Rathbone Upgrades Lithium Ion-Drops Nickel Cadmium 2009. Original Post, December 2008

This is very important information regarding your future battery plans. 

First the Nickel Cadmium Batteries, then the swift changes occurring in the nickel metal hydride market:  It is important for you to understand the ongoing transition in the battery market. This will allow you the client to better plan / budget your three year, five year or longer budgets and equipment purchases. 

Consider this important information regarding rebuilding or recelling Any nickel cadmium battery including ProPac, TrimPac, ComPac, 30/13, Power Strap, Proformer, and any other nickel cadmium battery:

Rathboneenergy.com has been a full disclosure web site since inception in 1993. We believe it is important to sell product and right now we really need to sell product.  But, we believe that it is just as important that you the client be armed with the knowledge and transitional changes before they take place in the battery industry.

Rathbone Energy is an Environmentally Conscious Company striving to stay Green, leaving the smallest carbon footprint we can.  You cannot use nickel cadmium battery cells and qualify as “Green” or claim proper direction in your carbon footprint.  I am going to discuss Panasonic and Sanyo and their current battery chemical plans later in this letter.

With Our Own line of Rathbone Lithium Ion Broadcast Battery packs, Rathbone Energy has phased out new assembly and rebuilding with nickel cadmium battery cells, no longer supporting the rebuild or recell of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM),  nickel cadmium battery products. 

Being “the only Battery Assembler” Worldwide that supports rebuilding battery packs, we understand that this will create the image of a hardship on those invested in nickel cadmium but this is a change that must/will happen to your inventory and we offer what we feel is the best solution upgrading your battery inventory to a higher level at the very best possible savings to you. 

Panasonic dropped nickel cadmium in 2005. Panasonic is now deleting certain nickel metal hydride cells. I was told by one Panasonic person they had already dropped all nickel metal hydride cells. On June 02, 2009, when talking with the top Panasonic OEM representative his statement was that no one had asked Panasonic for comment and that it was untrue that they had dropped all nickel metal hydride cells. When I asked about purchasing their closest equivalent to the required Sanyo cell, he said, yes, we have dropped those cells.

Sanyo supplies the HR-DU (10) I use to rebuild your Hytron 100 Series batteries. Sanyo advised me in early March 2008 that they were going into a massive restructure. Already Sanyo was following the direction of other battery cell manufacturers by continuing to reduce the inventory they maintain in the United States.

The following is my understanding. Sanyo basically has little to no inventory in the US. Sanyo has removed the majority of assemblers that they sell to direct, including me. Sanyo has kept a handful of assemblers in the US that can meet directly a $100,000.00 minimum order and hold inventory on their shelves instead of at Sanyo USA. Sanyo continues to reduce and deplete the nickel cadmium product until they are at zero. Sanyo is now beginning to reduce their nickel metal hydride supply as well. Eventually that will be at zero as they change their focus only on lithium ion technology. Factories who private label for large companies who retail mass volume of a specialty battery product under their own brand name will continue to get battery cell supply from Sanyo for now. These private label companies buy a mass volume and stock on their shelves and those of their product distributors for unknown periods of time.

Since we no longer rebuild or do new assembly with nickel cadmium battery cells below is a contact for recycling all your nickel cadmium battery cells.  We are NOT affiliated with any recycle contact. For those with minimal quantities of nickel cadmium battery packs they can be dropped off at any Home Depot, Lowes, Sears, etc. 

Gary Casola

Metal Conversion Technologies, LLC

1 East Porter St.

P.O. Box 1026

Cartersville, GA 30120

678-721-0022 Phone

678-721-0266 FAX

gary@metalconversion.com (Reference that you were referred by Ron Rathbone.

 

Below is information to remember and consider as you budget your money.

1)     GE/GATES Sintered Positive Electrode Rapid Charge, High Capacity Battery cells with 900-1200 discharge cycles, and Panasonic equivalents, that in my professional opinion, delivered superior heat handling characteristics of all nickel cadmium battery cells, built my high quality reputation in the broadcast industry.  Sintered Positive Electrode nickel cadmium battery cells are no longer manufactured by Sanyo.  Panasonic stopped manufacturing nickel cadmium going on 4 years ago.  Any stock found in Panasonic is too old to get close to 100% capacity.

a)     The Sanyo sintered positive electrode N3000CR I used in the TrimPacs and the KR5000DEL I had to change to in rebuilding ProPacs were my best available nickel cadmium options in 2007 and early 2008, and came to me direct from Sanyo.  Lead time continued to increase.  Sanyo has now dropped nickel cadmium.

b)     Sanyo is in serious restructure and has removed most of their distributors that bought direct.  No Value Added Distributor did rebuilding except me, all left have extreme minimum orders.  At the 1^st of the 4^th quarter of each year end the battery cell manufacturers and value added distributors like me begin unloading any battery cell model still on their shelves without incoming replacement inventory.  More unpopular battery cell models may sit in their warehouses for long periods of time for many, but not me.   Value added Distributors then begin to re-stock their shelves in mid 1^st quarter of the next year. 

c)     Rebuilders call value added distributors like me or distributors who buy from value added distributors like me and say, “I need battery inserts to fit this bla bla.  What is the best price you can give me?”  No idea of cell quality, age, or testing, just ability to hopefully attach a wiring harness to an insert as long as it gives a voltage and glue the package back together.  They lean toward Chinese / South African, Third World, and Consumer qualiy.

2)     From Rathbone Energy, The “Best Available” battery cell for your ProPac was No longer the Gates/GE Sintered Positive Electrode or Panasonic equivalent battery cells we used to be able to purchase.  In 2007 it  became a Sanyo KR5000DEL Paste Negative Cell at 500 discharge cycles and not close to the durability of the already mentioned Gates and Panasonic battery cells.  I never had a complaint from the performance of the GE/gates or Panasonic cells.  Not so with Press Negative cells even though I would tell everyone up front.

a)     You can get Sintered Positive Electrode in Chinese battery cells but they are terrible.  I do not do Chinese. 

b)     Where Panasonic, Saft, and Sanyo continue to reduce inventory actually stocked in the US and giving up to 36 week ARO, their Chinese and third world counter parts are very aggressive on stocking of inventory in the US and very aggressive on price.  However, the quality is terrible.  Most assemblers and distributors have been supplying the lower quality battery cells for some time.  We will not. 

c)     You can find amateur recell / refill companies that buy battery pack inserts from distributors or have a small cap welder they fumble around with but their battery cells are horrible,  Chinese, third world, consumer grade, name brand is BS, etc. 

i)       At this point I would NOT waste my money on Nickel Cadmium even if through the OEM, new! 

ii)      How long did that battery sit on a distributor shelf before being bought by you? 

iii)    Who is the true manufacturer of the battery cell?

iv)    Considering the new discharge cycles I would also not spend money on nickel metal hydride. 

v)     Nickel cadmium-500 Discharge Cycles, Nickel Metal Hydride-500 discharge cycles, and New LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo, “Best” Lithium Ion-500 Discharge Cycles.  That is why we are focusing on our Rathbone Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries.  We can retrofit belts with adaptor plates for our Lithium Ion Batteries.

d)     Lithium Ion assembly in a factory is a safety nightmare.  Then the inability to hire technicians to work here properly with lithium ion without training them myself.  Electronics was pulled out of most American high school, technical institutes, and colleges several years ago by state board of regions. GWB’s “edjukayshun”

e)     Here in the US many small battery assemblers are attempting to set up poor assembly lines to assemble third world lithium ion battery cells into battery packs.  People, employees get hurt, battery packs are poor quality, and bad things happen in the hands of the clients.  A perfect example of this is a small company between Atlanta and Cartersville Georgia that has gone in and out of business several times over the last 20 years.   They build crap for a few months then disappear. A couple of years later they appear again, build crap for a few months and then disappear again.

i)       Many times these assemblers have attempted to purchase Sanyo, Panasonic, or LG Chem direct.  Quality lithium ion manufacturers refused to sell the lithium ion direct.  These assemblers go through other countries, buy other lithium ion cells at better pricing, and continue to build lithium ion battery packs without proper inspection by trained factory battery cell  lithium ion specialist.

f)       As for the lithium ion Dionic’s we did rebuild before starting our quality line of lithium ion battery packs:  After installing our new assembly inserts in old Dionic cases and then testing on Anton Bauer 2702’s with DDM, we experience greater than a 65% failure rate on the chargers because the dead or dying batteries came in with other issues that you cannot detect until installing a new insert.  Thus we did the labor at least twice for the price of one.  The Dionic 90 and Hytron 50, ouch.  Later I am pasting below reasons why I think we are better.  Thus the “Upgrade your Anton Bauer… to Rathbone”.

Lithium Ion “High Load” issues:

3)     The Best available Nickel Cadmium Press Negative battery cells and Nickel Metal Hydride Foam Paste Negative battery cells, under “high load” even a constant 48WH, or heat, will deteriorate as fast as the Best Available Lithium Ion cells.  Constant High Load, Heat, and Very High Impulse discharge will definitely eat away at the “ideal world” discharge specifications of any brand battery cell pack. My web sites have the specification sheets for LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo Brand Lithium Ion, Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride, and Lithium Ion battery cells.

4)     Consider “Best Available” LG Chem – South Korea, Panasonic-Japan, Sanyo-Japan, “BEST Available”), NO CHINESE or SOUTH AFRICAN BATTERY CELLS:

a)     Nickel Cadmium-Sintered Positive Electrode: 1200 Discharge Cycles –Quality models are gone, No Longer Available, Not green, and are being banned in many countries.  Of the chemicals listed this one has the broadest temperature range.

b)     The next three chemical compounds are more narrow in discharge cycles, durability, impulse-high discharge, and  temperature range

c)     Nickel Cadmium-Press Negative: 500 Discharge Cycles – Poor Durability, Not green, and are being banned in many countries.

d)     Nickel Metal Hydride-Foam Paste: 500 Discharge Cycles – Equivalent to Nickel Cadmium Press Negative in Quality and Temperature Range.

e)     Lithium Ion: 500 Discharge Cycles and 60% of the broadcast market has already gone to lithium ion.

5)     Rathbone lithium ion battery cell options such as our Rathbone Broadcast Lithium Ion battery packs have a discharge cycle life expectancy of 500 discharge cycles and Rathbone, IDX, PAG, and Sony packs are built flat to help dissipate heat.  Rathbone gold and v mount, IDX V mount, PAG gold and v mount, and Sony v mount all use higher end quality components, and use every necessary component required, without adding unnecessary components that have nothing to do with the safety and quality of the battery pack.  These mentioned additional components only increase the possibility of a defective battery.  

6)     With any and ALL battery cells, high heat and high load more quickly degrade the battery cells reducing their life.  It is a cost of doing business.  When I have nickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride batteries come back under warranty inspection I almost always discover serious venting of the cells.  This is caused by multiple and long term high load and high discharge rates.  It is NOT warranty and the cost to evaluate what they already know is $75.00.  My average active and passive labor and equipment usage per warranty inspection is an extensive 92 hours.

7)     Actually, with a 95WH or more battery you should get about 300 discharge cycles before seeing noticeable degradation.  Of course, manufacturing specifications from every manufacturer considers a battery good until they reach 50% capacity.  My standard is that 60 % would be normal.

I suggest using a T adaptor plate / Hot Swap such as our Rathbone RBMB-TDVP90 T Shape Dual V Mount Adaptor or RBMB-TDGP90 T Shape Dual G Mount Adaptor allowing your system to pull from two lithium ion batteries at the same time or elect our more robust brief case style lithium ion batteries delivering up to 600WH, all found at 

 www.rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com

This is very important information regarding your future battery plans. 

