Mastodawn

SubArcticTundra Aug 7, 2023

I just wanted to take a minute to appreciate interchangable batteries

I just wanted to take a minute to appreciate interchangable batteries - Lemmy

I know these are currently out of fashion but I’m still thankful they exist. Let’s remind ourselves of devices that use(d) these standardized batteries: * Toys * Digital cameras * Torches * Gadgets like fans * Wireless keyboards * TV remotes Thanks to having a standardized system of batteries, * You can use the same battery across several devices. This is a no brainer but it’s very practical. * Batteries can charge quicker thanks to being put in a dedicated charger and not being limited by USB cables. (But yes I concede that USB has been updated for faster charging over the years) * Devices don’t have down time when their battery is charging. To charge, the battery it removed from the device and can immediately be replaced with a fresh one. * You’ll never have to trash a device due to an expired battery. Just buy a replacement. And building on this… * Any improvements in future battery technology can be retro-fitted into your existing devices. And there is a high incentive for future improvement, because… * An accessible (due to easy replacement) and large (due to many devices) battery market is very competitive. If you look at the pros I listed, they all happen to be things that are very desired in the electric car industry. So I think it would aid the adoption of electric cars if the batteries were standardized in the above way.

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abhibeckert Aug 7, 2023

Those photos you’ve posted are NiMH batteries… which discharge on their own at a fairly rapid rate even if you’re not using them at all. They’re also pretty big and heavy for the amount of power they provide (which, due to the self-discharge issue, is effectively a lot lower than the official number on the battery).

I strongly recommend investing in devices that use 18650 batteries. Those are similar to cell phone/laptop/electric car batteries. It’s worth investing in good brands of battery too - the quality varies significantly from brand to the next.

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Nawor3565 Aug 7, 2023

While all this is true, unfortunately not many devices support swappable 18650s, either they have swappable AA/AAA or have built-in 18650s that would require disassembly to replace. However, if you CAN find a device with swappable 18650s (the only ones I’ve found so far are flashlights) they’re absolutely great!

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SubArcticTundra Aug 7, 2023

Wait, do they not make AA-sized 18650 batteries?

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anlumo Aug 7, 2023

Besides being the wrong size by definition, AA batteries are expected to have 0.8V to 1.5V, while Lithium Ion cells (such as 18650) have a voltage range of 2V to 4.2V. That’s completely incompatible, you couldn’t even replace two AA batteries with a single Li-Ion cell.

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abhibeckert

Most 18650’s don’t go down to 2 volts. They should be considered “flat” at 3.4 volts - going any lower risks damaging the battery (unless you know what chemistry it uses, some can go lower safely).

Allowing a rechargeable AA to get down to 0.8V is also risky, if you go much lower than that you will damage the battery.

An 18650 is essentially the same voltage as three AA’s. And the amount of charge level they store is closer to five or six. The size and weight, on the other hand, is a bit more than one AA.

But the biggest advantage, by far, is a lot of devices can be powered by a single 18650 but would require multiple AA’s to have acceptable battery life (or a high enough voltage). As soon as you have multiple batteries thing start to get really complex. Your batteries will never be at exactly the same charge state and that can potentially damage the battery and the device.