Jeff,

You've done exactly what I want, i.e. I recently acquired an Apelco
VHF510 [supposedly water-proof, I don't know] but the battery is dead
and W.Marine wants about $65 for a new one. No way.

Is there actually a "You-Do-It" electronics ? If so how do I get in
touch. We have Radio Shack, of course.

After getting the AA NiCADs with tabs, what then exactly did you do ?

Appreciatively,

Courtney

Jeff Morris wrote:

You should be able to get NiCad's with the small tabs on them. I think I got
mine at Radio Shack (but it might have been You-Do-It electronics). I was able
to bring my Apelco VHF back to life and its now a nice backup. Actually, this
is a third life, since it had a one hour bath, courtesy of our little daughter.
This is a "weather resistant" model, not water proof, but with a few hours of
TLC, and a few weeks of drying, it came back to life.


Opening each pack is different - sometimes labels cover a screw, others need
gentle prying around the edges. Inside is usually just AA NiCad's soldered
together.


"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...

Having several devices using these "packs", and seeing the prices on
buying new packs; I was wondering if there is any way to safely rebuild
these things and save some money.

Are there simply individual batteries inside plugged into the pack or what ?

How can you open the packs without damage, if possible ?

I realize disposal is a problem.

Gratefully,
Courtney
--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619






--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

There is indeed a "You-do-it Electronics." However, its a storefront a few
miles from where I live, and their website is less than complete.
http://www.youdoitelectronics.com

Radio Shack carries a AA NiCad with a tab, 600 mAh, for $8.39, catalog # 23-191.
This seems pricey, so you might check around. Since you can get 4 1000 mAh
batteries for about $12, you might try soldering without the tabs. Frankly I
can't remember what I did, and I don't want to open the pack to find out!
However, I doubt I paid $50 for the 6 required cells. (Did I use a pair of
those cordless phone 3-packs? Maybe, that would be about $20 total, with most
of the wiring already done.)

I don't remember how I opened the pack, but if I remember when I visit the boat
tomorrow, I'll look. I seem to remember that it involved the "thumbscrew" the
holds the pack to the radio, plus prying off the base, and some sticky
insulation. Once opened, its all pretty obvious. There is a little gadget that
probably shuts it off when it overheats - make sure you note how that was placed
so it will go together the same way.

Sorry I can't be more helpful. I can tell you that my success rate with "it
already dead, I can't make it worse" projects is not that great, so if I could
do this one, it can't be too demanding.

BTW, the 510 may have been billed as "waterproof" but its not submersible, as
the newer units are.

-jeff


"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...
Jeff,

You've done exactly what I want, i.e. I recently acquired an Apelco
VHF510 [supposedly water-proof, I don't know] but the battery is dead
and W.Marine wants about $65 for a new one. No way.

Is there actually a "You-Do-It" electronics ? If so how do I get in
touch. We have Radio Shack, of course.

After getting the AA NiCADs with tabs, what then exactly did you do ?

Appreciatively,

Courtney

Jeff Morris wrote:

You should be able to get NiCad's with the small tabs on them. I think I
got
mine at Radio Shack (but it might have been You-Do-It electronics). I was
able
to bring my Apelco VHF back to life and its now a nice backup. Actually,
this
is a third life, since it had a one hour bath, courtesy of our little
daughter.
This is a "weather resistant" model, not water proof, but with a few hours
of
TLC, and a few weeks of drying, it came back to life.


Opening each pack is different - sometimes labels cover a screw, others need
gentle prying around the edges. Inside is usually just AA NiCad's soldered
together.


"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...

Having several devices using these "packs", and seeing the prices on
buying new packs; I was wondering if there is any way to safely rebuild
these things and save some money.

Are there simply individual batteries inside plugged into the pack or what ?

How can you open the packs without damage, if possible ?

I realize disposal is a problem.

Gratefully,
Courtney
--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619






--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

I checked my Apelco 510, and indeed, the only thing holding the cover on the
battery pack is a circlip on the long screw that attaches the pack to the radio.
I didn't bother to glue it back together, so its not water proof. Thinking
about it, I'm pretty sure I used a pair of cordless phone 3-packs, which are
just three AA cells wired together. There are labeled something like "3.6 Volts
700 mAh". GE and ATT phones used them, as well as a number of others.



"Jeff Morris" wrote in message
...
There is indeed a "You-do-it Electronics." However, its a storefront a few
miles from where I live, and their website is less than complete.
http://www.youdoitelectronics.com

Radio Shack carries a AA NiCad with a tab, 600 mAh, for $8.39, catalog #
23-191.
This seems pricey, so you might check around. Since you can get 4 1000 mAh
batteries for about $12, you might try soldering without the tabs. Frankly I
can't remember what I did, and I don't want to open the pack to find out!
However, I doubt I paid $50 for the 6 required cells. (Did I use a pair of
those cordless phone 3-packs? Maybe, that would be about $20 total, with most
of the wiring already done.)