 

First the Nickel Cadmium Batteries, then the swift changes occurring in the nickel metal hydride market:  It is important for you to understand the ongoing transition in the battery market. This will allow you the client to better plan / budget your three year, five year or longer budgets and equipment purchases. 

 

Consider this important information regarding rebuilding or recelling Any nickel cadmium battery including ProPac, TrimPac, ComPac, 30/13, Power Strap, Proformer, and any other nickel cadmium battery:

 

Rathboneenergy.com has been a full disclosure web site since inception in 1993. We believe it is important to sell product and right now we really need to sell product.  But, we believe that it is just as important that you the client be armed with the knowledge and transitional changes before they take place in the battery industry.

 

Rathbone Energy is an Environmentally Conscious Company striving to stay Green, leaving the smallest carbon footprint we can.  You cannot use nickel cadmium battery cells and qualify as “Green” or claim proper direction in your carbon footprint.  I am going to discuss Panasonic and Sanyo and their current battery chemical plans later in this letter.

 

With Our Own line of Rathbone Lithium Ion Broadcast Battery packs, Rathbone Energy has phased out new assembly and rebuilding with nickel cadmium battery cells, no longer supporting the rebuild or recell of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM),  nickel cadmium battery products. 

 

Being “the only Battery Assembler” Worldwide that supports rebuilding battery packs, we understand that this will create the image of a hardship on those invested in nickel cadmium but this is a change that must/will happen to your inventory and we offer what we feel is the best solution upgrading your battery inventory to a higher level at the very best possible savings to you. 

Panasonic dropped nickel cadmium in 2005. Panasonic is now deleting certain nickel metal hydride cells. I was told by one Panasonic person they had already dropped all nickel metal hydride cells. On June 02, 2009, when talking with the top Panasonic OEM representative his statement was that no one had asked Panasonic for comment and that it was untrue that they had dropped all nickel metal hydride cells. When I asked about purchasing their closest equivalent to the required Sanyo cell, he said, yes, we have dropped those cells.

Sanyo supplies the HR-DU (10) I use to rebuild your Hytron 100 Series batteries. Sanyo advised me in early March 2008 that they were going into a massive restructure. Already Sanyo was following the direction of other battery cell manufacturers by continuing to reduce the inventory they maintain in the United States.

The following is my understanding. Sanyo basically has little to no inventory in the US. Sanyo has removed the majority of assemblers that they sell to direct, including me. Sanyo has kept a handful of assemblers in the US that can meet directly a $100,000.00 minimum order and hold inventory on their shelves instead of at Sanyo USA. Sanyo continues to reduce and deplete the nickel cadmium product until they are at zero. Sanyo is now beginning to reduce their nickel metal hydride supply as well. Eventually that will be at zero as they change their focus only on lithium ion technology. Factories who private label for large companies who retail mass volume of a specialty battery product under their own brand name will continue to get battery cell supply from Sanyo for now. These private label companies buy a mass volume and stock on their shelves and those of their product distributors for unknown periods of time.

 

Since we no longer rebuild or do new assembly with nickel cadmium battery cells below is a contact for recycling all your nickel cadmium battery cells.  We are NOT affiliated with any recycle contact. For those with minimal quantities of nickel cadmium battery packs they can be dropped off at any Home Depot, Lowes, Sears, etc. 

Gary Casola

Metal Conversion Technologies, LLC

1 East Porter St.

P.O. Box 1026

Cartersville, GA 30120

678-721-0022 Phone

678-721-0266 FAX

gary@metalconversion.com (Reference that you were referred by Ron Rathbone.

 

Below is information to remember and consider as you budget your money.

1)     GE/GATES Sintered Positive Electrode Rapid Charge, High Capacity Battery cells with 900-1200 discharge cycles, and Panasonic equivalents, that in my professional opinion, delivered superior heat handling characteristics of all nickel cadmium battery cells, built my high quality reputation in the broadcast industry.  Sintered Positive Electrode nickel cadmium battery cells are no longer manufactured by Sanyo.  Panasonic stopped manufacturing nickel cadmium going on 4 years ago.  Any stock found in Panasonic is too old to get close to 100% capacity.

a)     The Sanyo sintered positive electrode N3000CR I used in the TrimPacs and the KR5000DEL I had to change to in rebuilding ProPacs were my best available nickel cadmium options in 2007 and early 2008, and came to me direct from Sanyo.  Lead time continued to increase.  Sanyo has now dropped nickel cadmium.

b)     Sanyo is in serious restructure and has removed most of their distributors that bought direct.  No Value Added Distributor did rebuilding except me, all left have extreme minimum orders.  At the 1^st of the 4^th quarter of each year end the battery cell manufacturers and value added distributors like me begin unloading any battery cell model still on their shelves without incoming replacement inventory.  More unpopular battery cell models may sit in their warehouses for long periods of time for many, but not me.   Value added Distributors then begin to re-stock their shelves in mid 1^st quarter of the next year. 

c)     Rebuilders call value added distributors like me or distributors who buy from value added distributors like me and say, “I need battery inserts to fit this bla bla.  What is the best price you can give me?”  No idea of cell quality, age, or testing, just ability to hopefully attach a wiring harness to an insert as long as it gives a voltage and glue the package back together.  They lean toward Chinese / South African, Third World, and Consumer qualiy.

2)     From Rathbone Energy, The “Best Available” battery cell for your ProPac was No longer the Gates/GE Sintered Positive Electrode or Panasonic equivalent battery cells we used to be able to purchase.  In 2007 it  became a Sanyo KR5000DEL Paste Negative Cell at 500 discharge cycles and not close to the durability of the already mentioned Gates and Panasonic battery cells.  I never had a complaint from the performance of the GE/gates or Panasonic cells.  Not so with Press Negative cells even though I would tell everyone up front.

a)     You can get Sintered Positive Electrode in Chinese battery cells but they are terrible.  I do not do Chinese. 

b)     Where Panasonic, Saft, and Sanyo continue to reduce inventory actually stocked in the US and giving up to 36 week ARO, their Chinese and third world counter parts are very aggressive on stocking of inventory in the US and very aggressive on price.  However, the quality is terrible.  Most assemblers and distributors have been supplying the lower quality battery cells for some time.  We will not. 

c)     You can find amateur recell / refill companies that buy battery pack inserts from distributors or have a small cap welder they fumble around with but their battery cells are horrible,  Chinese, third world, consumer grade, name brand is BS, etc. 

i)       At this point I would NOT waste my money on Nickel Cadmium even if through the OEM, new! 

ii)      How long did that battery sit on a distributor shelf before being bought by you? 

iii)    Who is the true manufacturer of the battery cell?

iv)    Considering the new discharge cycles I would also not spend money on nickel metal hydride. 

v)     Nickel cadmium-500 Discharge Cycles, Nickel Metal Hydride-500 discharge cycles, and New LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo, “Best” Lithium Ion-500 Discharge Cycles.  That is why we are focusing on our Rathbone Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries.  We can retrofit belts with adaptor plates for our Lithium Ion Batteries.

d)     Lithium Ion assembly in a factory is a safety nightmare.  Then the inability to hire technicians to work here properly with lithium ion without training them myself.  Electronics was pulled out of most American high school, technical institutes, and colleges several years ago by state board of regions. GWB’s “edjukayshun”

e)     Here in the US many small battery assemblers are attempting to set up poor assembly lines to assemble third world lithium ion battery cells into battery packs.  People, employees get hurt, battery packs are poor quality, and bad things happen in the hands of the clients.  A perfect example of this is a small company between Atlanta and Cartersville Georgia that has gone in and out of business several times over the last 20 years.   They build crap for a few months then disappear. A couple of years later they appear again, build crap for a few months and then disappear again.

i)       Many times these assemblers have attempted to purchase Sanyo, Panasonic, or LG Chem direct.  Quality lithium ion manufacturers refused to sell the lithium ion direct.  These assemblers go through other countries, buy other lithium ion cells at better pricing, and continue to build lithium ion battery packs without proper inspection by trained factory battery cell  lithium ion specialist.

f)       As for the lithium ion Dionic’s we did rebuild before starting our quality line of lithium ion battery packs:  After installing our new assembly inserts in old Dionic cases and then testing on Anton Bauer 2702’s with DDM, we experience greater than a 65% failure rate on the chargers because the dead or dying batteries came in with other issues that you cannot detect until installing a new insert.  Thus we did the labor at least twice for the price of one.  The Dionic 90 and Hytron 50, ouch.  Later I am pasting below reasons why I think we are better.  Thus the “Upgrade your Anton Bauer… to Rathbone”.

Lithium Ion “High Load” issues:

3)     The Best available Nickel Cadmium Press Negative battery cells and Nickel Metal Hydride Foam Paste Negative battery cells, under “high load” even a constant 48WH, or heat, will deteriorate as fast as the Best Available Lithium Ion cells.  Constant High Load, Heat, and Very High Impulse discharge will definitely eat away at the “ideal world” discharge specifications of any brand battery cell pack. My web sites have the specification sheets for LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo Brand Lithium Ion, Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride, and Lithium Ion battery cells.

4)     Consider “Best Available” LG Chem – South Korea, Panasonic-Japan, Sanyo-Japan, “BEST Available”), NO CHINESE or SOUTH AFRICAN BATTERY CELLS:

a)     Nickel Cadmium-Sintered Positive Electrode: 1200 Discharge Cycles –Quality models are gone, No Longer Available, Not green, and are being banned in many countries.  Of the chemicals listed this one has the broadest temperature range.

b)     The next three chemical compounds are more narrow in discharge cycles, durability, impulse-high discharge, and  temperature range

c)     Nickel Cadmium-Press Negative: 500 Discharge Cycles – Poor Durability, Not green, and are being banned in many countries.

d)     Nickel Metal Hydride-Foam Paste: 500 Discharge Cycles – Equivalent to Nickel Cadmium Press Negative in Quality and Temperature Range.

e)     Lithium Ion: 500 Discharge Cycles and 60% of the broadcast market has already gone to lithium ion.

5)     Rathbone lithium ion battery cell options such as our Rathbone Broadcast Lithium Ion battery packs have a discharge cycle life expectancy of 500 discharge cycles and Rathbone, IDX, PAG, and Sony packs are built flat to help dissipate heat.  Rathbone gold and v mount, IDX V mount, PAG gold and v mount, and Sony v mount all use higher end quality components, and use every necessary component required, without adding unnecessary components that have nothing to do with the safety and quality of the battery pack.  These mentioned additional components only increase the possibility of a defective battery.  

6)     With any and ALL battery cells, high heat and high load more quickly degrade the battery cells reducing their life.  It is a cost of doing business.  When I have nickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride batteries come back under warranty inspection I almost always discover serious venting of the cells.  This is caused by multiple and long term high load and high discharge rates.  It is NOT warranty and the cost to evaluate what they already know is $75.00.  My average active and passive labor and equipment usage per warranty inspection is an extensive 92 hours.

7)     Actually, with a 95WH or more battery you should get about 300 discharge cycles before seeing noticeable degradation.  Of course, manufacturing specifications from every manufacturer considers a battery good until they reach 50% capacity.  My standard is that 60 % would be normal.

