Updated news regarding NiMH 4200 cell faults.

[Rob Fitzgerald]

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

[mark barord]

Does this mean we cannot use these cells or that we need to be careful when using these batch numbers?

[Mike Haswell]

Be Extremely careful with them.

[spannersatcx]

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.

[PDW]

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

[sion wedley]

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.

The pack that went up on sunday was due to the charger and not the cells.
by the way the cells wernt one of the batch codes that have had problems in the above post.

[David Allen]

The pack that went up on sunday was due to the charger and not the cells.

What exactly happened on Sunday? Can you give more info so we know what went wrong?

[sion wedley]

What exactly happened on Sunday? Can you give more info so we know what went wrong?

the cells were being charged on a pro track charger, the 20amp version ver 10. something i think???

the cells had been charged up the day before and getting re-peaked for the race at 5.5amp with 3mv delta peak

iv been told that the mah had gone over 1500mah and the cells started to vent, obviously the charger hadnt detected the peak voltage and carried on charging regardless

the cells were took off charge at this point and placed on the steps at the side of the pitting area just in case anything happend

then one of the cells went BANG!!!

[learnerdriver]

the cells were being charged on a pro track charger, the 20amp version ver 10. something i think???

the cells had been charged up the day before and getting re-peaked for the race at 5.5amp with 3mv delta peak

iv been told that the mah had gone over 1500mah and the cells started to vent, obviously the charger hadnt detected the peak voltage and carried on charging regardless

the cells were took off charge at this point and placed on the steps at the side of the pitting area just in case anything happend

then one of the cells went BANG!!!

Note
1. the cells were being re peaked
2. the cells were being charged at more than 1C

[Mark Christopher]

the cells were being charged on a pro track charger, the 20amp version ver 10. something i think???

the cells had been charged up the day before and getting re-peaked for the race at 5.5amp with 3mv delta peak

iv been told that the mah had gone over 1500mah and the cells started to vent, obviously the charger hadnt detected the peak voltage and carried on charging regardless

the cells were took off charge at this point and placed on the steps at the side of the pitting area just in case anything happend

then one of the cells went BANG!!!

no they went BANG!

[spmcc]

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.

[PDW]

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.