Vintage Radio storage question(s)
 

Hi,
We're preparing to move and have a question regarding the storage of my old radios. I know over time damage can occur if the transmitter batteries remain installed and connected. I won't be fooling with any of this for 6-8 months, so I want to make sure nothing is damaged. Should I remove the transmitter batteries completely, or should they just be disconnected and left in the transmitters?
The unit I'm most concerned with is a working 10 channel Orbit reed set.
Thanks for your feedback,
Kevin

You can leave any decent NiCad batteries in the transmitter. Take them out if they are cheap ones. You can not leave NiCad’s dormant for any length of time because they will lose their capacity and become useless. To keep them healthy they should be cycled at least once a month if you are not using them. If they lose more than 20% of their original capacity or they are approaching three years old it is always a good idea to replace them. As usual, you can do it this way or replace your model whichever comes first. Dan.

All the above is good stuff, and I have found that after 7 years, they definitely begin to become a risk factor as far as leakage is concerned. The safe bet is to unplug them so that the battery wiring to the switch is protected from electrolyte leaking and wicking up the strands of the wires and ruining the battery plug and on/off switch. Nicads that are left dead and sit for extended periods (years) tend to leak sooner than ones that are periodically charged.

I always put my NiCads in a plastic bag sealed with a twist tie so if they do leak, it's contained, and I leave them unplugged. If your radios are going to be stored in a non climate controlled condition, for any length of time over a year, it's best to remove the batteries from inside the case. Most vintage radios have battery damage issues. Much of the repair and restoration work I do to vintage transmitters and receivers has to do with the damage caused by leaking batteries; they corrode traces, cases, ruin the stick pots and adjustment pots, corrode the wiring and switches and components on the board as well. This is also true of dry cell batteries, in fact, all batteries do, and will leak eventually.

Here is the real problem:
You think you will only have them stored for say a set period, maybe a year. But in my experience, that sometimes does not happen, then it gets buried or misplaced, or heaven forbid you die, and ten years later it finally gets opened up and the damage is done, so what to do?

IF IN DOUBT, TAKE THEM OUT! learned the hard way by yours truly.