On Mon, 19 Feb 2018 22:52:30 -0800, John Robertson
wrote:

On 2018/02/19 5:19 PM, wrote:
On Mon, 19 Feb 2018 17:03:30 -0800, John Robertson
wrote:

I've had 100's of NiCad/NiCd batteries leak on our pinball game boards
since the 1970s. I stored these leakers for many years in a couple of
milk crates (didn't want to simply toss in garbage) until the recycling

Just curious. It sounds like you repair pinball machines. Aside from
playing them when I was a kid, I know little about them. But I did once
see one taken apart, and it appeared to be little more than a
complicated bunch of relays and lights. And they operated from a wall
outlet. I kind of think there was a power transformer inside, so I
assume those relays and lights were low voltage. (probably 6 or 12V).

So, why are there batteries inside of them?


Batteries are used to keep book-keeping information - number of games
played, number of coins, replay levels, game adjustable features, etc.
The most common chip used at first was the 5101 256x4 CMOS RAM, needed
roughly 2VDC to maintain and usually a 3.6VDC Ni-Cad battery was
installed to keep that device charged.

Those must be newer pinball games. That open one I saw was probably
1950s era. I suppose they now have more computer circuits. Since you
mentioned CMOS RAM, I see that is true. Now I learned something new

I didn't toss these batteries as I didn't want to pollute the garbage
with them and kept them under my bench in a milk crate (had two crates
filled over 20 years - they didn't leak enough to make any sort of mess
or odor) and in the last few years recycling got to the point where they
would take old batteries at no charge so we could finally safely dispose
of them - I assumed safely, but not so sure now that I hear about all
the recycling done in 3rd world countries...

John :-#(#

Yea, I know what you mean about the 3rd world recycling. Once again, the
government is showing their stupidity. In my area, Goodwill stores can
no longer sell computers or computer parts. I run older computers with
PS2 mice and keyboards. I also prefer the old ball mice. My mouse died
and I went to Goodwill to buy a new *used* mouse. I was told they are
not allowed to sell any computer stuff anymore. It all must go to the
state's computer recycling program. I said "but you should still be able
to sell a mouse or keyboard". I was told they have no way to test them.
(As if it's difficult to plug them into an old computer and see if they
work. (Plus half the other electrical stuff they sell is broken anyhow).

It would seem to me that the best way to recycle things like that is to
sell then to people who can reuse them, but when it comes to the govt.
nothing they do makes much sense.

(I found a seller on ebay who was selling the old PS2 ball mice NOS for
$5.50. I bought one and it was identical to my old one that died, so I
bought a couple more. That's the kind of mouse I like, and I can use
them on a newer computer too, with a PS2 to USB adaptor (which I also
have).