I suggest using a T adaptor plate / Hot Swap such as our Rathbone RBMB-TDVP90 T Shape Dual V Mount Adaptor or RBMB-TDGP90 T Shape Dual G Mount Adaptor allowing your system to pull from two lithium ion batteries at the same time or elect our more robust brief case style lithium ion batteries delivering up to 600WH, all found at www.rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com

8)     Rathbone Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries were originally designed with a circuit which would

cause another company’s Smart Chargers to recognize and charge our batteries. However, the

factory we use immediately came back and told me that a number of their competitors were in scraps with the above company over this and they would not install that circuit. Of

course, since that is the case, neither will I. I can do better anyway.

a) Because of this All Rathbone Lithium Ion Gold Mount Style Broadcast Battery Chargers are sold at my cost plus incoming freight and a very, very minor markup to cover paperwork, or they are promotionally given in package deals of Rathbone Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries, Gold Mount Style.

b) Sony, being the stand up company they are, does not trademark their V mount

technology so every aftermarket vendor of V mount Lithium Ion Batteries and Chargers

can simply duplicate the circuitry of Sony V Mount batteries and chargers. The question

then becomes duplication quality. Unlike aftermarket battery distribution companies,

Rathbone Energy the battery assembler, uses only the best components inside of our

lithium ion broadcast battery packs and chargers.

Rathbone Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries:

Ø       Excellent Battery protection circuitry are built-in to safeguard against over-discharge, over-charge and over-current.

Ø       We have streamlined the internal operation and performance circuitry of these batteries and they have built in protection circuitry to ensure the highest degree of safety operation available.   

Ø       Rathbone is a battery assembler since 1989, are competent, and we use proper weld tabs, insulators, and spacers.

Ø       By streamlining these batteries we remove unnecessary components that might be used to force someone’s battery to only work with one brand charger.

Ø       Unnecessary components that have nothing to do with the safety of the battery only increase the chance that the battery will fail prematurely because of unnecessary components being damaged when a battery is jolted or dropped. I will not mention any company name here.

Ø       All batteries are equipped with:

Ø       LED indicators for monitoring the capacity.

Ø       Camera Light Power Tap

Ø       You will also notice the lighter reflective color of the case and the flat nature of the battery pack design which allows less rows of cells that in return allow better heat dissipation of the internal battery cells. The case for the batteries and chargers are generic but are exactly what I wanted for my battery and charger guts.

Ø       LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo “BEST Available” lithium ion battery cells offer +/- 500 charge – discharge cycles and a consistent discharge performance curve throughout the cycle life allowing more run time per cycle.  Low end third world and Chinese cells offer < 200 charge – discharge cycles but also supply a quick and constant degrading discharge curve, performance, and it is not unusual to see battery cell leakage which is a danger to the battery, the equipment, and most importantly, the users.

Ø       Individual battery packs are assembled from the same battery cell lot numbers.  (Lot-same manufacturing run)

Ø       As with our rebuilding and assembly lines, only fresh cells.

Ø       Your battery packs are custom built under strict quality control using new, fresh premium LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo, balanced battery cells from the same respective manufactured battery cell lots.   Battery cells do not have an infinite shelf storage life.  Therefore, we do not build up a bulk of battery packs to be left sitting on shelves.

In 1993 Rathbone Energy called all other battery assemblers and distributors to the table by developing the FIRST and ONLY FULL DISCLOSURE WEB SITE educating the end users and giving extreme detail on battery cell specifications and battery pack design,

 

Rathbone Energy quality and price is Great.  You are getting below box house pricing on the Best LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo battery cells, they move fast, so there is a short lead time on orders.  Do not wait, place your order today by through our Rathbone Broadcast Battery Store, www.rathboneenergy.biz or email sales@rathboneenergy.com (Primary) or call 800-223-1775.

 

Buy American and The Other Side of the Coin, You just have to get angry with USA greed.

For 19 years Rathbone Energy has supplied only the very best nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, and now lithium ion battery cells for new assembly and for rebuilding. Today we have to compromise on nickel cadmium battery cells and offer the “Best Available” battery cell in nickel cadmium. 

 

Whether a Professional, Freelance, or Network buyer, once they understand the difference between Rathbone Energy Premium Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries, overpriced segregated batteries with what we consider bad design, and box house low end batteries with Chinese cells, they choose Rathbone.  A Professional wants a better value but also understands that when your livelihood depends on your batteries you don’t settle for second best or worse in product quality, knowledge, or by use of low grade and “Brand Name” cells and short cuts.

Note: amateur recellers that come and go purchase pre-built battery inserts, on price, in bulk from any battery assembler that will meet the price, or they use a very low end cap welder to get by and they do NOT know batteries, and if an Anton Bauer Battery, do not test their recells with AB 2702’s with DDM.

 

Thank you for thinking of my team and I.

 

Sincerely,

Ron L. Rathbone

865-484-1783 Office

sales@rathboneenergy.com

  Alternate: sales@allbroadcastbatteries.com

www.rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com (Strictly Broadcast Batteries)

www.rathboneenergy.com (Detailed Product Information for infinite industries)

www.rathboneenergy.biz (On-Line Broadcast Store with On-line Specials)

www.batteriesandcircuits.com (Our attempt at a Broadcast Blog)

 

There’s a better way – rathboneenergy.com – when cell quality is paramount.

We will send out a broad email with the new address after the renovations are complete and we

are active in that building.

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The Team at Rathbone Energy

Copyright Rathbone Energy 1991 – 2xxx

 

 

 

Rathbone On High Load Issues

Rathbone Energy, Inc.

On High Load Issues

Being “the only Battery Assembler” Worldwide that supports rebuilding battery packs, Rathbone Energy
understand battery specification sheets verses real world applications.  That is
why so many battery companies come to our web site.

Lithium Ion “High Load” issues:

1.     
The Best available Nickel Cadmium Press Negative battery cells and Nickel Metal Hydride
Foam Paste Negative battery cells, under “high load” even a constant 48WH, or
heat, will deteriorate as fast as the Best Available Lithium Ion cells.

Constant High Load, Heat, and Very High Impulse discharge will definitely eat
away at the “ideal world” discharge specifications of any brand battery cell
pack. My web sites have the specification sheets for LG Chem, Panasonic, and
Sanyo Brand Lithium Ion, Nickel Cadmium, and Nickel Metal Hydride battery cells.

2.     
Consider “Best Available” LG Chem – South Korea, Panasonic-Japan,
Sanyo-Japan, “BEST Available”), NO CHINESE BATTERY CELLS:

a)    
Nickel Cadmium-Sintered Positive Electrode: 1200 Discharge Cycles
–Quality models are gone, No Longer Available, Not green, and are being banned
in many countries.  Of the chemicals listed this one has the broadest
temperature range.

b)    
The next three chemical compounds are more narrow in discharge cycles,
durability, impulse-high discharge, and  temperature range

c)    
Nickel Cadmium-Press Negative: 500 Discharge Cycles – Poor Durability,
Not green, and are being banned in many countries.

d)    
Nickel Metal Hydride-Foam Paste: 500 Discharge Cycles –
Equivalent to Nickel Cadmium Press Negative in Quality and Temperature Range.

e)    
Lithium Ion: 500 Discharge Cycles
and 60% of the broadcast market has already gone to
lithium ion.

3.     
Rathbone Energy lithium ion battery cell options such as our Rathbone Broadcast Lithium Ion battery
packs have a discharge cycle life expectancy of 500 discharge cycles and
Rathbone packs are built flat to help dissipate heat.  But, with any and ALL
battery cells, high heat and high load more quickly degrade the battery cells
reducing their life.  It is a cost of doing business.  When I have nickel
cadmium or nickel metal hydride batteries come back under warranty inspection I
almost always discover either lack of proper maintenance requiring a few recondition procedures or serious venting of the cells.  This type venting is caused by multiple and long term high load and high discharge rates.  It is NOT warranty and the
cost to evaluate what they already know is $75.00.  My average active and
passive labor and equipment usage per warranty inspection claim is an extensive 92
hours.

4.     
Actually, with a 95WH or more battery you should get about 300 discharge cycles before seeing
noticeable degradation.  Of course, manufacturing specifications from every
manufacturer considers a battery good until they reach 50% capacity.  My
standard is that 60 % would be normal.

5.     
I suggest using a
T adaptor plate such as our Rathbone RBMB-TDVP90
T Shape Dual V Mount Adaptor or
RBMB-TDGP90 T Shape Dual G Mount Adaptor allowing your system to pull
from two lithium ion batteries at the same time or elect our more robust brief
case style lithium ion batteries delivering up to 600WH, all found at

www.rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com

6.     
No Value Added Distributor does rebuilding except Rathbone Energy, all have 5000 piece
minimum orders.  At the 1^st of the 4^th quarter of each
year end the battery cell manufacturers and value added distributors like me
begin unloading any battery cell model still on their shelves without incoming
replacement inventory.  More unpopular battery cell models may sit in their
warehouses for long periods of time for many, but not me.   Value added
Distributors then begin to re-stock their shelves in mid 1^st quarter
of the next year. 

a)    
Rebuilders call
value added distributors like me or distributors who buy from value added
distributors like me and say, “I need battery inserts to fit this bla bla.  What
is the best price you can give me?”  No idea of cell quality, age, or testing,
just ability to hopefully attach a wiring harness to an insert as long as it
gives a voltage and glue the package

b)    
At this point I would NOT waste my money on Nickel Cadmium even if through the OEM, new! 

i)      
How long did that
battery sit on a distributor shelf before being bought by you?

ii)     
Considering the
new discharge cycles I would also not spend money on nickel metal hydride. 
Nickel cadmium-500 Discharge Cycles, Nickel Metal Hydride-500 Discharge Cycles,
New LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo, “Best” Lithium Ion-500 Discharge Cycles. 
That is why we are focusing on our Rathbone Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries.  We
can retrofit belts with adaptor plates for our Lithium Ion Batteries.

Thank you for thinking of me.

Sincerely,

Ron L. Rathbone

There’s a
better way – rathboneenergy.com – when cell quality is paramount.         

Copyright Rathbone Energy 1991 – 2xxx 

www.rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com www.rathboneenergy.biz

The Team at Rathbone Energy

 

 

 

 

 

Rathbone’s Victim of Armed Robbery and Aggrivated Assault

October 09, 2009 Update: As the economy continues to decline Saturday afternoon the Rathbone’s were attacked by 3 male and one female and a 20 GA Shotgun at the business of Ron Rathbone.  Within an hour 3 of the assailants were in Police custody.  All are facing a new Tennessee State mandate in law enforcement of a minimum 25 year prison sentence for using a gun in a crime.  The first male assailant Caucasian, 6’6″, 220 pounds and armed with a 20 ga shotgun, dressed with a hooded jacket and Haloween Mask, the second was Caucasian, 6’2″, 270 pounds, the third, black, 5’10″ 250 pounds.  The female description is not yet available.  They took the cash box, the innocence of the business and community, and left severe damage to the Rathbone’s.  When the alleged robbers were apprehended, their drug dealers had already been given the contents of the cash box.  Updates as available.

 

Rathbone Energy Moves Forward With Lithium Iron Phosphate Technology

Rathbone Energy continues to work with a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) alternative for the broadcast industry.  Rathbone already has the battery management system for LiFePO4 and is hard at work developing a LiFePO4 line of V Mount and Gold Mount batteries for the Broadcast News and Cinematography industry.

Rathbone has been working on LiFePO4 in three other markets since the fall of 2007.  Their individual LiFePO4 units require much higher Voltages, Amps, and Watt Hours of run time.  We have the designs in place and the battery management system in place now to fill their needs.  All we need to do at this point is turn down the power and this technology will be ready for our broadcast battery packs.

Rathbone will soon be accepting firm volume orders for LiFePO4 battery packs for the broadcast and cinematography industry networks and media group leaders.  We require the volume order commitments from the networks and larger media group leaders to kick off this campaign.