I don't remember how I opened the pack, but if I remember when I visit the
boat
tomorrow, I'll look. I seem to remember that it involved the "thumbscrew" the
holds the pack to the radio, plus prying off the base, and some sticky
insulation. Once opened, its all pretty obvious. There is a little gadget
that
probably shuts it off when it overheats - make sure you note how that was
placed
so it will go together the same way.

Sorry I can't be more helpful. I can tell you that my success rate with "it
already dead, I can't make it worse" projects is not that great, so if I could
do this one, it can't be too demanding.

BTW, the 510 may have been billed as "waterproof" but its not submersible, as
the newer units are.

-jeff


"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...
Jeff,

You've done exactly what I want, i.e. I recently acquired an Apelco
VHF510 [supposedly water-proof, I don't know] but the battery is dead
and W.Marine wants about $65 for a new one. No way.

Is there actually a "You-Do-It" electronics ? If so how do I get in
touch. We have Radio Shack, of course.

After getting the AA NiCADs with tabs, what then exactly did you do ?

Appreciatively,

Courtney

Jeff Morris wrote:

You should be able to get NiCad's with the small tabs on them. I think I
got
mine at Radio Shack (but it might have been You-Do-It electronics). I was
able
to bring my Apelco VHF back to life and its now a nice backup.
Actually,
this
is a third life, since it had a one hour bath, courtesy of our little
daughter.
This is a "weather resistant" model, not water proof, but with a few hours
of
TLC, and a few weeks of drying, it came back to life.


Opening each pack is different - sometimes labels cover a screw, others
need
gentle prying around the edges. Inside is usually just AA NiCad's
soldered
together.


"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...

Having several devices using these "packs", and seeing the prices on
buying new packs; I was wondering if there is any way to safely rebuild
these things and save some money.

Are there simply individual batteries inside plugged into the pack or what
?

How can you open the packs without damage, if possible ?

I realize disposal is a problem.

Gratefully,
Courtney
--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619






--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

IF you know how to solder, you can solder the cells together. You have to
rough up the ends a little to accept the solder. Tin them, then solder some
small gauge wire between them. I've done many like that.

L.

"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...
Jeff,

You've done exactly what I want, i.e. I recently acquired an Apelco
VHF510 [supposedly water-proof, I don't know] but the battery is dead
and W.Marine wants about $65 for a new one. No way.

Is there actually a "You-Do-It" electronics ? If so how do I get in
touch. We have Radio Shack, of course.

After getting the AA NiCADs with tabs, what then exactly did you do ?

Appreciatively,

Courtney

Jeff Morris wrote:

You should be able to get NiCad's with the small tabs on them. I think
I got
mine at Radio Shack (but it might have been You-Do-It electronics). I
was able
to bring my Apelco VHF back to life and its now a nice backup.
Actually, this
is a third life, since it had a one hour bath, courtesy of our little
daughter.
This is a "weather resistant" model, not water proof, but with a few
hours of
TLC, and a few weeks of drying, it came back to life.


Opening each pack is different - sometimes labels cover a screw, others
need
gentle prying around the edges. Inside is usually just AA NiCad's
soldered
together.


"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...

Having several devices using these "packs", and seeing the prices on
buying new packs; I was wondering if there is any way to safely rebuild
these things and save some money.

Are there simply individual batteries inside plugged into the pack or
what ?

How can you open the packs without damage, if possible ?

I realize disposal is a problem.

Gratefully,
Courtney
--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619






--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

try these guys,

http://www.batteryspace.com/

they have pretty good prices and a nice website. They even have those
sub C used in the cordless drills.

I've done a lot of rebuilding and even rejuvenating.

I rejuvenate batteries that are shorted by charging a capapcitor like
50,000 uf to 50 volts and then apply it dead short to nicads that show
a short. It usually blows the internal batteries short and gives it
new life. Not always but sometimes it fixes it for a long time.

PLEASE WEAR SAFETY GLASSES when you do it. Molten metal can fly.

good luck

Don

Don,

Thanks for the information.

An in depth description of your rejuvenation procedure would be greatly
appreciated.

I'll wear the glasses, of course.

Cordially,
Courtney



Don WA5NGP wrote:

try these guys,

http://www.batteryspace.com/

they have pretty good prices and a nice website. They even have those
sub C used in the cordless drills.

I've done a lot of rebuilding and even rejuvenating.

I rejuvenate batteries that are shorted by charging a capapcitor like
50,000 uf to 50 volts and then apply it dead short to nicads that show
a short. It usually blows the internal batteries short and gives it
new life. Not always but sometimes it fixes it for a long time.

PLEASE WEAR SAFETY GLASSES when you do it. Molten metal can fly.

good luck

Don



--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619