# Thoughts on Nickel-Iron Batteries?



## Newlife (May 27, 2012)

For those of you who have more knowledge/experience, please feel free to chime in.

I've been preparing to set up an off-grid homestead (grid power is too expensive to bring in) and have been trying to research batteries.

Stumbled across the ol' Edison Nickel-Iron batteries and I must say that from a user standpoint, they seem to have a lot to offer -- long life, no off-gassing, relatively dummy-proof operations, etc...
However, the initial costs are higher and that is something to consider.

There are a lot of pros and aside from the initial costs, I can see very few cons with these types of batteries.

Just curious if anyone has any experience with them or if you might be able to shed some insights/thoughts on the matter. Batteries are an expensive part of the off-grid system and despite all my research and study; I know for a fact that putting that knowledge into application will result in mistakes/learning experiences. I'd like to avoid a high-cost education, if you know what I mean


----------



## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

I'd stay away from them for now as there is very little equipment designed to work with the wider voltage range that they operate in. If more equipment did become available for residential usage then I might consider them again.

WWW


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

A friend of mine has a set of old Edison bats
He will not part with them . . . . they are part of his "back-up"
Right now it is 'buyer-beware' about the stuff imported from overseas.
The imports are NOT the quality of the original well made Edison's.
Unfortunately they require much more charge input than what you can get out of them.
There is a very substantial difference between lead acid and Edison bats for the power in / out factor..............
Edison bats put to shame everything else when it comes to LONG life . . . . . .

IF I could lay my hands on a set of Edisons . .would I . . . You betcha......


----------



## mike554 (Jun 9, 2012)

There is a company in Montana called Zapp something that sells them. I'm not sure if they are imports or what, I think they were going to start producing them themselves.


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

They are imports.....


----------



## Newlife (May 27, 2012)

Jim-mi said:


> They are imports.....


ZAPP? Really??? That's disappointing.

Thanks to all for the input. I wonder how hard it would be to just make your own.

Anyone ever try that?


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

You are kidding . . right . . ???


----------



## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

Actually NewLife, Ed over at edworkshop yahoo group has.
He also has a youtube channel.
Smart guy and seems pretty nice.
I'm on the yahoo group. 

I would make some but getting the nickle is the hard part. most expensive to.
People are buying as Investment, besides the normal commercial uses so finding a supplier is though.

One disadvantage is the high internal discharge but if your using them regularly that's really minimal concern.

As far as voltage spikes and dips I'm pretty sure that a solution an be worked out.
A arrangement of diodes,caps and resistors would seem the logical place to start.

You also need to take in to account that this type of battery actually develops a stronger charge with use. unlike a conventional battery. So the Chinese cells may not be as bad as originally thought.

One thing I don't like though is the plastic cases they come in. Why have a battery that will out last you in a case that mat last 5-20 years?


----------



## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

Friends of mine had a couple of good sets of Edison cells, and used them for quite a few years, but now use lead acid batteries. The Edisons are less efficient, and the higher voltage than nominal that is required to fully charge them makes the peak voltage (usually) higher than the upper limits of equipment that may be running on them. Therefore, usually the inverter in the system needs to be disconnected, along with electronics running on DC, when the batteries are reaching full charge. A real nuisance, they decided.


----------



## Alaska (Jun 16, 2012)

WE are living off the grid and yes the batteries are the biggest pain. And an expensive learning process. Some where else here somebody reccomended a cheaper set of golfcart batteries you can get at cosco or sams club for the first set you have. After the system is where it needs to be and you have learned the proper care and operation replace them with the better (more expensive) models, when they need it of course.


----------