The technology is here now and with the firm support of broadcast and cinematography leaders we can provide this technology now. 

Industry leaders are already aware that the availability of quality nickel cadmium battery cells from Panasonic and Sanyo is now defunct. 

Panasonic dropped nickel cadmium battery cells in 2005.  Panasonic has now, in 2009, dropped small cell nickel metal hydride battery cells and are focusing all of their energy on their lithium ion technology.

Sanyo has reduced their production of nickel cadmium and is in the process of removing all nickel cadmium options they have left.  Sanyo is also beginning to remove their nickel metal hydride battery cells options making it harder to custom assemble any quality nickel metal hydride battery cells in the future.  As they restructure, Sanyo is focusing all of their abilities in lithium ion as well.

LG Chem was never involved with nickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride and have focused only on lithium ion and lithium polymer.  LG Chem is very difficult, even to acquire material safety data sheets.  We are hitting road blocks from LG Chem for the latest MSDS sheets and do not understand why.

After you leave the quality of these three battery cell manufacturing companies who manufacture these particular chemical batteries, you are left only with Chinese factories under Chinese management or from South Africa.  Neither is a quality choice and actually horrific.

Several battery cell manufacturing companies have been developing the lithium iron technology for some time. Companies across the world and with that in consideration, again, we must steer clear of Chinese factories with Chinese management or management from most other countries.

With Rathbone Energy introducing this lithium iron phosphate technology into the broadcast and cinematography industry you will be able to move away from not just the hazards of lithium ion but the short falls as well.  It is better to educate the industry on the technology involved instead of blaming the user. 

A short fall that comes to mind is the marketing claim from one battery pack supplier, (not a true battery pack manufacturer/assembler) of a 7AH lithium ion battery that will handle our newer high drain requirements and then when the battery fails, blame the user for applying that marketed technology to their high drain equipment demands that this supplier claimed their increased AH rated battery would handle. 

Rathbone has an article about high load issues, the best available nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, and lithium ion in circulation for a long time.  Reference our PDF article in this blog, High Drain Issues.

So, in closing, keep your eyes on Rathbone Energy and new technology.  There could be an acquisition, merger, or simply the development of a new company in the works as we go forward in these new technologies and existing industries.

If you want to be involved with Rathbone Energy as we move forward and be involved for less in cost, now is better than after.

Sincerely,

Ron L. Rathbone and
The Team at Rathbone Energy, Inc.

Newport, TN 37821
865-484-1783 Office
sales@rathboneenergy.com
www.rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com (Strictly Broadcast Batteries and Equipment)
www.rathboneenergy.biz (On-Line Broadcast Store with On-line Specials)
www.batteriesandcircuits.com (Our attempt at a Broadcast Blog)
www.rathboneenergy.com (Detailed Product Information for infinite industries)

There’s a better way – rathboneenergy.com – when cell quality is paramount.

The Team at Rathbone Energy

 

Rebuilding Your Hytron 100, Hytron 120, Hytron 140 Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries

Valued Customer

First your Hytron 100 Series Batteries, 100, 120, 140: If you have contacted us about rebuilding Hytron 100 series batteries, need Hytron 100 series batteries rebuilt. or have Hytron 100 series batteries that will need to be rebuilt in the future, this email is very important to you.Thanks to a long time client who shipped in a very large order of Hytron 100 series batteries for rebuilding we received Sanyo HR-DU (10) nickel metal hydride battery cells and did an assembly run for nickel metal hydride battery inserts to rebuild battery packs.  If you have been waiting for me to advise the next run of these cells in assembly this is your notice, (June 2009). Availability of the proper battery cells is very limited. You need to ship your Hytron 100 Series batteries to me now for rebuild with payment. Please also advise me via email that you have shipped them to me for rebuild!  Why?   I must place my order for shipment and be ready to pay COD Cashiers Check on arrival. The cost is several thousand dollars paid for with new sales orders.  Like our battery cell manufacturers we cannot carry that inventory for unknown orders in this economic depression. Of the limited number of cells I sourced, I want to secure the rest of those cells for my clients who have been patiently waiting for me to do a Hytron 100 rebuild. Also, I need the business.

Rathbone Broadcast Batteries and Rebuilding News Update: Hytron 100, 120, 140 Series Rebuild Update: I am running a Hytron 100 Series assembly now, (June 2009), for rebuilding your Hytron 100 Series batteries. 150WH, 500 Discharge Cycles, 5.5 Pound, tested on Anton Bauer 2702 chargers with DDM, Sanyo HR-DU (10), plastic welded case, insulated tubes, $357.00 each.

I will try very hard to be brief.It is very important for you to understand the ongoing transition in the battery market. Rathboneenergy.com has been a full disclosure web site since inception in 1993. We believe it is important to sell product and right now we really need to sell product. But, we believe that it is just as important that you the client be armed with the knowledge and transitional changes before they take place in the battery industry. This allows you the client to better plan your three year, five year or longer budgets and equipment purchases.Much of this information is in our PDF article, “First Our Position On Nickel Cadmium”, which I am about to update.As many of you know December 2007 – March 2008 caused a critical event for 19 year old Rathbone Energy. We are now at a point to finally get past those events. Hurray!  You can read detail in a later article.Panasonic dropped nickel cadmium in 2005. Panasonic is now deleting certain nickel metal hydride cells. I was told by one Panasonic person they had already dropped all nickel metal hydride cells. Yesterday when talking with the top Panasonic OEM representative his statement was that no one had asked Panasonic for comment and that it was untrue that they had dropped all nickel metal hydride cells. When I asked about purchasing their closest equivalent to the required Sanyo cell, he said, yes, we have dropped those cells.Sanyo supplies the HR-DU (10) I use to rebuild your Hytron 100 Series batteries. Sanyo advised me in early March 2008 that they were going into a massive restructure. Already Sanyo was following the direction of other battery cell manufacturers by continuing to reduce the inventory they maintain in the United States.The following is my understanding. Sanyo basically has little to no inventory in the US. Sanyo has removed the majority of assemblers that they sold to direct, including me. Sanyo has kept a handful of assemblers in the US that can meet directly a $100,000.00 minimum order and hold inventory on their shelves instead of at Sanyo USA. Sanyo continues to reduce and deplete the nickel cadmium product until they are at zero. Sanyo is now beginning to reduce their nickel metal hydride supply as well. Eventually that will be at zero as they change their focus only on lithium ion technology. Factories who private label for large companies who retail mass volume of a specialty battery product under their own brand name will continue to get battery cell supply from Sanyo for now. These private label companies buy a mass volume and stock on their shelves and those of their product distributors for unknown periods of time.  Thus, why you have batteries DOA. Yesterday I had a client tell me about buying four units of a particular battery at the same time. The battery chemistry is supposed to have an infinite shelf storage life. As I already know, they do not. Three of the batteries are performing at a substantially better rate then the fourth. The most probable reason is the age of that fourth battery pack. I spent this past week sourcing the required battery cell for your Hytron 100 Series batteries. I only found one direct distributor source whose product I can trust not to be significantly aged and they have only a few left and a twelve week lead time on the next delivery, if delivered. Other distributors made comments like, “If you can find that old stuff good luck.” New ARO times on new inventory can easily run 36 weeks or more from the factories on any chemistry. Because of these desperate times in this severe economic depression, factories are not producing materials until they are paid for. Those that are stocking battery cells in the United States are Chinese, Third World, South African / Chinese, and they are of extremely poor quality. These cells are used by a new arrival to the battery rebuild industry. We will NOT use these cells. Thank you for thinking of me. I look forward to receiving your batteries for rebuild very soon and as always, appreciate and am thankful for your business. Sincerely, Ron L. Rathbone and The Team at Rathbone Energy, Inc. Newport, TN 37821 865-484-1783 Office sales@rathboneenergy.com www.rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com (Strictly Broadcast Batteries and Equipment) www.rathboneenergy.biz (On-Line Broadcast Store with On-line Specials) www.batteriesandcircuits.com (Our attempt at a Broadcast Blog) www.rathboneenergy.com (Detailed Product Information for infinite industries) There’s a better way – rathboneenergy.com – when cell quality is paramount. The Team at Rathbone Energy

 

Rebuilding the IDX Endura Batteries, Our Position at Rathbone Energy

During these Trying Economic Times are You Looking Harder for High Quality Built, High Performance, Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries at Substantially Lower Cost and Better Value? Rathbone Energy is Your Answer

Upgrade to Rathbone Energy Broadcast Lithium Ion Batteries from 65WH to 724WH, Comparable to New IDX Endura Batteries

1. Rathbone Energy will NOT rebuild the IDX Endura V Mount or Power Cube batteries.  Instead Upgrade to Rathbone Broadcast and Film Lithium Ion BP V Mount Series Batteries Comparable IDX Endura batteries. Email: sales@rathboneenergy.com or call: 800-223-1775 or 865-484-1783 
2. There are parts in these IDX Endura V Mount batteries that must be ripped from the cell to which they are welded and then again welded to a new cell.  Amateurs use solder.
3. Amateur battery rebuilding fly by’s damage these parts in the removal process from the existing packs.
4. The shell is fish paper thin plastic at or less than 1/8″ in thickness and too thin for rebuilding.
5. The shell is always severely damaged when opening these fish paper thin cases and after re-close of the case the cosmetics of the case are not less than terrible.
6. Also because the spring tension metal contacts are bent in the opening process they do not properly fit the charger or camera adaptor.
7. We have been contacted by several guys running these Battery Recelling / Rebuilding / Refill fly by’s wanting to purchase cells through us. 
   1. These guys make a lot of money!  They are paying +/- .70 per cell for Chinese cells used in the inserts built for them where we would be paying +/- $6.20 per cell.  
   2. Some buy in bulk from VAR’s who have left-over stock reduced in price for fast movement.  Cells that are old, many times defunct models, and have been sitting on the shelf for long periods, (even years) of time.  
8. Manufacturers engineering specification sheets show a possible battery cell shelf life of up to ten years IF the cells are properly stored. 
9. Understand that even though you will get performance out of a properly stored two year old cell, you will not get peak or optimum performance.  And most battery packs are never properly stored.
10. March 2009: I am aware of a station right now that has 35 dead Dionic 90 batteries that new, were shelved, never taken from the box, and according to the Chief Engineer, are now dead.  He just replaced them with 28 Rathbone Lithium Ion Batteries.
11. We will NOT rebuild your IDX V Mount battery.
12. We will use ONLY the very best cells available and usually greatly exceeding OEM standards.
13. We purchase ONLY LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo cells.  We purchase only the higher durability of those cells and then the highest amperage of the higher durability.
14. The damage these fly-by guys do to the fine art of rebuilding / recelling batteries is ugly.  On a regular basis we hear feedback that goes something like: “Yea, we had some of our batteries rebuilt / recelled once, real cheap, and after that they were C _ _ p.  We won’t do that again.  The life cycles only lasted a short time, the performance per cycle was reduced, and the battery never quite fit the charger or equipment properly. ” d.      The improper fit is because the fly-by damaged the components in removing them from the old insert and poor installation to the new insert.
15. These type vendors place a bad name on a great alternative to new packs in other industries.  
16. Our specifications meet and exceed OEM specifications and the warranty.  In this industry you really do get what you pay for.
17. Lately we have noticed some cheaper off the shelf OEM alternative batteries that are made in China with Chinese cells.  We would never recommend them.
18. Note: When you buy new laptops buy ALL of your additional OEM laptop batteries at the time of purchase.  Stay away from aftermarket or recell of laptop batteries for all the same reasons and more not listed.
19. Stay away from Power Tool battery rebuilds for the same reasons.

