How to dissasemble then reassemble odd forklift type batteries?

Got a "deal" on eight of these used 8 volt batteries. http://www.amertekspt.com/proddetail.php?prod=4LMS-450 Each battery weighs 270 pounds. Four 2 volt cells with 25 plates/cell...so they are a hybrid starter/traction type battery. Each cell weighs about 60 pounds. Very expensive when new at over $1100 per 270 pound battery.
I have 32 two volt cells. 25 cells show 1.9 volts(when warm) or better. Seven cells are bad...S.G. is water and voltage runs from 1.7 - .5. I think there is a good chance that cells showing less than 1 volt are shorted out and a safety hazard. There are three such cells. Thus explaining why the user had to replace them. Did they have to replace them all? Good question.
The cases are made of durable plastic and each cell has four lugs instead of two. Separating 2 volt cells from the 8 volt battery looks like a daunting chore. On my side: I can probably lift 200 pounds if need be.
Have a big, strong engine hoist
Have an old, hard to start forklift
All I have is time.
http://www.amertekspt.com/proddetail.php?prod=4LMS-450
I'd say more but lengthy posts tend to get overlooked in my experience. Like...re-assembly as 2 volt cells. Use 1/0 or 2/0 or flattened 1" copper pipe?
I have 32 two volt cells. 25 cells show 1.9 volts(when warm) or better. Seven cells are bad...S.G. is water and voltage runs from 1.7 - .5. I think there is a good chance that cells showing less than 1 volt are shorted out and a safety hazard. There are three such cells. Thus explaining why the user had to replace them. Did they have to replace them all? Good question.
The cases are made of durable plastic and each cell has four lugs instead of two. Separating 2 volt cells from the 8 volt battery looks like a daunting chore. On my side: I can probably lift 200 pounds if need be.
Have a big, strong engine hoist
Have an old, hard to start forklift
All I have is time.
http://www.amertekspt.com/proddetail.php?prod=4LMS-450
I'd say more but lengthy posts tend to get overlooked in my experience. Like...re-assembly as 2 volt cells. Use 1/0 or 2/0 or flattened 1" copper pipe?
First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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There are a lot of other videos on how to change cells in forklift batteries if you follow the youtube link above.
Member John P measured up some 10 foot lengths of various sizes/types of copper pipe for resistance... You can compare those to the resistance of copper cable and get a rough equavalence:
http://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/comment/108378#Comment_108378
http://www.interfacebus.com/AWG-table-of-different-wire-gauge-resistance.html
-Bill
A big one is a nuclear fall-out shelter if [... we do not really go into politics here. -Bill B. moderator].
Looked like they used "lead sticks" to fill the lead back in with a propane torch. The video is good but speaking in Chinese did not help. Wonder what those "lead sticks" are called.
Here is a fascinating chart of the electrical conductivity of various metals. Many surprises in there. Lead is only 7% conductive....for example. That is why good solder was called "silver solder". I doubt there is much silver in the vast majority of readily available solders. Silver is 105% conductive....rated as the best....even better than copper.
http://www.kp44.org/electric/ElectricalConductivityOfMaterials.php
I always find it odd how alloys can have low conductivity. For example, 70% copper might have 5% of the conductivity of pure copper.
I am available for custom hardware/firmware development
http://btsolders.com/P_stick.htm
If you cannot get that, then tin lead solder (correct typo) sticks used for body repair should work OK:
http://www.eastwood.com/body-soldering-sticks-10-pack.html
Tin/Lead solder has a lower melting point vs pure lead... I would want my "solder" to melt at a lower temperature than the posts (so that they do not melt down into the inside of the battery cell). Although, one You Tube I found did have them melting the posts of a new cell first, then adding solder on a second/third pass.
I did not see anyone using any type of flux--If you do, try to use a non-corrosive flux (avoid some "plumbing" type fluxes--Use flux made for electrical connections). (maybe using corrosive flux is not going to make much difference on a flooded cell lead acid battery with all of the electrolyte around--But I would try to use non-corrosive flux).
-Bill
So far so good.
Be very careful if you try to solder the post with a torch, make sure of no charge or discharge beforehand and fan out the cell adequately.
-Bill
I did luck out and find a pound of 63% tin and and 37% lead by a name brand. Last pound they had.
Tin is 15% conductive. Lead is 7% conductive.
Thanks for the advice from all concerned.
BTW.....flattened 3/4" copper pipe is the "cats meow" for connections with excellent conductivity. Beats even the big cables with the needed lugs pretty soundly. 1" copper pipe gets pretty expensive.
https://rotometals.com/solder/
-Bill
Silver is the best electrical conductor simple metal. It's also a great thermal conductor.
I think copper is next best in both categorys (diamond is best thermal conductor)
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I know a 10-24 works at 6 in lbs. So make sure it NC...
You need to leave the drill bit in the center of the hole saw and drill in a rotating circular motion. This allows the debris to remove itself and allows needed clearance for re-assembly. Measure the thickness of the connective lugs and place tape on the hole saw bit so that you drill to the proper distance. My lugs are ~.520 thick for example.
An 8 amp drill worked considerably better than an ~ 5.5 amp drill. Takes a very good hole saw ~ 1 1/8".
Making a corner cell substitute for an in-line cell is pretty easy to do. Just stare at it for a minute and the solution will come to you. My cells have four connective bars instead of two which creates significant work.
The new cell was bubbling within minutes of connectivity. Bad cells do not bubble so I think I did OK. We'll know tomorrow.
You will need a lot of odds and ends like pry bars and files and hammers. Have a decent assortment of tools handy.
On a scale of 1-10, I would rate the difficulty of this chore at an ~7. Of course this means nothing at all except to let the reader know that this is not an exceptionally easy thing to do after everything is considered.
Wear eye protection.
Best I can suggest is to go back to your battery supplier and see if they can get cells (from the original battery manufacturer)... I don't know how standardized the cells are (if there is any standardization).
-Bill