P3D Nicad Question (was Re: P3D Flash/Strobe Question)

[Brian Reynolds <reynolds@xxxxxxxxx>]

Michael Georgoff wrote:
> I picked up a Honeywell Auto/Strobonar 770 over the weekend at a garage
> sale, and it works fine (I mean it flashes, I haven't shot film with it
> yet).  Now, this old unit (60's vintage?) has 4 nicad rechargeable batteries
> installed in it, and they are old and a bit leaky and do not work at all.
> I'd like to replace the nicads, but I have no idea of the voltage.  Any one
> remember the old Honeywell strobes, or have a clue (or good guess) on the
> nicad voltage?  There are 4 cells connected together, each cell is slightly
> smaller than a C size battery.  And, anyone have a favorite source for
> nicads in strange sizes?
> 

NiCad cells are all the same voltage (about 1.2V).  The difference
size cells have different capacity (Amp-Hour) ratings.  This is pretty
much true of all batteries (at least alkaline and lead-acid).  If you
open a 9V transistor battery you'll find 6 cells that look like AAAA
batteries.

Good places to look for NiCads are R/C model hobby shops and
magazines.  SR Batteries makes some of the best NiCad packs available
(they match the electrical characteristics of all of the cells in a
pack before assembling it).  You can find information on the sizes
(both physical dimensions and capacity) of NiCad cells on their web
site at <URL:http://www.srbatteries.com/>.  If you buy your cells
elsewhere, Sanyo is one of the big NiCad manufacturers and you can
find them in hobby shops that sell R/C cars (not the pre-assembled
toys sold in Radio Shack and Toys R Us) and electric powered
airplanes.

-- 
Brian Reynolds                  | "Dee Dee!  Don't touch that button!"
reynolds@xxxxxxxxx              | "Oooh!"
http://www.panix.com/~reynolds  |    -- Dexter and Dee Dee
NAR# 54438                      |       "Dexter's Laboratory"


------------------------------