Upgrade Your New or Old IDX Endura, IDX Power Cube, or Other Batteries and Chargers to Rathbone Energy Broadcast Lithium Ion Batteries and Chargers Today! 

Thank you for thinking of me.

 

Sincerely,

Ron L. Rathbone

865-484-1783 Office

sales@rathboneenergy.com

 Alternate: sales@allbroadcastbatteries.com

www.rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com (Strictly Broadcast Batteries)

www.rathboneenergy.com (Detailed Product Information for infinite industries)

www.rathboneenergy.biz (On-Line Broadcast Store with On-line Specials)

www.batteriesandcircuits.com (Our attempt at a Broadcast Blog)

 

There’s a better way – rathboneenergy.com – when cell quality is paramount.

 

Copyright Rathbone Energy, Inc. 1991 – 2xxx, August 2008                 

 

The Team at Rathbone Energy

 

Rebuilding the Anton Bauer Dionic 90 Batteries, Our Position at Rathbone Energy

During these Trying Economic Times are You Looking Harder for High Quality Built, High Performance, Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries at Substantially Lower Cost and Better Value? Rathbone Energy is Your Answer.

Upgrade to Rathbone Energy Broadcast Lithium Ion Batteries from 65WH to 724WH, Comparable to New Anton Bauer Gold Mount Batteries

1. Rathbone Energy will NO longer rebuild the Anton Bauer Dionic 90 Lithium Ion Batteries.  Instead Upgrade to Rathbone Broadcast and Film Lithium Ion Gold Mount Series Batteries which are equal to or exceed to Anton Bauer batteries at a substantial savings. Email: sales@rathboneenergy.com or call: 800-223-1775 or 865-484-1783 
2. Rathbone Energy is a battery assembler in business since 1989.  It has been our detailed experience with these particular batteries that after all our checks are carefully finished and the new insert installed, still, a large percentage of these batteries, estimated at >60%, do NOT pass the Auto-Cal or Test mode of Anton Bauer 2702 chargers with the internal Dynamic Discharge Module (DDM) because they came in with internal circuit board damage that can only be discovered after a new insert is installed.
3. We loose all our time consuming labor, ($$$), and we must contact the client for another shell, and we cover the labor to place the insert in a second or third shell.
4. We are a custom assembler. 
   1. If we are welding dry cell lead acid, nickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride battery cells together and we miss a hit with the welder a battery cell gets a hole blown in it, the weld tips are blown ($$), someone gets the poop scared out of them and their nerves are shot for the rest of that day.  But, they get back on the horse the next day.
   2. If we miss a hit on a lithium ion battery cell someone gets hurt.  These cells need to be welded together in an automated assembly line.  If something goes wrong the assembly line absorbs the damage.  I do not have automated assembly lines yet, much $$$. 
   3. This is the second of two reasons my lithium ion battery packs are assembled for me in China using only the best LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo lithium ion battery cells and the 2.5 cent components instead of the .01 cent components. 
   4. The first reason was my years of attempts in the USA to get tooling done for battery cases for a reasonable fee and continued to get quotations of > $30,000.00 per tool.  So, like all the others, we went off shore.

e.      Our Rathbone Energy Lithium Ion batteries are built differently:

1.  
   1.  
      1. We have streamlined the internal circuitry of our batteries and they to have built in protection circuitry to ensure the highest degree of safety operation.  They are STILL Lithium Ion.   
      2. By streamlining our batteries circuits we remove unnecessary components that might be used to force someone’s battery to only work with one brand charger.
      3. Unnecessary components that have nothing to do with the safety of the battery only increase the chance that the battery will fail prematurely because of unnecessary components being damaged when a battery is jolted or dropped.
2. We have been contacted by several guys running these Battery Recelling / Rebuilding / Refill fly by’s wanting to purchase inserts through us. 
   1. These guys make a lot of money!  They are paying +/- .70 per cell for Chinese cells used in the inserts built for them where we would be paying +/- $6.20 per cell.  
   2. Some buy in bulk from VAR’s who have left-over stock reduced in price for fast movement.  Cells that are old, many times defunct models, and have been sitting on the shelf for long periods, (even years) of time. 

1.  
   1. Manufacturers engineering specification sheets show a possible battery cell shelf life of up to ten years IF the cells are properly stored. 
   2. Understand that even though you will get performance out of a properly stored two year old cell, you will not get peak or optimum performance.  And most battery packs are never properly stored.
   3. March 2009: I am aware of a station right now that has 35 dead Dionic 90 batteries that new, were shelved, never taken from the box, and according to the Chief Engineer, are now dead.  He just replaced them with 28 Rathbone Lithium Ion Batteries.
2. We will NO longer rebuild your Dionic 90 Gold Mount batteries.
3. We will use ONLY the very best cells available and usually greatly exceeding OEM standards.
4. We purchase ONLY LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo cells.  We purchase only the higher durability of those cells and then the highest amperage of the higher durability.
5. The damage these fly-by guys do to the fine art of rebuilding / recelling batteries is ugly.  On a regular basis we hear feedback that goes something like: “Yea, we had some of our batteries rebuilt / recelled once, real cheap, and after that they were C _ _ p.  We won’t do that again.  The life cycles only lasted a short time and the performance per cycle was reduced. ”

1. These type vendors place a bad name on a great alternative to new packs in other industries.  
2. Our specifications meet and exceed OEM specifications and the warranty.  In this industry you really do get what you pay for.
3. Lately we have noticed some cheaper off the shelf OEM alternative batteries that are made in China with Chinese cells.  We would never recommend them.
4. Note: When you buy new laptops buy ALL of your additional OEM laptop batteries at the time of purchase.  Stay away from aftermarket or recell of laptop batteries for all the same reasons and more not listed.
5. Stay away from Power Tool battery rebuilds for the same reasons.

Upgrade Your New or Old Anton Bauer Dionic 90, Hytron 100, 120, 140, ProPac, Hytron 50, Cine Style, other Anton Bauer, or Other Batteries and Chargers to Rathbone Energy Broadcast Lithium Ion Batteries and Chargers Today! 

Thank you for thinking of me.

 

Sincerely,

Ron L. Rathbone

There’s a better way – rathboneenergy.com – when cell quality is paramount. 

The Team at Rathbone Energy

Copyright Rathbone Energy, Inc., 1991 – 2xxx, August 2008                  

 

 

Mounting Plates, Adaptors, and Cables

Rathbone Energy Mounting Plates and adaptors for Gold Mount Anton Bauer Style Batteries, V Mount Sony Style Batteries, 4 Pin XLR, and other mounts, adaptors and cables.

 

| View Show | Create Your Own

The Team at Rathbone Energy

Copyright Rathbone Energy 1991 – 2xxx

 

Camera Bags and Covers

Rathbone Energy Camera Bags and Carry Solutions for Broadcast News, Cinematographer, Professional Film, or orther needs including batteries, electronics, equipment, lights, tripods, medical, survey, and other equipment needs.

| View Show | Create Your Own

The Team at Rathbone Energy

Copyright Rathbone Energy 1991 – 2xxx

 

Lights, Broadcast, ENG / EFP / Cinema, Studio Lights

These Rathbone Energy broadcast and studio lighting products are equal to or exceed Anton Bauer, Arri, Frezzi, Cine 60, PAG, Sachtler, and other Lights and are a Lighting Value. 

Rathbone Energy is always comparing product and pricing to make sure we have the best quality and price.  Please advise us if we are out of line on any lighting price and who has the comparable product at a better price so we may make corrections.

| View Show | Create Your Own

The Team at Rathbone Energy

Copyright Rathbone Energy 1991 – 2xxx

 

Rathbone Energy – Robust BP Series Lithium Ion Batteries V Mount and Gold Mount

During these Trying Economic Times are You Looking Harder for High Quality Built, High Performance, Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries at Substantially Lower Cost and Better Value?  Upgrade Your New or Old Anton Bauer, IDX Endura, Generic, or Other Broadcast, Film, or Cinematographer Batteries and Chargers to Rathbone Energy Broadcast Lithium Ion Batteries and Chargers Today!  Also check out our lights and bags.

Rathbone Energy is a Battery Assembler and Rathbone Broadcast lithium ion V mount and Gold mount battery packs and chargers serve as a Great Upgrade from those manufactured Off Shore for companies like Anton Bauer Batteries, IDX Endura Batteries V Mount, Sony BP V Mount, and VariZoom Lithium Ion Battery Packs and are a Lithium Ion Battery Value. 

For 19 years Rathbone Energy has supplied only the very best nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, and now lithium ion battery cells for new assembly and for rebuilding. Today we have to compromise on nickel cadmium battery cells and offer the “Best Available” battery cell in nickel cadmium.

Consider “Best Available” in Panasonic and Sanyo, NO CHINESE BATTERY CELLS:

Nickel Cadmium: 500 Discharge Cycles

Nickel Metal Hydride: 500 Discharge Cycles

New Lithium Ion: 500 Discharge Cycles, and 60% of the broadcast market has already gone to lithium ion.

 

Whether a Professional, Freelance, or Network buyer, once they understand the difference between Rathbone Energy Premium Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries, overpriced segregated batteries with what we consider bad design, and box house low end batteries, they choose Rathbone.  A Professional wants a better value but also understands that when your livelihood depends on your batteries you don’t settle for second best or worse in product quality, knowledge, or by use of low grade and “Brand Name” cells and short cuts.

Note: amateur recellers that come and go purchase pre-built battery inserts, on price, in bulk from any battery assembler that will meet the price, or they use a very low end cap welder to get by and they do NOT know batteries, and if an Anton Bauer Battery, do not test their recells with AB 2702’s with DDM.

• If you are going to buy lithium ion or nickel metal hydride battery packs, invest your money in a more quality product through Rathbone Energy…….. 
  • Rathbone Energy offers the widest selection of lithium-ion Sony Style V mount batteries and Anton Bauer Style Gold mount batteries for broadcast and film cameras. It begins with a light weight BP95 that has a 95 watt-hour capacity; and extends to 724WH that allows hours of operation.
  • They are available exclusively through Rathbone Energy in gold-mount, v-mount, and 4-pin xlr battery types that suit various kinds of broadcast and film cameras. The battery housings are ergonomically designed to enable robust usage; and yet easy to handle. 
  • Excellent Battery protection circuitry are built-in to safeguard against over-discharge, over-charge and over-current.
  • We have streamlined the internal operation and performance circuitry of these batteries and they have built in protection circuitry to ensure the highest degree of safety operation available.   
  • Rathbone is a battery assembler since 1989, are competent, and we use proper weld tabs, insulators, and spacers.
  • By streamlining these batteries we remove unnecessary components that might be used to force someone’s battery to only work with one brand charger.

§        Unnecessary components that have nothing to do with the safety of the battery only increase the chance that the battery will fail prematurely because of unnecessary components being damaged when a battery is jolted or dropped.

