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Reply With QuoteDoes this mean we cannot use these cells or that we need to be careful when using these batch numbers?
Updated news regarding NiMH 4200 cell faults.
The Intellect Battery Co. have now supplied the following cell Batch No's., which may contain cells that could explode when subjected to ‘race type’ conditions :-
ARAET, AZCWT, BNCWT, BNDST, BRAET, BZAWT.
We must stress that the Batch No's. detailed have been compiled only from returns by European customers to Intellect. There may be other batches that we have not yet been notified of. (So, do not assume that if a Batch No. is not detailed above, that it does not have any problem cells within it). Some EU drivers obtain cells directly from USA, etc. and it is possible that batches outside the EU could also be affected which have not been notified to us.
Intellect supply the same cell in 'Customer designed shrink'. Intellect has not confirmed if the same Batch Codes are used on these versions of cells. Most of the reports that have been received appear to be relating to cells in the Intellect shrink. Hopefully the above information will cover most of the problems.
This info kindly provided by Paul Worsley - BRCA Electric Board
Does this mean we cannot use these cells or that we need to be careful when using these batch numbers?
Be Extremely careful with them.
Any day above ground is a good day.
After seeing one catch fire and explode at Don Valley Sunday (first time I've seen/heard one go) I'm ditching all my IB's and sticking with EP, just not worth the risk in my opinion.
Can someone tell us where to find the batch number? Fine toothcomb deployed on all my IBs, but haven't found a marking resembling the guidance above. Thanks.
It's all very well ditching the IBs, but that doesn't give you any licence to go ape with EPs. Taking the EB advice whatever the make of NiMh cell would be prudent, and reduce whatever the risks really are. HTH
'PJ' Winton
Pete - it is there, on all of mine it's nicely under matching label.
It's just under the "42" of the large 4200, toward the positive end of the cell. It's black writing, on a fairly dark blue background.
Matthew White - Schumacher Racing, V-Dezign.
Question, if IB are aware should we not send our cells back to them ?
The pack that went up on sunday was due to the charger and not the cells.Originally Posted by spannersatcx
by the way the cells wernt one of the batch codes that have had problems in the above post.
What exactly happened on Sunday? Can you give more info so we know what went wrong?
When you say the charger. Do you mean the dickhead who set a device to charge at over the recommended charge rate. Because that's who is the charger. The thing putting in the charge is just a device being used by the charger.
Last edited by spmcc; 19-11-2007 at 10:27 PM.
Jon Guest - www.spmcc.org.uk
GOM and now a TOG and proud of it
Matt, thanks, also had a PM giving the same information. On cells with the original IB label, I found the batch code. However...
On my other cells, there is no batch code; they have the distributor's heat shrink. I peeled off the matcher's label in my search, and found a panel with some instructions on it. Amongst the points about not connecting them backwards and using a specific charger, and not incinerating or short-circuiting them... I found a line that reads "Do not... ...solder to battery directly."
I appreciate this advances the knowledge of these incidents not one jot, and I am not trying to shift blame away from anyone (least of all me) who ignores the instructions given - I agree with Jon, the charger/cell-carer is the person setting the devices, not the devices. But when so many people are asking where to get advice from, it doesn't seem to smart to me to cover the advice with a very official-looking label that hides the pertinent points.
'PJ' Winton
Batch code is to the right of the Recycle sign underneath all the writing.
Any day above ground is a good day.
