Nickel Iron Batteries

[Karl S]

Best of luck with those.
Because guess what make my batteries are that started having problems just after 3 years and even much more trouble at the 5 year mark.
To make matter worse that manufacturer only provides ridiculous excuses when a problem arises rather than providing support or solution and then offers you to sell you replacement cells. - At regular price of course.
Further to that even if you have the technical skills to potentially repair a faulty cell, they are not willing to sell you any parts for it.

Been involved in solar / off grid technology for for over 30 years and and also installed solar systems for a few years. So knowing what is out there I'm really disappointed with those NiFe batteries.
But having said that I also wouldn't go with LiPo or lithium iron batteries either. To many safety issues and high fire risk.

My next lot of batteries won't be batteries at all, but rather a hydrogen fuel cell system and a hydrogen generator coupled to my solar panels.
--> No wear, no drop in performance, no nasty chemicals or acids. Only basic requirement is access to fresh and clean water.

 

[toms]

The fact that these batteries will outlast me is a major plus to me.

My condolences to your family, so sorry you only have a few years to live.

 

[saggys]

There is a thread at Green Power Talk Forum that is about 9 years old. A member has been using and testing NIFE batteries and offers the most unbiased review of this battery chemistry that I have found. If interested in this battery might be worth reading as this is from an actual user of this battery. Not for everyone, but might be for some.

 

[saggys]

Karl S,
Excellent write up with your experience. How did you source parts for your damaged container (jar)? I also have a damaged jar, -22F took its toll.
For your voltage swings, some users have had luck with capacitor bank in parallel with the battery to offset voltage drop with sudden surge currents on the battery bank. Again, great write up.

 

[Ceefiveceefive]

There is a thread at Green Power Talk Forum that is about 9 years old. A member has been using and testing NIFE batteries and offers the most unbiased review of this battery chemistry that I have found. If interested in this battery might be worth reading as this is from an actual user of this battery. Not for everyone, but might be for some.

Do you have a link to the thread by chance?

I've gone over the pros & cons & think this may be a good choice for me.

 

[saggys]

Nickel Iron batteries tested. - Page 10 - Green Power Talk Forum

Nickel Iron batteries tested. Balance-of-Systems

www.greenpowertalk.org

Hope this works.

 

[Karl S]

@saggys
Thanks for your kind words.
In regards to parts: As mentioned factory wouldn't supply any parts so-
- Casing was plastic welded (Have years of experience with 3D printing and as such understand somewhat how plastic responds to heat and how to work with it.)
- The insulation panels are made of a certain type of plastic which can be sourced from commercial plastic suppliers (large sheet). As it happens I've got a LASER engraver / cutter which I then used to cut exact copies out of that sheet and replaced the damaged ones in the battery cells.

 

[saggys]

Do your cells only have potassium hydroxide or do they also contain lithium hydroxide? Sounds like you can fix almost all problems. Do you have a solution for the pockets that appear to be leaking? You are levels beyond me on this subject, thanks for sharing.
P.S. I just put my 48volt 200 amp hour NIFE system on line today.
I have a 12volt 770 amp hour lead acid system that I have been using as a back up just in case.

 

[Karl S]

@saggys

This is the official mix for my cells:

 

[Karl S]

@saggys

What do you mean by leaking pockets ? Are you referring to the burst open sections on the plates ? - There is no simple fix for those. I suspect plates been pressed with excessively high pressure weakening the material. --> I just pressed them shut in order to prevent further leakage and also to avoid potential shorting across to other plates.

The lithium hydroxide is somewhat of a problem to source in my country. Only available in commercial quantities. (>1 tonne). But I can't see much benefit in using it anyway.
a) It behaves like butter / margarine --> Fatty like spots that sit on the surface of the electrolyte which only fully dissolve during hot days and/or long equalization charges. Once cool the spots return.
b) Thomas Edison wouldn't have had access to this chemical as I understand was only developed decades later. So if his original batteries been working fine without it,....,......

 

[saggys]

Thank you Karl.

 

[saggys]

Yes, that is what I meant, the burst open pockets. Just wondering if they housed nickle flakes?

 

[Karl S]

@saggys

No, they contain some weird type of foam (in my case green in colour). You can see it just on attached photo. (Unfortunately couldn't get it in focus)

 

[OzSolar]

Generally speaking this chemistry has a very high self discharge rate, as in >20% per month. Combine that with one of the lowest charge/discharge efficiencies of any of the chemistries and you have a pretty undesirable battery for most off grid applications.

 

[Substrate]

Guys - get serious - Will's video covers it perfectly here:

He quickly glosses over maintenance. Have you ever done the required electrolyte swaps? Build a swinging jig just to dump / tip those heavy cells over on to your lawn? Kidding - you have to safely dispose of it. Whose gonna' take it?

I mean just that alone - who among us is so hard core that we still even own a hydrometer for lead acid? Nevermind NiFe maintenance as just *one* aspect, because if you don't babysit their performance, you've got a lot of restoration charge cycling to get back to that crappy performance.

Put it this way - it's not a hands-off fuggetabout it technology.

 

[saggys]

You are right, they are not for everyone, if you want a hands off energy storage system, NIFE is not for you. I am migrating from FLA batteries to NIFE batteries and am happy I do not have to worry about battery sulfation any longer. Maybe some day I will try Lithium Ion battery chemistry.

If you read the comments, the actual users of this battery chemistry don't seem to think the cons are as bad as the video points out.

 

[Johneb]

Speaking of the hydrogen these produce. Would it be enough to run a fuel cell ?