NiCad Lingo and Price

[mrlexan]

Can anyone educate me on the industry lingo for the standard NiCad batteries used for the RC world (not LiPo). Specifically, I am interested in the "Size" or "Classification" of the battery (ie. AA C D, etc.). Also what is a reasonable price per cell for all the standard mAh batteries (ie. the standard 1200, SCR, Reds, etc.).

Hey, Doug inspired me a bit with his JRX2 build.

Thanks in advance.

Jay

[wyldbill]

i work in the electronics feild, the size you will be looking for is "sub-c". good luck in youre search some nicads are still made you can find them at electronic supply stores or warehouses, but chances are they will not have the correct or unmarked shrink wrap on them.
here is one place, http://www.onlybatteries.com/?cat1=52
hey doug where do you find your vintage batteries at?

[aconsola]

the standard cells used in vehicles are sub-C size, smaller than the standard C that you would find in stendard alkaline batteries.
the smaller scale 1/18 cars/trucks use 2/3A cells.
you can see a list of different sizes here:
http://www.batterystation.com/nicads.htm
SUB C SIZE: DIA 23.0 mm X HT 42.0 mm
C SIZE: DIA 25.2 mm X HT 49.0 mm

as for the vintage cells. prices vary. I got 2 restored 1400mah red packs in great shape for $10 off DODC, and I've seen matched reds go for $30ish on ebay nip.
I'm sure others have a lot more knowledge on the older cells. Back in the late 80's all I really had were generic stick packs as that was all I could afford.
-Anthony

[Eau Rouge]

NiCd: Nickel Cadmium
Old technology no longer really used much anymore. Hazardous to dispose of, very toxic (Cadmium is poisonous) and out of use in the R/C industry since the late 90s. The batteries we have all been using in R/C since the early 70s were derived from household tools like DustBusters. They are classified as Sub-C sized cells. They have a "memory" in that they learn their charging patterns and reduce their potential with more use.

NiMh: Nickel Metal Hydride
NiMH batteries are less detrimental to the environment than NiCd batteries. They have little or no charge memory like NiCds did, but are proving themselves lately to be very high maintenance. The best NiMh cells out that we ever used, IMO, were the GP3700s. Robust, powerful, and could take a beating. I wish they were still the battery of the month, personally.


Finding vintage batteries for use in projects has been a tough go for me. I have been looking for years. They didn't seem to survive well. The 1200SC is the toughest to find, followed by the very temperamental 1700SCE (both from Sanyo). When I find them, I buy them.

[aconsola]

When were the red 1400 SCR's available? I've had good luck finding those in good shape. I've not come across the 1700 SCE or 1200sc in any condition.

[Eau Rouge]

I'm going strictly by my memory (which isn't too good anymore):

1200SC: Sanyo yellow cell with red logo, used until like 1985 or so

1400SCR: Sanyo red cell, higher voltage and could charge at higher amps, I think was out around 1985. Could withstand multiple charges per day.

1700SCE: Sanyo yellow label with black logo, came out in 1987 or so. Higher mAh capacity, but very expensive (like $10 a cell) and could only be used once a day.

1700SCRC: Sanyo black label cells, came out in the late 80s or closer to 1990. Very durable cell with high amp charging, longer mAh capacity and lower costs. Great all-around cell.



I'm going to have to check with some of my battery sources to see if their memory is better than mine. There may be some out there that I am missing, but those were the major ones.

[Eau Rouge]

Oh, by the way, the Sanyo KR1500 is still made, and very closely resembles the original NiCd 1200SC. You can by them in bulk from Tower here:

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFE05&P=ML




For a shelf queen, these would be perfect. At least as something that very closely resembled the originals.

[mrlexan]

I recently found a Trinity SCR pack for $45.00 and a Reedy pack for about the same. I did not think it was too bad. Those are the only two that I own.

Anyone know what the grey cells where? I remember seeing a pic of a Joel Johnson Ultima with grey cells.

[Eau Rouge]

A lot of those guys would either have pre-production cells (trinity was famous for this) or would remove the shrink wrap and re-shrink them so that no one knew what they were using/testing. When I was racing, I saw cells of all different colors, but they were all Sanyos of one form or another.

There was a while when Panasonic had a plain lavender purple 1700 cell that a lot of modified drivers were using, but they were one of the worst cells of the 80s, IMO.

[Eau Rouge]

I recently found a Trinity SCR pack for $45.00 and a Reedy pack for about the same. I did not think it was too bad. Those are the only two that I own.

BTW, I think that was the original price for those packs. The SCEs were around $70-100 for a team matched pack. The SCR was a very durable stock class "working man's" pack, for sure.

I picked up 2 new Trinity SCR packs, with a SCE pack as well, about a year ago, for $50 for all three. I thought that price was reasonable, at the time, because of the lack of NOS battery packs out there.

[JR]

Heres a perfect pack for a vintage ride.

[Eau Rouge]

Noyce!

[junkman]

Interesting topic, I just took a chance on a lot that had a car that ended up being a worlds, and it came with a tackle box of unknown stuff, in the bottom of the box.....




sorry for the brag!

[phoenix]

Guys, which cell models are available today that fit into our beloved chassis' without modifying them?

For stick packs i use Reedy Wolfpacks 3600, they are somehow lower in diameter and even fit into the Schumacher CAT fixings. Do you have any ideas what could be used for saddle packs and matches the size of 1900 or 2400 sanyos?

I even have some old and quite good looking black Sanyo saddle packs if someones needs them for a project.

If anyone needs empty sanyo boxes, i saw some on ebay today: http://cgi.ebay.de/AKKU-Schachteln-bis-7-Zellen-KEIL-Sanyo-2000_W0QQitemZ260297434714QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item260297434714

[highwayracer]