My new battery parts have finally arrived from Shanghai. Now I shall have to screw up enough courage to take screw driver and soldering iron to Rollei parts and install them myself. Somehow it seems almost sacreilig to tinker with Rollei things myself. I am not trained for this. These are things made by the great Rollei. How badly can I screw them up? To whom can I turn if I do? Surely, however, turning all other cares aside the batteries do need new insides, no longer holding a charge. So the work must be done and I a, Navy trained Electronics Technician of 26 years experience would be the one to do this work. Buck up, Old Man, you who have worked on Nuclear Weapons and high powered radars, you are the one to do this labor! Do this for analog photography! It needs your skill and steel. Be brave! I shall!!!
Logan

More to follow.......

If you manage to screw them up, then you should stop doing any manual work
The batteries open up quite easily if you have the matching screwdriver, and the soldering requires no wizardry i guess. (I opened up one of my batteries to give the single cells some high current threatment, got them back to nearly 500 mAh)

What replacement cells are you using? And what charger?

I got the cells already welded together (rather nicely, too with wires) in green plastic. Came from Hong Kong. I bought them off eBay for $39.95. Seemed Ok to me since I have no way to weld them together, so OK. I think they are 2.15 volt cells. My charger stable seems to consist of mostly type "N" chargers. The very small bits of information I have collected about these cells is that the N chargers are to work with these cells. I truly hope so. If not, I will find something that does. Asheville NC is not susch a good place to locate such things, but Charlotte may be.... we'll, won;t we? thanks.... I can do the soldering... no problemo.... 26 years as a Navy ET should do me just about right I think!
Logan

Finally, success with the battery wars. But, alas it turns out my 6006 seems to be todt.... some of my wails about the batteries must have been due to the dead 6006. No2w the 6008 worksw fine with the repaired battery and I have orderd another pack to replace my sole remaining Nicad battery. Then I should be in good shape for batteries for a good long while. Thanks for the comiseration and support.
Logan

I thought B&H is still selling brand new batteries. Of course more expensive than replacing the cells.

B&H says they are but have been out of stock for a very long time. I am on the waiting list but so far have heard nothing from them. The cost is quite high also, about $195 for a battery! I will buy one, when such becomes available, if it does, but until then I will use the repaired ones which so far seem to be doing the job quite well.
Logan

I checked just the other day and B&H does seem to have the batteries for $169.00. Better grab them while they are there. I'm all fixed with my NiMH batteries now.
Logan

I've just rebuild a 6000 battery pack from scratch. I had read prior to ordering new cells that the size is critical to getting the new battery pack into the metal container and believe me it's 100% true. I measured the old cells with a digital micrometer and went shopping from there. I opted for 1500 mah NiMh cells and couldn't be happier. Purchased a 'smart charger' and charge at a low rate to keep the heat down. It proved a fun little project.

True, I bought cells which fit. But the connecting leads (not the spot welded flat interconnects) were soldered on top with plenty of solder. Had to undo that and solder flat.

Next time I'll order a pack (I have three batteries left to rebuild) I'll ask if they can make the external connections like the internal ones.

lantau said:

True, I bought cells which fit. But the connecting leads (not the spot welded flat interconnects) were soldered on top with plenty of solder. Had to undo that and solder flat.

Next time I'll order a pack (I have three batteries left to rebuild) I'll ask if they can make the external connections like the internal ones.

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I hear you. I actually purchased a battery tab welder and still managed to come out ahead financially even with the price of the eight new cells. I'm now planning on rebuilding some electric torque wrench battery packs.