Anyone knows how to cast zirconium-alloy fuel rods? Asking for a friend

[WoodsieLord]

I was curious enough to go search LiFePO4 batteries at my "local ebay" (we don't have ebay here, but this site).


u$d 1 =~ ar$ 61

That means, each one of those 12V 100Ah batteries cost u$d 1565. Next time you're sizing your battery bank... make the math of the investment you should face if you were to live in argentina.
I might buy a shovel and start gathering some uranium on my own. But I'm gonna need a bit of help with the zirconium rods (and the heavy water).
Just kidding. But I'm thinking about learning how to build my own lead acid batteries..

 

[Wiley]

I feel your pain. I've looked around myself and it would appear that you are going to have to source the parts from a country with an emerging economy, a place where things are still done in the old ways. Not too many years back I was quite into letterpress printing. Basically dead save for an artsy "aren't we cool" group here in the US but one could still purchase a new open press (clone of a C&P) in India.
A source I found for lead acid plates was :

Lead Acid Battery Plates

Prime Batteries - Offering Prime Lead Acid Battery Plates at Rs 152/pair in Delhi, Delhi. Read about company. Get contact details and address | ID: 16491766497

www.indiamart.com

Of course besides the problem of shipping weight you will have to design your whole battery around what is available in the way of plates. As you know batteries are designed differently for different applications so finding plates for deep cycle applications might be a real headache. On top of all that there are serious issues with theft in India. Back to the printing for a moment, several of us went in together to place an order large enough to make the process worthwhile. One had to hire a guard to stay with the shipment from factory until it was aboard the ship. Pilferage was/is rampant. This is a world wide problem so don't think I am just picking on India...I sent a jar of marmalade to a friend in Cairo. He got the jar but someone along the way ate the marmalade! And that was under Mubarak when things were safe and stable.

On a more positive note: You may have some luck looking for a local battery supply shop. A big city shop will only have modern batteries but they might have leads as to where in a more rural community you might find a shop that still has the know how and parts. Here in the US everybody freaks out when someone even mentions lead. About ten years ago local hysteria shut down an old guy that lived nearby who was rebuilding tar tops for the antique auto people. Sad that I didn't get over to see his operation before he was shut down...and he has since died. Now when one looks for tar top batteries one get a "clip on look a like" that snaps over the maintenance free battery.
Good luck
Wiley