FEELER: SL-20X 3.8AH NiMH battery sticks

People on the boards recently have asked about high quality, high capacity replacement battery packs for their SL-20X lights. Unfortunately, the normal place that sells these good quality packs is not taking any online orders, and seems to be down. (www.batterieswholesale.com). I had hoped they would be back up and taking orders by now, but it still has not happened, despite their note saying that online ordering will be available by 24 Sep.

So, given that, I am thinking of placing an order for 1/2D cells to Powerstream. Their NiMH 1/2D cells are 3.8AH, high current, high quality cells, but there is a $200 minimum order.

I will place this order, IF THERE IS INTEREST ENOUGH FOR FOUR OR MORE PACKS.

The cells cost $7.90 each, (plus shipping to me), plus Kapton tape and shrink wrap, plus labor, which means I can make these packs for $55 each plus shipping, for the 5 cell 3.8AH 6.0 volt packs. ***EDIT*** see below - I may be able to make these for $40 to 45.

The cells will be end-to-end soldered, then wrapped in Kapton tape for strength, and then neatly shrink wrapped and labeled. This makes a pack with the absolute lowest resistance joints.

So . . .

If you are reasonably sure that you want one or more of these packs, please post here and let me know. If there is enough interest, I will place the order and fire up my end-to-end soldering iron!

But please note that this is a service I am offering in light of the Batterieswholesale problem. It's entirely up to you'all. If there is interest, great! If not, great! No pressure, and no obligation either. As long a you are reasonably certain at the time you post your interest here, that is enough for me. If a few days later you need to replace your cars transmission and have no more free cash, no problem. And no payment will be accepted until packs are finished and charged and cycled and ready to ship. I have no problems fronting the money until they are ready, just so long as I am reasonably sure I can sell them eventually.

So, please post here if you want to buy one or more of these packs.

Thanks!

I will purchase an 8 x 1/2d battery pack for my SL-85 mod and a 5 x12/d for my SL-20x.

Only twelve more cells to go.

What is the difference in runtime compared to the stock pack and your sl60 upgrade?

Jim, nice of you to make this offer. FYI, when I spoke with someone at Powerstream shortly after I got my welder about supplies, I also asked about these cells, he said they had several hundred NiMH 1/2D cells left over from another recent large order and was willing to sell the $200 min but at the $6.12 per unit amount....so it would be worth asking about that. Otherwise if they don't have them they need about a 4 week average lead tiime for their factory in China making them fresh. You may already know all this, but thought I would mention just in case.

TKO said:

I will purchase an 8 x 1/2d battery pack for my SL-85 mod and a 5 x12/d for my SL-20x.

Only twelve more cells to go.

Click to expand...

TKO,

I already included your 8 cell pack in my calculations, so the four more 5 cell packs are still needed!

crazeeman13 said:

What is the difference in runtime compared to the stock pack and your sl60 upgrade?

Click to expand...

If by that you mean what is the difference in runtime of the stock pack vs. this pack, both of them driving the WA1160 lamp, I would say it's something like 35 minutes vs. 58 minutes. As for runtimes against the SL-20X or 35X LA's I couldn't say.

LuxLuthor said:

Jim, nice of you to make this offer. FYI, when I spoke with someone at Powerstream shortly after I got my welder about supplies, I also asked about these cells, he said they had several hundred NiMH 1/2D cells left over from another recent large order and was willing to sell the $200 min but at the $6.12 per unit amount....so it would be worth asking about that. Otherwise if they don't have them they need about a 4 week average lead tiime for their factory in China making them fresh. You may already know all this, but thought I would mention just in case.

Click to expand...

Lux,

Thank you very much for this! I really appreciate it, and no, I didn't already know it. I was waiting to see if there was enough interest (and until after Thanksgiving) before I called them.

Really good to know. Thanks again.

So, given that, the cost of the packs would be correspondingly less--say, $40 to $45 depending on shipping costs to me. And, I was actually thinking of reducing the cost anyway, but I'd rather overestimate at first and then reduce, rather than the opposite.

js said:

TKO,

I already included your 8 cell pack in my calculations, so the four more 5 cell packs are still needed!

Click to expand...

Apologies for my presupposition.

OK. No interest in these.

THREAD CLOSED (but not administratively or anything! --just that I am withdrawing the offer.)

Thanks everyone!