•  
  • All batteries are equipped with:
    • LED indicators for monitoring the capacity.
    • Camera Light Power Tap
  • You will also notice the lighter reflective color of the case and the flat nature of the battery pack design which allows less rows of cells that in return allow better heat dissipation of the internal battery cells. The case for the batteries and chargers are generic but are exactly what I wanted for my battery and charger guts.
  • LG Chem, Panasonic and Sanyo’s Best Grade lithium ion battery cells offer +/- 500 charge – discharge cycles and a consistent discharge performance curve throughout the cycle life allowing more run time per cycle.  Low end third world and Chinese cells offer < 200 charge – discharge cycles but also supply a quick and constant degrading discharge curve, performance, and it is not unusual to see battery cell leakage which is a danger to the battery, the equipment, and most importantly, the users.
  • Individual battery packs are assembled from the same battery cell lot numbers.  (Lot-same manufacturing run)
  • As with our rebuilding and assembly lines, only fresh cells.
    • Your battery packs are custom built under strict quality control using new, fresh premium LG Chem. Panasonic, and Sanyo balanced battery cells from the same respective manufactured battery cell lots.   Battery cells do not have an infinite shelf storage life.  Therefore, we do not build up a bulk of battery packs to be left sitting on shelves.
  • Rathbone Energy called all other battery assemblers and distributors to the table in 1993 by developing the FIRST and ONLY FULL DISCLOSURE WEB SITE educating the end users and giving extreme detail on battery cell specifications and battery pack design,

Rathbone Energy quality and price is Great.  You are getting below box house pricing on the Best LG Chem, Panasonic, and Sanyo, lithium ion battery cells, they move fast, so there is a short lead time on orders.  Do not wait, place your order today by telephone, email, or through our Rathbone Broadcast Battery Store.

Buy American and the Other Side of the Coin, you just have to get angry with USA greed. 

I have posted the battery links you need below.  I have also given some battery package examples.

Pictures that will enlarge substantially and detailed specification sheets are located at:

http://www.rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com Broadcast Only

 

SPECIAL PRICING:

See www.rathboneenergy.biz for special pricing.  Because of our unexpected additional down time the pricing structure is extremely low but will not stay at these price points.

These prices are for single pack purchases of gold mount or v mount.  Also, I have adaptor cords that can be plugged into the side of the battery converting the battery to 4 Pin XLR.  Single pricing:

 95WH: $195.00   130WH $278.00   160WH $308.00   200WH $478.00

 

Rathbone Lithium Ion Chargers sold at My Cost plus incoming freight :

Single Port Charger: $50.00 My Retail $78.00

Dual Port Charger with built in 4 pin XLR power supply and cable: $200.00, My Retail: $278.00

Four Port Charger with built in 4 pin XLR power supply and cable: $375.00, My Retail: $540.00

 

2 batteries: Free Single Port charger

4 batteries: Free 2X charger

8 batteries: Free 4X charger

 

4 units of a 95WH; $741.00 plus free 2X simultaneous charger with built in power supply and cable, 5% discount already applied for paying via Bank wire, Company/Cashiers Check, or Money Order.

4 units of a 160WH; $1,220.00 plus free 2X simultaneous charger with built in power supply and cable, 5% discount already applied for paying via Bank wire, Company/Cashiers Check, or Money Order.

8 units of a 160WH: $2,440.00 plus free 4X simultaneous charger with built in power supply and cable, or (2) 2X for an additional $25.00 5% discount already applied for paying via Bank wire, Company/Cashiers Check, or Money Order.

8 units of a 95WH: $1,480.00 plus free 4X simultaneous charger with built in power supply and cable, or (2) 2X for an additional $25.00.  5% discount already applied for paying via Bank wire, Company/Cashiers Check, or Money Order.

 

Rathbone Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries were originally designed with a circuit which would cause another company’s Smart Chargers to recognize and charge our batteries.  However, the factory we use immediately came back and told me that a number of their competitors were in possible scraps with another company over this and they would not install that circuit.  Of course, since that is the case, neither will I.  I can do better anyway.

a)     Because of this All Rathbone Lithium Ion Gold Mount Style Broadcast Battery Chargers are sold at my cost plus incoming freight and a very, very minor markup to cover paperwork, or they are promotionally given in package deals of Rathbone Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries, Gold Mount Style.

b)     Sony, being the stand up company they are, does not trademark their V mount technology so every aftermarket vendor of V mount Lithium Ion Batteries and Chargers can simply duplicate the circuitry of Sony V Mount batteries and chargers.  The question then becomes duplication quality. Unlike aftermarket battery distribution companies, Rathbone Energy the battery assembler, uses only the best components inside of our lithium ion broadcast battery packs and chargers.

So I can place you in this order and my bank wire to the factory with my next order it would be very nice to receive your order and payment quickly.  Please read your detailed specifications sheets.

From the web page:

 

As you budget and do your 3 year and 5 year plans please consider this Important Information regarding rebuilding or recelling Any nickel cadmium battery including ProPac, TrimPac, ComPac, 30/13, Power Strap, and Proformer:

 

Rathbone Energy is an Environmentally Conscious Company striving to stay Green, and Now having our own line of lithium ion broadcast battery packs, Rathbone Energy has phased out new assembly and rebuilding with nickel cadmium battery cells.  No longer supporting the rebuild or recell of OEM nickel cadmium battery products. 

 

Being the only Battery Assembler Worldwide that supports rebuilding battery packs, we understand that this will create a hardship on those invested in OEM nickel cadmium battery packs, but this is a change that must/will happen to your inventory and we offer the great alternative.  You cannot promote “Going Green” and use nickel cadmium battery cells.

Nickel Cadmium battery cells are environmentally unfriendly. Thanks to International Environmental Concerns and the good laws of other countries, our battery cell manufacturers have already started to phase nickel cadmium from their manufacturing lines.  Panasonic did so four years ago. Starting in 2009, you can no longer sell nickel cadmium products in Europe and they have new laws regarding the disposal of nickel cadmium battery cells manufactured / assembled after 01/01/2009 that land on their soil.

Again, So I can place you in this order and my bank wire to the factory Monday it would be very nice to receive your order and payment quickly.  Please read your detailed specifications sheets.

 

Sincerely, 

Ron L. Rathbone

865-484-1783 Office

sales@rathboneenergy.com
www.rathboneenergy.com (Detailed Product Information)

www.rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com (Broadcast Batteries and Equipment Only, In detail)
www.rathboneenergy.biz (On-Line Store with On-line Specials)

www.batteriesandcircuits.com (Our attempt at a Blog)

 

There’s a better way – rathboneenergy.com – when cell quality is paramount.
We will send out a broad email with the new address after the renovations are complete and we are active in that building. 

 

The Team at Rathbone Energy

Copyright Rathbone Energy 1991 – 2xxx

 

Current On-Line Specials at rathboneenergy.biz

Rathbone Energy, Inc now has a full Shopping Cart at www.rathboneenergy.biz including "Featured Items" on all of our

• Premium Lines of New Lithium Ion Broadcast Batteries from Rathbone Energy
  • Gold Mount and V Mount Lithium Broadcast Batteries comparable to Anton Bauer Batteries Dionic 90, Anton Bauer Batteries Dionic 160, IDX V Mount Lithium Ion Batteries, and Sony V Mount BP Series Lithium Ion Batteries 
  • Rathbone Energy:
  • Battery Chargers for Lithium Ion Batteries
  • Lighting: Broadcast, Flourscent, Ground, Spotlights, Lamps, more
  • Camera Bags, Covers, Protective Carrying Solutions
  • Broadcast Monitors and Panels
  • Video Lenses and Filters
  • Communications / Radio Batteries
• Premium Lines of Broadcast Battery Rebuilding for all Broadcast and Cinema Batteries including rebuilding Anton Bauer Batteries, Hytron 100, Hytron 120, Hytron 140, Hytron 50, Logic Digital ProPac, Logic ProPac, Standard ProPac, Hytron 50, ComPac, TrimPac, Battery Belts, Cinema Batteries, Film Batteries, Lunch Box Batteries, and dry cell batteries for any industry.  Rathbone Energy has been professionally rebuilding these battery packs since 1989.  See Rathbone Energy Broadcast Batteries for complete details in full disclosure black and white.
• Economy Lines of Broadcast "Sack and Save" Battery Recell / Refill are also listed in full disclosure black and white with no gimmicks on pricing, quality, or avoidance on exactly what you get for the lower price.  Started in early 2008 and stopped in early 2008.  This competitor line of quality was just below us.
• We list everything for our Premium and Economy lines in full disclosure black and white so you do not guess, read between the lines, or find out after you have spent your valuable time and money.  You always get what you pay for.

There’s a better way – rathboneenergy.com when cell quality is paramount

The more you are accurately informed the better you will appreciate rathboneenergy.com professional services, premium products, and 18 consistent years of operation.

rathboneenergy.com

A Full Disclosure Web Site.

 

 Green Since 1989! 

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The Team at Rathbone Energy

Copyright Rathbone Energy 1991 – 2xxx

 

Rebuild Service for Dead Anton Bauer Batteries Hytron 100 Hytron 120 Hytron 140 to 150WH

Why you should choose Rathbone Energy to service your valuable Anton Bauer Batteries and other equipment is in the details.

Rebuild of fine Anton Bauer batteries or other broadcast news, cinema, film or video batteries after they have died is our specialty, including those of defunct companies who frequently close their doors and then open again under the same or another name.  We have a Premium Battery Rebuilding Service and an Economy “Sack and Save” Recell or Refill Service, each listed below in detailed black and white facts.

Also see our post, Rebuilding Hytron 100, Hytron 120, … on this site for important information you need to consider.

First the picture story, followed by a detailed description and “no gimmick” pricing in black and white for our premium service.  Some pictures may be enlarged with a click for a cleaner picture.  Hoover 3 seconds to read picture text information.

Premium Service

 OPENING THE CASE: Original Logic Digital Hytron 100/120 with Glass Fuse.  No amateur opening your case improperly and also butchering your wiring harness then twisting the wires back together.  No band saws and bonding – glue.  Several important but none listed workmanship services are done at this point in our premium service.

           BATTERY INSERT COMPONENTS, CELLS, AND PROFESSIONAL PACKAGING OF OUR PREMIUM SERVICE: The same insert is used in Logic Digital, Original Non-Digital Hytron100/120/140  and Newer Non-Digital Logic Hytron100/120/140.  Digital=LCD Screen; Non-Digital=No LCD screen.  No amateur work here either.  We specify the exact cells used in black and white on the description and invoice.

 WELD SEAM ON A PREMIUM REBUILD: Original Logic Hytron 100/120/140l or Non-Digital after our Professional Welding Seam securing the case and allowing it to be rebuilt over and over.  Amateur’s and fly by night companies use “Bonding” which is glue and tape that will break and also ruins the case.

  Logic Digital Hytron 100/120/140 after closing the case shown with new back plate cover which includes Your logo and phone number and is included in the price.

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: FINAL TEST USED ON OUR PREMIUM REBUILDS: Our professional procedure and price also requires that All Logic ProPac Digital, Non-Digital, and Hytron 100, Hytron 120, and Hytron 140 recells are tested on Anton Bauer 2702′s w/DDM before adding enclosure.  We stand alone in professional quality rebuilding.  As shown below, PAG ACS analyzers supply excellent charge and maintenance to Your units and do not require communication with the internal temperature sensors of AB batteries.  Click to enlarge.

 First picture is one of our Anton Bauer 2702 with DDM testing stations, testing, autocal, and charging different rebuilt Anton Bauer ProPac Logic, Digital ProPac Logic, Hytron 100 Series battery packs to verify proper operation of the completed battery, on the chargers they were designed for, before we place the enclosure back together for our professional welding technique.   This picture is a PAG Pulsar with same type batteries doing a full diagnostic, discharge, charge, balance, and a recovery program, then to a stand by status.

Unlike smart chargers, Cadex and PAG analyzers do NOT require any digital circuitry to analyze and properly charger your batteries.

If your Anton Bauer Interactive chargers no longer recognize particular Anton Bauer Logic or Hytron series batteries the battery inserts may still be good and there is a cost saving resolution.  Call for details.

