PYE PFX Battery Renovation. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Bewildered · 8th Mar 2023, 11:54 pm

If it interests anyone - have just done a blog about renovating the battery pack with a big of upcycling of old and adding some new.

Yes, you can carefully open the old pack and re-cell it but generally a big mess can be made!

https://www.whizz3dparts.co.uk/whizz...-battery-packs

G6Tanuki · 9th Mar 2023, 3:35 pm

Nice work! I remember the hassle of cracking-open the NiCd battery-packs for the Pye PF2 and PF5 radios from the 70s to get to the DEAC cells inside. One organisation to my knowledge actually made-ip a machine for clamping these and with a guide and screw-feed handwheel for the blade to split them along the join.

CambridgeWorks · 9th Mar 2023, 4:41 pm

About 40 years ago, holding a couple of croc clips onto a PF2 hattery and giving it a quick boost from my bench psu, it blew the lid off. Hurt my hand as well. Foolish things we did!
Rob

sentinel040 · 9th Mar 2023, 8:40 pm

Thank you!

Ian

Jon_G4MDC · 9th Mar 2023, 9:32 pm

Not many PFX batteries are still any good.

They lasted better than the DEAC Mae Wests for the PF70 series all the same.

P5000 were also bad. Here is a homebrew pack made from Maplin NiMh cells and the charging dolly it needed. Maybe I still have it?

An effort at restuffing a PFX one also. Gaffa tape is your friend.

8th Mar 2023, 11:54 pm	#1
Bewildered Diode Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9	PYE PFX Battery Renovation. If it interests anyone - have just done a blog about renovating the battery pack with a big of upcycling of old and adding some new. Yes, you can carefully open the old pack and re-cell it but generally a big mess can be made! https://www.whizz3dparts.co.uk/whizz...-battery-packs

9th Mar 2023, 3:35 pm	#2
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 13,996	Re: PYE PFX Battery Renovation. Nice work! I remember the hassle of cracking-open the NiCd battery-packs for the Pye PF2 and PF5 radios from the 70s to get to the DEAC cells inside. One organisation to my knowledge actually made-ip a machine for clamping these and with a guide and screw-feed handwheel for the blade to split them along the join. __________________ I'm the Operator of my Pocket Calculator. -Kraftwerk.

9th Mar 2023, 4:41 pm	#3
CambridgeWorks Nonode Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Spalding, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 2,858	Re: PYE PFX Battery Renovation. About 40 years ago, holding a couple of croc clips onto a PF2 hattery and giving it a quick boost from my bench psu, it blew the lid off. Hurt my hand as well. Foolish things we did! Rob __________________ Apprehension creeping like a tube train up your spine - Cymbaline. Film More soundtrack - Pink Floyd

9th Mar 2023, 8:40 pm	#4
sentinel040 Hexode Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Near Lichfield, Staffordshire, UK, most of the time and Crystal Palace, S London, some of the time.. Posts: 330	Re: PYE PFX Battery Renovation. Thank you! Ian

9th Mar 2023, 9:32 pm	#5
Jon_G4MDC Nonode Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 2,015	Re: PYE PFX Battery Renovation. Not many PFX batteries are still any good. They lasted better than the DEAC Mae Wests for the PF70 series all the same. P5000 were also bad. Here is a homebrew pack made from Maplin NiMh cells and the charging dolly it needed. Maybe I still have it? An effort at restuffing a PFX one also. Gaffa tape is your friend. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Jon_G4MDC; 9th Mar 2023 at 9:52 pm.