Charging nostalgic batteries

[Dave_Trible]

When I started in this hobby in the early 1960s there were generally two types of starting batteries being used,  the Eveready 1.5 volt dry cell canister hobby battery ( which guys could use for years if they stored it in the fridge) and the war surplus Willard 2 volt field telephone battery.  This was a wet cell lead acid battery, rechargeable.  To keep the glow plugs from burning out we’d use about eight feet of lamp cord from the battery to the ‘quick clip’.  You could still occasionally find these batteries at surplus stores or even hobby shops until the later 60s.
So happens I came across two totally new ones with manufacturers dates of 1945 and 1954.  Neither ever had any acid poured in.  My nostalgic gland kicked in and I bought them.  I’ll use these to start my classic stunt airplanes to be in full form.  The question for electronic types:  with what do I charge them?

Dave

[Dave_Trible]

...

[bill bischoff]

Most of the modern Li-Po chargers that people are using have a setting for lead acid batteries. Set it for one cell (2 volts) and about 1/10 its rated capacity for the charge current.

[Dave_Trible]

Thanks Bill.  I don't have much of a charger other than what I charge the 6 volt power panel and starter I have-don't think it's adjustable.  I'll have to see what I come up with.  I simply can't remember what we used back when.....

Dave

[Motorman]

Good luck with that but, I'd be worried that old plastic would crack and get acid all over everything. If you can find the old Glow Bee Fire Plug charger it would work.

https://www.fuelcellstore.com/2volt-battery-with-charger

Motorman

[Dave_Trible]

The plastic is really thick.  These were built for battlefield phones.  The phone cases were steel though.  Most everyone built wooden flying boxes with the battery in it's own compartment and a window cutout to see the three float balls up the side to tell if the battery needed charging.  I will duplicate a wood flying box from 1/4" ply which should protect the battery pretty well.  Thanks for showing the battery charger you found...a good option.....this is getting pretty expensive already......Oh well.

Dave

[Dan McEntee]

  Yeah, this is cool. I like to make "dummy" old style batteries with modern guts in them. I have an Eveready and a Ray-O-Vac like that with 2 volt dry cells inside. Keep your eyes peeled for the later model, or really any working ACE R/C Vari-Charger. The later ones had a digital read out and the one I have had two outputs. This reminds me of the batteries Bob Arata used for as long as I have known him. He was an A&P and di mostly instrument and radio installations, so had access to the 2 volt cells that would get cycled out of airplanes. They were 2 volt lead acid wet cells I think. I don't know what their capacity was but he hardly ever had to charge them, and he did the dame thing, just used 6 foot long lamp cord leads, but that wasn't really necessary since most modern plugs were 2 volt. Have fun with it!
  Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[Fred Underwood]

Another charging option is one of the relatively inexpensive multi-chargers for lithium, Nixx, and Lead acid batteries.  Here is one example and comes with AC power.  It would probably be fine for what you need but is generally slow to charge Lipo's for flight use, as is not very powerful.

https://www.amazon.com/SKYRC-LiIon-Battery-Charger-Discharger/dp/B01MZ1ZZ7Z/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=lipocharger-20&linkId=e5e504056aefe27b56a3122dd8f3907c&language=en_US

[Dave_Trible]

Another charging option is one of the relatively inexpensive multi-chargers for lithium, Nixx, and Lead acid batteries.  Here is one example and comes with AC power.  It would probably be fine for what you need but is generally slow to charge Lipo's for flight use, as is not very powerful.

https://www.amazon.com/SKYRC-LiIon-Battery-Charger-Discharger/dp/B01MZ1ZZ7Z/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=lipocharger-20&linkId=e5e504056aefe27b56a3122dd8f3907c&language=en_US

Thank you Fred for the link.  I ordered one on down the page.  It says it will charge 2-20 volt SLA.  I hope that means lead acid batteries. 

Dave

[john e. holliday]

I remember a father and son team used to charge theirs on the way to a contest   Of course he worked for General Motors.  I will probably remember their names once I sign off, but they use to have rat racer that looked like scale airplanes and they were fast.  This was before metal pans took over and speeds were a comfortable 118 MPH.

[L0U CRANE]

In the mid-1950's, we taped two 1.5V No.6 dry cells, (doorbell batteries) together, wired in parallel (+ to + ) on one line ( - to -) on the other. Dependable and durable 1.5V... NEVER seemed to run down unless shorted by accident, or by some idiot... Of course, we didn't fly every day except in Summer, and then at most two or three days a week.

Except for the Spitfire or OK type, I don't remember any commercial glow clips, so we used alligator clips - taking care not to short them, or "300 Ohm TV antenna lead" clips. They kept the polarity honest - a bit bulky, but certain - if the glow plug was good and the metal was at all clean.

In Brooklyn, NY, there were fewer family cars than today, few of us were of driving age (18+), and a family car was for other things, anyway. Over recent years I've mentioned some of our gypsy circus migrations by NYC Public Transit. A real trip, in many ways... usually including a healthy walking distance to "the actual field" with people, models and all field gear - and later - the weary, sunburnt return hike seemed much longer, the equipment heavier... It was all good, but better as memories than to reenact it nowadays...

[bill bischoff]

"SLA" means "sealed lead acid". It will work.

[944_Jim]

If one more battery were found, hook them in series 1 through 3 and charge from Bat#1 through to Bat#3 at 6 v. They should come pretty close to 6 v once charged. I would monitor very closely, and check each battery across it's own lugs to ensure they are charging at the same rate (relatively close voltages as they come up).

They may require bump-starting with another 6v battery in parallel to the stack if you use a smart-charger.

[Dave_Trible]

If one more battery were found, hook them in series 1 through 3 and charge from Bat#1 through to Bat#3 at 6 v. They should come pretty close to 6 v once charged. I would monitor very closely, and check each battery across it's own lugs to ensure they are charging at the same rate (relatively close voltages as they come up).

They may require bump-starting with another 6v battery in parallel to the stack if you use a smart-charger.

Thanks for the tip Jim.  I'd be surprised if any more exist (in new condition),  they are older than I am and I'm on social security,  and if so I already have too much $ invested in this retro thing.  I see I can invest about $30 more in just battery acid.  This is looking like about $150 for the two so far.  In any case I read where these can last about seven years or so once filled and charged.  That seems close to what I remember from my youth.  I will do just one for now and maybe the grandkids will fool with the other some day.  It can take some pressure off my little McDaniel batteries I use for PAMPA flying when I start going through engines on the test stand and also family flying profiles and half As.  As a lucky stroke I found and purchased several original Quick Clips on eBay a year or so ago.  Couldn't ask for a more time-perfect set up.  I hope to get some FF going in the future.  These will be ideal for those too.

Dave