Anyone have a line on batteries for the NLS portable oscilloscope?

[Roy J. Tellason]

On Wednesday 04 February 2009 01:51:59 pm Ethan Dicks wrote:
> Hi, All,
>
> The topic of replacement batteries came up in the Yahoo Group
> for the RB5X, and someone posted a link for 2 volt 2.5 Amp-hour
> cells (which are apparently used in an older version of the robot
> than mine)...
>
> <http://www.batteryweb.com/hawkersla-detail.cfm?Model=0810-0004&label=singl
>ecell>
>
> I saw the image and immediately thought of my NLS portable oscilloscope.
> I'd love to refurb mine, but $45 in batteries is a little on the high
> side for me.
> Has anyone on the list replaced a set of this sort of battery, and does
> anyone know of a place that stocks them for a bit less?
>
> -ethan

Are we talking about more or less standard gel cells?  The 2V terminal voltage 
would seem to indicate so.

Those are *very* standardized,  in terms of similar sizes being offered by a 
great many different manufacturers.  When I was doing the retail battery 
thing some years back (roughly 1993-5),  we carried PowerSonic and one other 
brand I'm not remembering at the moment,  and the sizes for similar 
capacities was a pretty good match for the Panasonic units listed in the 
Digi-Key catalog.  Folks would come in with all sorts of other units and I 
was usually able to match them up with something that would fit.

I've never seen single cells,  but we did have some 4V units which were only 
two cells.

Capacity in any given size of box seems to gradually increase over time.  I've 
seen 6, 6.5, and 7AH in exactly the same size container,  for example.

Shipping is going to be the worst of it.  I'd find some national chain 
convenient to you (Batteries Plus being an example) and then see if you can 
get them to order what you need,  and it won't cost you for shipping at all.

Feel free to direct any other battery-related questions my way,  if you have 
any.  :-)

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