years, then they're pretty much goosed now, not really worth trying to rescue and you're better off just scrapping them...

 

[Channel Hopper]

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