16 May
2018
16 May
'18
8:40 p.m.
On Wed, 16 May 2018, joe heck via cctalk wrote:
The Selectric Typewriter Museum has a blurb on the
2000 and calls out a 3
cell lead acid battery pack. A Youtube video that dismantles a 2000 that the
magic smoke came out of also calls out a lead acid battery. The age is around
1985, so I'm not sure NiCd were readily available then. Just too long ago
for me to remember. If you check Youtube, and look for RIP Kaypro, you will
see a machine being taken apart.
NiCd batteries were readily available in 1985.
They were invented around 1900, and were available in USA since about
1946?
HOWEVER, admittedly, their capacity was somewhat inadequate.
Also, their voltage was around 1.25V, when zinc-Carbon and Alkaline
batteries were 1.5V.
Therefore, they were a somewhat unacceptable replacement for disposable
batteries.
Nevertheless, for situations that required rechargeables, where lead-acid
was too heavy, they were available, and widely used. Over half a
century ago, I used electronic flash guns that used NiCd's.
A 1985 NiCd battery pack would not have had a long life even in a Kaypro
2000, and would end up being used mostly for moving it from one mains
outlet to another.
I remember an interview with Lee Felsenstein, in which he was asked how
much a battery power unit for the upcoming Osborne would weigh. He
reponded that the external DC connection was currently for use with a car.
(Lee was driving a Honda Accord).
Perhaps you are thinking of NiMH, which seem to have been around less than
30 years. THOSE were/are way better than NiCd in capacity.
Much more recently, of course, the trend has been to Lithium batteries.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin at xenosoft.com