The Toy Build

[Brian McNece]

Hey bob glad to see you’re still around, I always enjoyed your videos. I still mess around with the solid state chargers you showed us. Also took time to build an electrolyzer for bubbling browns gas through drinking water. Reports I’ve read say it’s very healthy for you, I think I would have to agree. My current project is a 36” wheeled energizer using reeds and relays.

Hello everyone, been awhile, how are the experiments going these days?

[BobZilla]

I'll tell you one cell I REALLY like for small service stuff like that (flashlights, meters etc..) Nickle Zinc,, search google for NiZN batteries and you will find some examples. What is so great about them is they have a 1.6v charge rather than the usual 1.2 of a typical rechargeable AA. They run devices more like a fresh disposable alkaline because of the higher voltage yet are compatible with anything that is designed for AA/AAA. Some devices don't really care but especially flashlights, love them. Nice and bright.

They do require a special charger for normal people to use them but guys like us can charge them with our own methods. If you have any flashlights that you really notice are not as bright as they used to be on alkaline give some NiZn cells a try. You can get just a few cells pretty cheap to try out.

*edit*
Hey Brian great to see you man. You posted in between while I was replying to Gary so just editing this post to say hello. AHH reeds and relays huh,, you may remember I did a lot of work along those lines, actually most of my machines still use that type of a system. I'll tell you a neat trick you may want to try. I am using a small genny coil, i mean really small to switch a 50A relay directly. Rather than have a 5v source behind a reed to switch the control side of the relay, I just drive it with a genny. I might show you what I mean in a video sometime soon. All I'm saying is think about the idea, you can get enough voltage and current from a coil to provide the control signal for the relay.

[RS_]

Hi Bob,

These NiZn cells are very interesting... I have heard of them, but never seen anyone using them in a Bedini type charger.... Can you expound on there use in Bedini charger applications..?

I built a solid state Bedini charger quite a few years ago that I could use them in if they are suitable to the SSG type direct spike charging..... Have used the 2000mAh AA NI-CD for this project before....... Depending on how they charge with Bedini chargers, this make a lot of difference in the performance of the system....

[Gary Hammond]

I've never had very good luck with NiCads in anything. And I also haven't had any success trying to rejuvenate them either. The NiMH's on the other hand have worked very well for me in most applications. However there are some that could definitely use the higher voltage of the NiZn's. I may have to get some of these to try out!

[BobZilla]

Hi RS,

Yes I do charge mine with a small solid state I built years ago running a mode 1 output. I have also charged them from a wheeled machine also mode 1 output. I do not use them as the primary on anything although you probably could. I like them for my flashlights to be honest. I do not focus to much on the efficiency of the charging although it's probably in line with whatever your machines usually do. For me they are more just a practical solution for small devices that use alkaline batteries. I have a bunch of nimh that i used to use in those devices but the 1.6v of these cells is golden. Your mileage may vary but I would say pick some up and give them a try, just get a few in case you aren't happy with the results you won't have put much money into them.

[RS_]

well for $26.99 for 16 is not a bad deal. It will take 24 AA battery's to replace all the Ni-Cd's for this old project. And now that I can automate battery swapping, it will take even More... been working on this project for a long while, these battery's may make all the difference....

EBL AA Rechargeable Batteries 2800mAh Ready2Charge Quality AA Batteries - 16 Counts

[BobZilla]

careful RS ,, you might be looking at nimh,, I searched what you said and those are not the Nizn cells

[RS_]

How about this...?

https://www.amazon.com/melasta-Recha...gateway&sr=8-5

[BobZilla]

Yes those are the type I am talking about. Not that specific brand but if I were buying some I would order that too. These things are all coming in from china so brands and lables get switched around a lot but I think in reality their all coming off the same lines anyway.

[RS_]

well i need to order some new NiZn cells and dig out that old project box and see if i can make it go OU again, I did it before the shop fire destroyed the first model, but the rebuild was lacking, and never quite got there, maybe now......????

[BobZilla]

Would love it if you post your experiment. These are great batteries, I don't know if they will provide the right performance for your application but it's certainly worth trying if you can spare the funds. I don't have my pc and meters setup like I used too or I would shoot some video and do some run down tests. I do plan to get things setup how they used to be though and then maybe I can do some runs and charts like old times.

[Deuis]

Hello everyone, been awhile, how are the experiments going these days?

G'Day Bob,

Chugging away.
Progress is slow.
But results look good.

[BobZilla]

G'Day Bob,

Chugging away.
Progress is slow.
But results look good.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]7400[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]7399[/ATTACH]

Wow that looks fantastic! Love the bare build in the second pic, so uniform and clean!

My large machine has not been in service for a long time. I goofed up one day and fired it up with one of my switches in the wrong position effectively running it with no load for a few minutes until I realized what was happening. It blew transistors out and of course I don't know which ones so I would have to disassemble all the circuits and test. I just set it aside and started using my other machines, I would have to check 32 transistors. I might do it but I was thinking about just building that machine out with some solid state relays instead.

[Deuis]

Wow that looks fantastic! Love the bare build in the second pic, so uniform and clean!

My large machine has not been in service for a long time. I goofed up one day and fired it up with one of my switches in the wrong position effectively running it with no load for a few minutes until I realized what was happening. It blew transistors out and of course I don't know which ones so I would have to disassemble all the circuits and test. I just set it aside and started using my other machines, I would have to check 32 transistors. I might do it but I was thinking about just building that machine out with some solid state relays instead.

Yes switching was always annoying so I built this.
Was thinking about silver plating it but it will do for now.
Enough copper in it to handle the 28 coils it will be running.

[BobZilla]

I like that alot! Kind of reminds me of the unit I built out of auto relays but much bigger.