New Procedures for Inspection of Nicad Batterys

[oreana123]

I have some experience with Nicad battery overhaul, ran the shop for a previous airline. Nicads were pulled on a routine basis during a 4 part progressive inspection program. Using the Saft manual as a reference, the point of inspection for fluid level was at the very end of the charging cycle. Once that was accomplished, the cell caps were installed, an airworthiness tag was originated, the battery was closed up, and there was no reason for any other maintenance inspection.
Now there is a battery inspection procedure that AMTs are supposed to follow prior to installation of Nicads in our aircraft. This inspection involves opening each cell and verifying the presence of electrolyte and resealing each cell. WTF? This is a recipe for contamination of the nicad cells, and what can be determined about electrolyte level when the batterys are at room temp and static? I'd like to know who is responsible for this stupid requirement and what were they thinking?

 

[Wiggy]

I have some experience with Nicad battery overhaul, ran the shop for a previous airline. Nicads were pulled on a routine basis during a 4 part progressive inspection program. Using the Saft manual as a reference, the point of inspection for fluid level was at the very end of the charging cycle. Once that was accomplished, the cell caps were installed, an airworthiness tag was originated, the battery was closed up, and there was no reason for any other maintenance inspection.
Now there is a battery inspection procedure that AMTs are supposed to follow prior to installation of Nicads in our aircraft. This inspection involves opening each cell and verifying the presence of electrolyte and resealing each cell. WTF? This is a recipe for contamination of the nicad cells, and what can be determined about electrolyte level when the batterys are at room temp and static? I'd like to know who is responsible for this stupid requirement and what were they thinking?

The same FAA guy that will ding you for using the IPC to sign off something that has no MM. Been doing that for 20 years and now it is unacceptable.
What has happened to this countries aircraft maintenance standards when it is normal to have foreign countries do the majority of U.S. airlines maintenance. This, while Al qaeda looks for any means of sabotaging one of our airliners. If this industry isn't the poster child for American jobs being outsourced, I don't know what is.

 

[airbusfxr]

The FAA busted a battery shop at one of the larger gateways a year ago. This was the addition to the GMM to keep from paying fine. Your right the rules change for UPS but FDX keeps on trucking the old way. Read the AMM there are provisions for not having to check the level plus the type of wire used for the connector. As always read all company supplied documents, call AMC and Tech svs on the fleet you are working on if any questions arise.