Many thanks.
Sorry about the Battery problems-there's a number of inquiries concerning inexpensive Power Supplies over at the DIY EV Forums, and I think a few have borne fruit:
I just received a quotation for LiFePO at 0.35/wh - DIY Electric Car Forums
I finally found a source for large format NI-MH batteries - DIY Electric Car Forums
Hope the E-pod isn't down too long!