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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry, It seems to me you have it all down to a
science. Why don’t you make a few of them while you're at it. I'm certain you'll
sell them here in a minute.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Al Guecia</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
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<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
href="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">Farrell</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, May 01, 2008 10:33 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A
title="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org CTRL + Click to follow link"
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: PDA-Based ETDs</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Voltage Depression ("memory") occurs primarily in NiCad batteries
<BR>(nickel-cadmium). NiMH batteries are almost never affected and Li-Ion
<BR>batteries are NEVER affected. I have used numerous NiMH battery packs that I
<BR>have made up extensively on my bicycles for powering lighting systems with
<BR>consistently excellent results. I have tried Li-Ion and have had problems
<BR>with the electronics involved (not to say that Li-Ion is bad, but I've just
<BR>had problems with the technology). I have also used NiCad batteries in the
<BR>distant past - nothing short of a nightmare. NiMH for small packs are about
<BR>the same size as Li-Ion, seem to be bullet-proof, last forever (zillions of
<BR>recharge cycles) and cost half that of Li-Ion.<BR><BR>I already have a 12V
smart battery charger for NiMH, so that won't cost me <BR>anything. And the
voltage indicator, which is only $17 is an add-on - the <BR>other $139 packs
don't have one, so it is an upgrade and not comparable. <BR>Truth be told, I do
also have to incorporate a voltage reducer and current <BR>limiter for proper
charging and that cost me $13. So the pack and <BR>electronics will cost me $26
plus the voltage monitor. Even if I had to buy <BR>the charger, I can get a
smart charger for that pack for $17. No battery <BR>holder needed - the pack
will be a pad for my PDA. So total cost if I had to <BR>buy all the parts -
batteries, charger and needed electronics - would be $13 <BR>+ $13 + $17 = $43
and I chose to upgrade the pack with a battery monitor, so <BR>add $17 for a
total cost of $60.<BR><BR>We're still talking less than 50% the cost of the
other - and I get to have <BR>all the fun of building it! And I do enjoy
building battery packs. It's <BR>kinda like doing key bushings - can't explain
why I enjoy doing them so <BR>much, but I do. So building the pack is just icing
on the cake. The pack <BR>will also likely have a Sitka Spruce panel to hold its
shape!<BR><BR>YMMV.<BR><BR>Terry Farrell<BR><BR>----- Original Message -----
<BR>From: "Don" <<A
href="mailto:pianotuna@accesscomm.ca">pianotuna@accesscomm.ca</A>><BR>>
And the cost of the battery holder, and the cost of the voltage
indicator,<BR>> and the cost of a charger, and what is your labor rate per
hour? Lots more<BR>> than $13.00 I suspect. Plus LI vs Nickle Metal
Hydride--no memory effect <BR>> on<BR>> the LI, but there is for the
Nickle.<BR>><BR>> At 06:08 AM 5/1/2008 -0400, you wrote:<BR>>>Well,
for one, I already ordered batteries to make up an external pack.
<BR>>>The<BR>>>pack I'm making is half the size of the Zap pack (and
half the capacity -<BR>>>but still way plenty, I'm quite sure), and the
batteries only cost $13<BR>>>compared to
$139.<BR>>><BR>>>Terry Farrell <BR><BR><BR></BODY></HTML>