Changing from AGM to NiCad, Kid not allowing to get to page 21

[Westbranch]

Have followed  page 20 till cows came ,no pg 21 access??

[ClassicCrazy]

I don't understand what you are asking or talking about ?

Larry

[Westbranch]

Hi  C.C. long time since I have  been on the board. COVID kept me " RUNNING SILENT".

A neighbourd at the lake brought out a  retired Ni Cad batt. (10 cells) The pack  had been boosted  as there were 4 cells when voltages checked at home and when arrived at the lake.
When we opened the circuit breaker  the screen is blank  ⊙  as per manual
2 this is where page 20 of the manual comes in! The KID is supposed to do a self check for type of battery on  page p 21.

This morning  There wa's 1 cell dead. New electrolite needed.   But I think it still should recogsage the different type but did   ??.

[Vic]

Hi Westbranch, welcome back!

I do not believe that the KID has a battery type "guesser".  Fairly difficult thing to do, on initial start-up, especially.  It does try to guess the nominal battery voltage, however.

The set of screens on pp 21, is where YOU SELECT the battery type,  Would guess that NiCD (and NiFe) batteries would use, "Custom" battery type.

There is a more recent KID Manual, "Rev T", available on the MN Solar site:

https://www.midnitesolar.com/pdfs/10-268-1_REVT_Kid_Manual.pdf

Doubt that this new rev, has anything about battery type guessing on the KID.

Good Luck with that set of batteries.  Take care.
IMO, FWIW, etc.   Vic

[ClassicCrazy]

Yeah as Vic said - it only guesses if it is 12v , 24v , etc  . That was for lead acid batteries since then it would know how many cells there were for something like temp compensation.
Doesn't seem worth messing around with old nicad batteries . You need a special type of electrolyte for those. I think that stuff may need care to handle.
Good luck and hope that you don't have to pay special toxic waste fee to get rid of them if they are no good.
Larry

[Westbranch]

Thanks for the commentS, much like my own...
Neighbour is a dyed in the woods reuser    it was free!
Right now  it  is 12.2 V   from 9 cells and when he gets to town he will  try to source some  electrolyte,

PSthe ice is just about to come off the lake and I saw a fish rise to the serface  Yahoo the season is about to start.the

[ClassicCrazy]

Tell your neighbor that if he has a few extra bucks that lithium are pretty inexpensive now.
$300 to $400 can get him a 12v 100 ah battery all ready to go .
Larry

[mike90045]

electrolyte for NiCad is the same as for NiFe.   Potassium Hydroxide.  You would have to look up the mix ratio.
Also keeping cells sealed is a trick, the KoH wants to soak up Co2 from the air, which ruins it for electrolyte.  Float oil
was tried for years, but the KoH kept turning it into soap !   My Nife cells have check valves on each cell, let gas out, no air in.


http://www.ciyibattery.com/index/technical/id/155
"The electrolyte is a combination of Potassium Hydroxide, lithium hydroxide mixed with distilled or de-ionized water. Water makes up around 85% of the electrolyte. Electrolyte replacement is inexpensive when compared to battery replacement."

[ClassicCrazy]

electrolyte for NiCad is the same as for NiFe.   Potassium Hydroxide.  You would have to look up the mix ratio.
Also keeping cells sealed is a trick, the KoH wants to soak up Co2 from the air, which ruins it for electrolyte.  Float oil
was tried for years, but the KoH kept turning it into soap !   My Nife cells have check valves on each cell, let gas out, no air in.


http://www.ciyibattery.com/index/technical/id/155
"The electrolyte is a combination of Potassium Hydroxide, lithium hydroxide mixed with distilled or de-ionized water. Water makes up around 85% of the electrolyte. Electrolyte replacement is inexpensive when compared to battery replacement."

If you replace the electrolyte in a nicad - is the old stuff contaminated with cadmium ?
Larry

[mike90045]

That's the problem with NiCad. the cadmium gets everywhere.