Rebuilding Battery Packs for Older Strobes

[slowhands]

I read on the Ikelite site that they don't rebuild battery packs from Nicd to NiMH anymore. I don't see any mention of rebuilding the older packs for the SS-225 etc. I've got some perfectly good SS strobes with defunct batteries (from 1988, well I guess that's beyond service life duhh). I have a few good packs to verify my strobes work. When I see brown crud discharging from the battery, I think it's a bad sign. I searched the net and I see guys rebuilding the DS batteries from NiCd to NiMH, cool, but I did not find any info on the dinosaurs, errr, I mean the venerable SS strobes.

Removing Roll Pin: I'd just like to throw some new NiCd cells in my old packs (cuz I may want to use my old charger, NiCd only). I am having trouble figuring out a non-destructive way to remove the roll pin that locks the disk that keeps the pack together. I strong armed one, all the parts are exposed. :mooner: I hate to dull my chain saw if there is an easier way. But how the heck do I pull that roll pin the smart way? :support:

Thermistor? Related note, what's the little brass thingy in series with the batteries, a thermistor? I've got old chargers, 4502's, that still do the job, and I assume the brass gizmo limits current from the dumb chargers? It gets hot when charging, so that's my bet. :furious: Is it really needed with the newer chargers?

Lastly, I see a note that the latest greatest smart charger will charge these beasties, is that right? If so, you got a deal. But first I need to swap cells and get these guys healthy again. I know, I should just buy some new ones, but I want to set a record for the heaviest rig in the boat. ctopus:

 

[Ikelite Staff]

This is information from a previous post regarding replacement of these cells:

Newer batteries have a much lower internal resistance than the ones we used to use in the Substrobe 400 type battery pack. This combined with higher currents ended up toasting many Substrobe [225's] 300's and 400's. However the 150 has a slower recycle time and different oscillator & transformer design, so the newer batteries may work OK with it. Though we never did any formal testing of the newer batteries with those older strobes.

Regarding the pin: We use a second rollpin or a pin punch to drive it through. I wouldn't recommend removing the thermistor or string of diodes inside of the pack. Most any NiCad or NiMH cells should work fine with the Smart Charger, but we can't be responsible for any damage caused by a combination we have not tested and approved.

Regards,
Jean / Ikelite
IKELITE Underwater Systems

 

[Marcabo]

Don´t now if your still active here. I have a question about the SS 150´s. Ikelite will not help with my question concerning polerity on the pins in the SS 150 housing. I inherited 2 SS 150´s without batteries, and am going to make my own packs. I also understand there is a thermistor and some diodes, but those are not nessasary if I just use good old alkaline batteries. Hope you or someone else has some knowlege on the subject.

 

[Ikelite Staff]

Don´t now if your still active here. I have a question about the SS 150´s. Ikelite will not help with my question concerning polerity on the pins in the SS 150 housing. I inherited 2 SS 150´s without batteries, and am going to make my own packs. I also understand there is a thermistor and some diodes, but those are not nessasary if I just use good old alkaline batteries. Hope you or someone else has some knowlege on the subject.

Marcabo,

Alkaline batteries are not recommended due to extremely low recycle times.

Looking at the strobe module from the top view with the battery contacts on the bottom, the "+" contact is on the left and the "-" contact is on the right.

Best Regards,

Brett Foster - Ikelite

 

[Marcabo]

Brett,

Thanks for replying to my question. I have now aquired one more SS 150 with an old but working batterypack, that I´am using as a model to construct new packs. I have also replaced the modeling lights with LED bulbs (more light, less power consumption) also a narrower beam, but OK for alining flash in the right direction. Of course they are heavy, but lightweight in the water. I like that they are solid and have been used noncommercially, the electronics are almost as good as new.

Regards,
Mark

 

[mmarchadesch]

Hi Marcabo,

I, too, inherited a SS150 that came with a good condition Nikonos V. I am going back to film as I like the challenge .
You and slowhands aren't kidding when you said the 150's heavy. Reason I haven't used it, is well, heavy!
With what arms are you using to hold the 150's to your rig?
Any special way of handling the 150 and cam setup from boat to water and vice-versa?

Thanks!
Mario

 

[Marcabo]

Hi Marcabo,

I, too, inherited a SS150 that came with a good condition Nikonos V. I am going back to film as I like the challenge .
You and slowhands aren't kidding when you said the 150's heavy. Reason I haven't used it, is well, heavy!
With what arms are you using to hold the 150's to your rig?
Any special way of handling the 150 and cam setup from boat to water and vice-versa?

Thanks!
Mario

Hi Mario,

I have machined the arm of aluminium with special ball joints. It is then more then strong enough in water, but the whole setup has to be handed to me by someone on the boat or poolside, (that person also has to be there when you come up). The other SS150s are either placed near the subject on ledges or on ordinary light stands weighted down with diving weights to hold them in place.
My next job is a product shot in a salmon sea cage. There I will hang the SS150s from ropes tied to the top railing of the cage. One more Hensel strobe topside will creat a sunburst with rays into the water.

Good luck with setup. Regards, Mark

 

[diveanytime]

Hi Battery pack rebuilders,
I'm using Tenergy D cells Nimah 2600mah on my pack for my SS300 for last couple of years and the strobe has not failed yet. I shoot it with an LED modeling light bulb and at the 1/4 power setting in TTL mode. I stopped using my old Ikelite 4052 charger because of the excessive heat and use a MAHA MH-C777 charger instead. I couldn't afford the buy the Ikelite Smartcharger and the MAHA for other uses. It senses the voltage to charge for 7.2V and goes to trickle charge after reaching 7.5-8.19V.
On my next pack rebuild I plan to go back to NiCads.
Anybody else have Ikelite battery pack rebuild experiences that would like to share?

 

[diveanytime]

Oops, wrong mah rating on my D cells, should have said 10,000mah instead of 2600.

 

[diveanytime]

Switched battery charger from MAHA MH-C777 to IMAX B6AC charger.