Re: [ARSCLIST] Edison Battery was Battery Oil

[Lou Houck <louh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am shocked....shocked!

Lou Houck
Rollin' Recording


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steven Smolian" <smolians@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 9:13 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Edison Battery was Battery Oil


> I read a book within the last two years (can't recall thie title) on the 
> history of enegy monopolies going back to English kings control of the 
> forests.
>
> The chapters on batteries showed how they were the Enron scam of their 
> day, eerily similar.  In an unregulated market, "storage batteries" became 
> as manipulated a stock as thoise of the transcontinental railroads had 
> been earlier.  .  As I recall, the storage batteries were first French- 
> it's been a while and I loaned the book out. Can't check.  At any rate, it 
> was clear this wasn't an Edison "first."  The Edison battery's subsequent 
> history was linked to Ford's attempt at an electric car in competition 
> with the petrolium interests.  On the eve of an important test there was a 
> fire at the Edison factory which may have been deliberately set.  Some 
> otherwise learned testers suddenly seeemed obtuse, not charging batteries 
> before testing, etc.  This was a Wall Street battle with players of 
> various scrupulocities.
>
> Steve Smolian
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Richard L. Hess" <arclists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 9:59 PM
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Edison Battery Oil
>
>
> > At 09:26 PM 2008-03-31, Lou Houck wrote:
> > > Being a RR fan  (records and railroads), I have a few of these bottles.
> > > I understand they actually contained battery acid to replenish wet cells
> > > that used to power railroad signals.  I believe they actually inscribed
> > > "battery oil" but if you pour oil in a battery you ruin the electrolytic 
> > > process.
> > > I have a couple of other bottles that have the same shape, but are not
> > > "Edison".  I'll have to dig them out to see who took over.
> >
> > Some interesting items relating to this:
> > http://www.nps.gov/archive/edis/edisonia/articles/batteryoil.htm
> > http://www.ieee-virtual-museum.org/collection/tech.php?id=2345874&lid=1
> > http://www.designfax.net/archives/0401/0401yr.asp
> >
> > While Edison may have invented different cell types, the nickel-iron cell 
> > was his widely used battery. It is a cousin to the nickel-cadmium 
> > battery. Interestingly, a European company (now part of Saft, I think) 
> > was called NIFE batteries and made mostly nickel-cadmium batteries. But 
> > look at it NiFe - nickel-iron - Edison's cell. And now, in the third 
> > link, some people are reviving it.
> >
> > I think the use of "primary" battery at the Edison site is a misnomer 
> > unless there is a non-rechargeable battery they are referring to -- 
> > or I'm confused.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Richard
> >
> >
> >
> > Richard L. Hess                   email: richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Aurora, Ontario, Canada       (905) 713 6733     1-877-TAPE-FIX
> > Detailed contact information: http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
> > Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.
>
>
>
> --
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> Date: 3/31/2008 6:21 PM