  For our safety and yours, expedient turn around, and quality work, sales staff are NOT allowed to interrupt technicians in assembly.

PREMIUM REBUILDING PACKAGE of Anton Bauer Batteries Hytron 100 Hytron 120 Hytron 140 to 150WH

• Rebuild Dead Anton Bauer Digital Hytron 100 /120/140 Since 1989!

• Part Number: RE-14ST10AH150R 

• Before deciding, remember, Ni-MH 500 Discharge Cycels. 

• Rathbone 160WH Li-ON, 500 Discharge Cycles for LESS money!

• Hytron Rebuild Description:

  • 14.4V, 10AH, 150.0 WH (1.25V per cell * 12 cells * AH Rating = WH)

  • 12, Panasonic or Sanyo foam positive electrode,

    • nickel metal hydride negative electrode cells,

    • low internal resistance,

    • quick and rapid charge,

    • 500 full charge discharge cycles

  • 2x2x3 configuration,

  • manufacturers brand labeled PVC shrink,

  • heat shrink weld tabs,

  • fiber tube enclosures,

  • fiber top and bottom insulators,

  • many unlisted workmanship details that should not be taken for granted,

  • Safety Precautions.  When only the best will do.

  • The final test is with Anton Bauer Quad 2702 IntelliCharger’s with DDM 

    before shipping back to you.  When only the best will do.

  • Note: If after rebuild, your battery does not pass all the test of an Anton Bauer Interactive 2702 PowerCharger with DDM you will be advised and you are NOT charged for the rebuild.  Your two choices are then:

    • At your request the new insert will be removed and your empty case returned to you.

    • If after being rebuilt your H50 does not pass the test of an Anton Bauer InterActive 2702 with DDM you should know that it will still charge just fine on a PAG Pulsar or Quasar Analyzer and will also continue to work on your cameras.

   

• Last we test each packs voltage through the pin connectors and finally on Anton Bauer Quad 2702 InterActive chargers with the DDM before shipping back to you.  When only the best will do. 

 

 

 

18 Month Pro Rate Warranty  

• Limited Warranty Points including Pro-Rate verses Fix warranties 

• Case Seal

• We are not a start up company!

 

 

We are a real battery assembly company and we assemble your battery inserts using only the best cells available from Sanyo and Panasonic.

Since 1989, 19 consecutive years in Business

The details are in the workmanship, battery cell quality, experience, knowledge, and years of stability in Your industry.

An educated buyer is not in the best interest of most vendors.  

 

(ECONOMY PACKAGE – “Sack and Save” RECELL SERVICE)  started in 2008 and stopped in 2008.  An equivalent to your alternate source that refills.   Chinese, Third World, Toshiba, Energizer, or other Consumer Grade Cells Are Used.   You will not find our name on this one!

 

 

 

BGT-14E95AH148R Logic Digital with LCD

Description: (1.25V * 12 battery cells * 9.5AH = 148WH)

• 14.4V, 9.5AH, 148WH, 12 Name Brand Nickel Metal Hydride, “D” cells, 2x2x3 configuration

  • The Sanyo HR-DU (10AH) battery cells alone used in our premium package cost more than this entire pack.  So, when someone tells you they are using Sanyo cells …

• The insert is tested before installation into your case

• Your case is “bonded” – glued together and is then tested with a volt meter before shipping.

  • Bonding damages the case making the case a one time recell.

• 12 Month “Fix” Warranty

• Limited Warranty Points including Pro-Rate verses Fix warranties

• Battery packs are considered good and useable to 60% of capacity.

• Battery Patch and Fix

• You get what you pay for.

• 50 or more of same units per order call for special quote.

• Amateur Work Examples

• Stable VendoR

Lithium Ion for Broadcast

We Do NOT use third world, brand name low end “economical”, or consumer grade battery cells in our Premium packages.  We are using the very best nickel metal hydride battery cells available, (exceeding industry standards) and High-Tech Plastic Welders.

 

Contact Us Detail  Quick: 865-484-1783

Proudly Serving The Broadcast News Industry Since 1989.

If on an outside chance you have found a battery assembler or a battery pack rebuilder that offers everything we do in: cell selection, building your battery pack, efforts in safety, detailed black and white description sheets backed up by detailed manufacturers battery cell specification sheets, packing slips, and invoices, you have just found the web site and reason why.  rathboneenergy.com, Introducing a Battery Ethics Standard to Our Industry.

The more you are accurately informed the better you will appreciate rathboneenergy.com

The Team at Rathbone Energy

Copyright Rathbone Energy 1991 – 2xxx

 

 

 

 

 

What are a few of the safety precautions used by Rathbone Energy, Inc., in rebuilding my batteries?

Yes

Premium Rebuild Procedure 

1. We clean your battery

2. Open your battery

3. Secure several internal stress points that were not OEM secured

4. Replace particular wires with heavier awg and color code correct wire to prevent potential breakage if not already broken

5. Build a new battery insert for your pack with premium detail specified cells

6. We require that the manufacturers of the individual cells we use to have

   1. The manufacturers PVC shrink tube to be on each cell verifying the cell we use.

7. We enclose each cell stick in a fiber tube for additional cell protection and safety.

8. We add a fish paper insulator cover to the top and the bottom of the battery insert.

9. Do a Charge-Balance-Discharge of that insert using Cadex, Christie, and Pag analyzers

10. Clean the electrical / power contacts of your pack case

11. Insert that tested pack into your case

12. Do another charge-balance-discharge test

    1. If an Anton Bauer Battery the packs MUST pass every test on one of our many Anton Bauer IntelliSeries 2702 chargers with DDM before we ad the enclosure and weld the case back together.

    2. If the packs fail the Anton Bauer test we inspect your boards and wiring harness and repair the problem even though the circuitry is not ours.

13. Seal your case

14. Test the individual Pin connections for proper voltage

15. On Anton Bauer Logic batteries we then place them on Anton Bauer Quad 2702 InterActive chargers  with the DDM module for their last test before shipping back to you.

16. Do 2-3 more charge discharge test to confirm proper operation

17. Ship your new rebuilt batteries back to you. 

Economy “Sack and Save” Procedure.  Our line comparible in quality to Fly by Night and Amateur Rebuilders Lower Priced Items

1. Open your battery

2. A band saw cut is performed to open the case thus allowing for a clean glue “Bonding”.

   1. Bonding is used by amateur competitors and do it yourself catalog readers

   2. Bonding usually prevents the case from being rebuilt again

   3. These people usually chew up the wiring harness while cutting the case open.  We will not.

 

 

 

3. Build a new battery insert for your pack with name brand cells

4. Do a charge of that insert using an analyzer

5. Insert that tested pack into your case

6. Seal your case with a glue called “bonding”.

   1. Bonding usually prevents the case from being recelled in the future

7. Test the individual Pin connections for proper voltage

8. Ship your new recelled batteries back to you. 

9. Amateur Work Examples

10. Stable Vendor

The Team at Rathbone Energy

Copyright Rathbone Energy 1991 – 2xxx

 

Green Since 1989! Recycle your Broadcast batteries through Rathbone Energy

Is Rebuilding My Battery Pack Environmentally Conscious or Cost Effective to Me?

Absolutely! 

1. Environmentally Conscious: Rebuilding your battery is a conscious effort to  fight a throw-away society,  to recycle everything in the battery, and  to be cost effective.  For an idea of the cost effectiveness of rebuilding  look at our “Value” formulas on our Formulas Page and compare our price for  a rebuilt battery to that of a new battery pack.  Save the difference and get a salary increase!  Also, follow Genesis 1:26 and keep Earth friendly and safe for your children and future generations!  Be Responsible!  Be A Great Citizen for yourself, Human!
2. Cost Effective: Rebuilding  high quality battery packs with the best cells available will allow a good battery case and components to be used throughout your career.  A cost conscious professional will avoid any battery that is designed to simply work for two or three year years and then can only be traded in for the same battery at a very expensive cost.    Other questions in this area may be asked via email or telephone.
3. Recycle Anton Bauer
4. We
   • Pay the labor to
     • Cut the shells open for future use
     • Remove the old dead battery insert
     • Discharge any residual charge from the battery insert
     • Cut away the weld tab connectors
     • Slide the battery cells out of any paper tubes
     • Save and reuse the good paper tubes
     • Save and reuse any washers that “SHOULD” have been placed within any battery sticks for the insert
     • Hammer down the sharp nuggets left from pulling away the tabs
     • Wrap the individual cells in zip lock plastic bags, i row per bag, roll up the bag, and place in a box for melt down
     • Ship the raw battery cells to a melt down facility
     • All this cost us money
     • The cost to purchase new paper tubes and washers is comparable to the cost to salvage these but this has always been and will remain to be our procedure
     • We practice recycle and have always been Green.

The Team at Rathbone Energy

Copyright Rathbone Energy 1991 – 2xxx

 

Amateur Battery Recell / Battery Refill Work Examples

Examples of Amateur Work

You get what you pay for.

All of these battery refill, battery recell, battery rebuild companies from Florida to Atlanta, to California, to Massachusetts claim years of experience.  None are battery assemblers, well, one claims to be but their work says different.

    The technician for this known company that built these inserts must have been on drugs.  Chinese cells, no paper tubes, no washers, actually soldered the weld tabs together creating additional voltage drops that will effect the readings of any quality smart charger or analyzer.  You would think they bought one of those, “Make a 6 figure income from home”, do it yourself books for battery refills.

  The case is taped together with clear packing tape, a real Plus, Chinese cells, no paper tubes, no insulator washers, the external band is cut, butchered wiring harness, and more.

  Another plus from your well known franchised corner retail store. The case is taped together, has adhesive caulk inside the case rendering the case useless for repeat recells, Chinese cells, no paper tubes, the external band is cut, no insulator washers, butchered wiring harness, and more.  I guess some consider their work a plus?

   A very well known and respected aftermarket company battery pack.  PVC Shrink and No tubes, split PVC and split solder tab shrink equal a recipe for disaster.

   Bait and Switch.  These people were and may still be in the very Southern tip of the country. Unfortunately for us we did a little business with them in 1994, toxic.  In this recent picture of a battery that came in here for a recell we discovered the following.  The tubes were removed from the OEM cells for recycle use but this vendors practice is to leave the Sanyo label and part number on the tubes even though they are using Chinese cells which leak or low grade brand name cells which have probably been on their shelf for years. They also cut the band which should not be cut, and they cut the case in the wrong position.

   A New England vendor.  the case is cut leaving a gap, the case is only taped together, brand name “High Capacity” low end cells, no paper tubes, no insulator washers,  and more.  They cut the band which should not be cut, and they cut the case in the wrong position.

More to come.  Now for intermission.

 MAKE A 6 FIGURE INCOME FROM HOME WITH MY NEW “HOW TO REBUILD YURE BATTERIES AT HOME” book.  No insulator washers, no paper tubes, a voltage drop at every solder joint, simply held together with pieces of tape. No, this one is not on drugs.  This one, with XX years of experience bought one of those, “Make a 6 figure income from home”, do it yourself books, and now he are a electronic technician with NO battery experience.  Yes, a perfect example of, “Those who cannot do write books” and the dummy’s who buy them. 

Fixing verses a Pro Rate Warranty: I thought “Fixen” was a Southern Term but apparently not.  When it comes to a warranty you should look for a Warranty like with the Rathbone Energy New Lithium Ion V Mount and Gold Mount battery packs or Rathbone Energy Premium Rebuild Battery Pro Rate warranties.  A warranty that will “fix” is fixen to get you!

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Glue – “Bonding”: These cases built by various West Coast Amateur battery recell / battery refill guys use Glue – “Bonding”  which will not hold, ruins the case, and allows No future recell, refill,  or rebuild.

  These amateur “battery recell” or “battery refill” business cases show where they cut the wiring harness, chewed up the wiring harness, “patched” the wiring harness and did that without color coding the harnesses, and use torn pieces of cork and cardboard as insulators where they broke and or cut the wiring harness or where bare cell was exposed.  Poop in a Bag, I mean brick.

The Rathbone Energy facility: There are no fancy buildings or flatulent egos to inflate at Rathbone Energy.  This helps keep our cost down while supplying you the best battery cell inserts.   We keep overhead to a minimum and have modest salaries allowing you the best value on the highest quality cells.  

The staff is small in number but big in heart. 

We talk to people who have purchased cheap or even nonconforming product as a “real deal” or bargain who have then discovered that there is no such thing as a “Free” lunch.  But, you can also overpay for your product. We have heard it said that an educated buyer is good for the company, so we provide the battery value worksheet. 

To help with your purchasing decision, our cell and product specification sheets have been designed in great detail, nothing vague or generalized, backed up  with comparative manufacturers specification sheets.  Please advise us if you find an area where we are not competitive on same product so we may verify, make adjustments and gain your business!  Note: We have no problem with really low price battery competition.  They know their stuff, and so do we.

To guarantee you really receive what you have paid for, your purchase order and our invoice and packing slip will always show exact detail of your specified battery cell to assure no lesser quality than what you have purchased.

If on an outside chance you have found a battery assembler or a battery pack rebuilder that offers everything we do in (Not going to happen): cell selection, building your battery pack, efforts in safety, detailed black and white description sheets backed up by detailed manufacturers battery cell specification sheets, packing slips, and invoices, you have just found the web site and reason why.  rathboneenergy.com

The more you know the more you will appreciate rathboneenergy.com

The Team at Rathbone Energy

Copyright Rathbone Energy 1991 – 2xxx

 

Rebuild / Recell of Dead Quantum Turbo Z Batteries

Using The Sanyo N1900CSR Battery Cell

Rebuild of fine Quantum Turbo Z batteries or other broadcast news, cinema, film or video batteries after they have expired is our specialty, including those of defunct companies who frequently close their doors and later open under the same or a different name.  Rathbone Energy, Exceeding Industry Standards In Battery Cell Packs Since 1989!

 

The Best Rebuild Value for Your dead Quantum Turbo Z Battery is our Best 19wh nickel cadmium battery insert and Rebuild service using Sanyo N1900CSR Durable, High Capacity, Fast Charge Cells. Nothing else in Nickel Cadmium comes close! Rathbone Energy Standards Require Cell Quality First, Cost Second – The Affordable Alternative – Rathbone Energy, An Enterprising Solution, We lead, the rest follow.

 

Description: 10.0V, 1.9AH, 19WH, 8 Saft VRE 1800CS Fast charge, sintered positive electrode, “CSR” cells, 900-1200 full charge discharge cycles, low internal resistance, handles heat best, most durable, 2x1x4 configuration, manufacturers brand labeled pvc shrink, heat shrink weld tabs, new scratch resistant plastic Faceplates with client name and phone number.  The Aaton case has no room to add fiber tubes to the cells.

Battery Cell:  Sanyo Best N1900CSR Sintered Positive Electrode, Fast Charge CS cell, exceeding industry standards. This cell is factored at 1.9AH at C/1 rate. some engineering specification sheets spec Ni-Cd battery cells at 1.25V * 8 cells = 10.0V * 1.9AH = 19WH, with +/- 900-1200 full charge-discharge cycles. For complete cell specifications detail on all major brands and models offered in the market see battery cell specifications.

 

The Team at Rathbone Energy

 

Anton Bauer Hytron 50 Battery Rebuilding

Rebuild of fine Anton Bauer Hytron 50 batteries or other broadcast news, cinema, film or video batteries after they have expired is our specialty, including those from defunct companies who frequently open and close their doors under the same or different names.  Rathbone Energy, Exceeding Industry Standards In Battery Cell Packs Since 1989! 

  Testing Hytron 50 Rebuilds

     Anton Bauer Hytron 50 recelled to 67WH using the Sanyo HR-4/3FAU4500 Ni-MH battery cell. 14.4V 4.5AH 67WH, twelve  Sanyo HR-4/3FAU4500 cells, 2x1x6 nested configuration, manufacturers brand labeled pvc shrink, heat shrink weld tabs, fiber top and bottom insulators, new scratch resistant plastic.  Charge/discharge cycles are 500-700 full charge/discharge cycles.

      If after rebuild your battery does not pass the test of an Anton Bauer Interactive 2702 PowerCharger with DDM you will be advised and you are NOT charged for the recell.  Your three choices are then:

 

1. At your request the new insert will be removed and your empty case returned to you.

2. Purchase a good and used Hytron 50 shell from Rathbone Energy, Inc. at only $50.00 and proceed with the battery rebuild. 

3. If after being rebuilt your Hytron 50 does not pass the test of an Anton Bauer InterActive 2702 with DDM, you should know that it will still charge just fine on a PAG Pulsar or Quasar Analyzer and will also continue to work on your cameras.

   1. You  can purchase one of these PAG analyzers from Rathbone Energy, Inc., at a discount from the PAG price structure.

These inserts and the Rebuild service for your dead Digital Hytron 50 battery packs are direct replacements, exceeding industry standard cell packs. These Inserts or Rebuild Units are built with the specified cells at (@C\1), dT/dt.

Battery Cell: Hytron 50: The Sanyo 4.5AH Fast Charge HR-4/3FAU4500 cell, exceeding industry standards. This cell is factored at 4.5AH at C/1 rate. Some engineering specification sheets spec Ni-MH battery cells at 1.25V * 12 cells = 15.0V * 4.5AH = 67.5WH), with +/- 500-700 full charge-discharge cycles. See battery cell specifications for complete cell detail.

 

The Team at Rathbone Energy

 

 

 

Battery Cell Manufacturer’s Time Impact

Many of our Rathbone Energy product lines use larger “D” and “F” cell nickel cadmium and nickel metal hydride battery cells.

For dry cell lithium ion, dry cell nickel cadmium, dry cell nickel metal hydride, lithium ion, and dry cell lead acid we use only Enersys Hawker, LG Chem, Panasonic, Saft France, and Sanyo battery cells.

Many of our primary industries use battery cell sizes such as “D” and “F” cells.  Today these cells are no longer the main stream of the world wide industry and they are the more expensive cell sizes.

In today’s Economy the above battery cell manufacturers are reluctant to activate large assembly runs of these cells and stock in warehouses inside the United States.  Like everyone else they too have gone to a perpetual inventory system.  But they are more drastic in their measures.

For example:

Panasonic Batteries

Knowing that in 2009 Europe will no longer allow the sales of nickel cadmium products within the Europe, Panasonic has already dropped all larger nickel cadmium battery cells, which are the cells that are more expensive to produce and store.  Panasonic moved all battery sales offices to one location years ago.

Sanyo Batteries

Sanyo has recently closed all US regional sales offices, leaving only one US office in Dallas Texas. 

Saft France Batteries

Saft France likes to take off eight weeks in the winter and does not carry stock in the US during this time.  If you have an outstanding blanket order, tough.

All three have reduced the volume of D and F cell assembly and have reduced the volume shipped into the US.

Remember, no chemical battery cell has an infinite shelf storage life.  Yes, you may get a charge into a battery not of recent manufacture, but, you will most definitely get less performance out of that cell. 

Quality battery cells are always expensive, but the “D” and “F” cell sizes used in many of the industries we support are much more expensive than other cells.

We never trust the age of battery cells available through most authorized value added vendors, (AVAD), for battery cells. We buy Saft direct and are the only stocking SAFT distributor in the US.

In April 2007 we placed, through our normal Sanyo AVAD channel, a small test order of 500 Sanyo N4000DRL cells for a space satellite project.  A quality sensitive order.  The cells that arrived were date coded for January 2001.  We sent them back and have a 16 week lead time for new N4000DRL cells.

Because of our quality standards, the economy, and the new policies of the higher quality battery cell manufacturers we are constantly at the mercy of our selected battery cell manufacturers.

We could purchase lower quality Chinese cells but we are not like everyone else.

Many times turn around is directly related or effected by the new policies of the battery cell manufacturers.  Please appreciate our position on selecting only the best, and our inspection of battery cells we must occasionally purchase through another AVAD.

Cost of Nickel: Battery cells are shipped for melt down and recycle to either of two locations in the USA.  They are melted into 1 ton cubes, placed on rail cars, sent to port, and shipped to China.  China then reprocesses and separates the metals, takes the nickel and produces nickel foil that is then sold to battery cell manufacturing companies.  Since January 2006 to May 2007 China has raised the price of nickel foil from $18K per ton to $57K per ton.  This cost is passed on down to us and then to you.

 

Ron Rathbone

President

 

 

Why battery cells become defective in a battery pack with poor weld connections

     The following Rathbone Energy article provides an explanation to why a group of battery cells, designed in series and formed into a pack, may degrade or be defective in the battery pack when composed with poor connection weld tabs.

     Battery cells are a very fragile component of the final assembled battery insert.  Due to high heat transfer inside the cell causing insulator breakdown the cells cannot be soldered directly onto the post together with wire.   Also the smooth hardened poles on top and bottom of the cell are extremely hard to solder and the extra long time to heat and rough the poles will certainly degrade the cell’s inside insulator to unacceptable levels. Therefore, each cell is welded to another cell using thin tab strips of tin metal connectors. Each connector tab is welded to each pole of the battery cell using a precisely timed and shaped pulse of high current through the connector tab to the surface of the battery electrodes. This creates a permanent, rigid, and highly electrical conductive connection to and from multiple battery cells, forming a complete battery pack insert.

       The final assembled battery pack insert with proper weld connections may now be charged and discharged to its full potential properly without defects. With factory techniques, a properly developed battery pack will become balanced and will attain maximum power delivery in a very short time.  Also when balanced, each cell is working equally together with the other cells to present a smooth current flow and maximum time of power. Average lifetime expectantcy should be around 500 charge – discharge cycles for nickel-cadium (Ni-Cd) press negative battery packs and nickel-metalhydride (Ni-MH) battery packs.

     However, if final assembled battery pack inserts are manufactured with poor or defective weld tab connections, several occurrences will arise.

•  High resistance spots to current flow in the weld tabs will exist, developing to the equivalent of a spark gap. Abnormally high current spikes can jump small gaps and cause a single battery cell in a battery pack to overwork excessively, or a series of spark gaps can cause a small group of battery cells to spike excessive current flow and become overburdened.
• The overburdened cells will cause the battery pack insert to become imbalanced, and cannot be corrected with factory techniques of charging and discharging.
• The imbalanced battery pack cells can no longer work uniformly as a battery pack insert, thus causing a substantial decrease in current flow and total time of power delivery.

     The battery cells in a final assembled battery pack composed with poor weld tabs, will experience constant spikes of current discharge and also constant spikes of charging current from the charging devices and charging systems. The aftermath of constant spikes to and  from the cells will cause the organic insulation between electrodes inside the battery cell to have degraded or deteriorated to null and cause the battery cell to hold a zero volt charge. Even with replacing the degraded battery cells with new ones to the existing battery pack, the process will endure an average of 8 working hours for each pack to analyze, charge, and controlled discharge techniques to properly match the previous cells and the new cells uniformly to create a balanced battery pack insert for the second time around.

The Team at Rathbone Energy