Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ode to the AA Battery

jeffgeerling.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

171–180 of 181 posts

Re: Ode to the AA Battery

#171

Post by geerlingguy »

timc3 wrote: post #110
embedding-shape wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Looking back, tossing it was a huge mistake. On the other hand, being afraid of ending up with similar feelings like you, I keep stuff. So I sit here in a room where I'm probably one or two arms-length away from VGA and DVI cables and other relics, "just in case".

If it makes you feel any better I’ve had to buy back cables that I have thrown away because I hadn’t used them for 15 years - and then found a project where I need DB9, SCSI, FireWire 800, Component to VGA converter or some relic. Another reason they call me the cable guy at home ( though mainly because I probably have at least 800 cables in my studio )

Latest for me was the ill-fated "mini VGA" cable Apple used on like 2 iBooks and the original Xserves... I couldn't find one when I needed it. But now I have like 8 of them, which I got in a box of random old Mac stuff recently!

Re: Ode to the AA Battery

#172

Post by bahmboo »

mrguyorama wrote: post #130
bahmboo wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would be bad. The reality is that government can't micromanage technology. We could be in an alternate universe stuck with NiCad battery packs and 6v lantern batteries because the laws weren't kept up to date - particularly because the NiCad manufacturers and lantern battery manufacturers dumped money on politicians to cement their position. I think the most I could get on board with was the mandating of USB C b…

Government "micromanaging" technology is why you can actually plug things into the phone network. Things like modems. For the internet. Before the government slapped AT&T, you leased the phone and it was wired into the wall and they could take you to court for connecting anything "unauthorized" into the wall. It's also why PC compatibles ever happened at all. It's also why Apple phones finally have a standard port. W…

You are conflating so many things. I was speaking about the "government" (there are hundreds and hundreds if not thousands of them) regulating battery standards for power tools - you address none of that. Yes I made a broad statement about government micromanaging which I stick by even as a staunch pro-regulation power to the people type of person.

Even if the EU (a specific government entity) hadn't stepped in over the USB C thing it would have been figured out eventually we just didn't want to wait.

I don't see how you can use AT&T as an example for your point. AT&T was our US government forcing us under threat of state violence to use what technology they deemed was allowed.

Re: Ode to the AA Battery

#173

Post by [deleted] »

bahmboo wrote: post #126
brikym wrote: post #88

Some government needs to force some standards. Power tools are the worst. Each company is trying to create a network effect and it's anticompetitive.

That would be bad. The reality is that government can't micromanage technology. We could be in an alternate universe stuck with NiCad battery packs and 6v lantern batteries because the laws weren't kept up to date - particularly because the NiCad manufacturers and lantern battery manufacturers dumped money on politicians to cement their position. I think the most I could get on board with was the mandating of USB C b…

[deleted]

Re: Ode to the AA Battery

#175

Post by kalleboo »

russdill wrote: post #111
nickcw wrote: post #93

Eneloops are fantastic. I've been using them for 10 years. They have very low self discharge so you can keep them on the shelf for a year and they will still have 70% charge which is very different to most rechargeable batteries. They don't leak unlike alkaline batteries and you can run them to 0% charge without damaging them unlike Lion batteries. The terminal voltage is only 1.2v so there is the occasional thing th…

I have a mix of eneloops and Amazon Basics, they seem pretty equivalent

Up until 2-3 years ago, the Amazon Basics NiMHs were just rebranded Eneloops.

Any new "Made in Japan" NiMH cell is an Eneloop since that's the only NiMH factory left in Japan. E.g. IKEA's LADDA are still Eneloop.

Re: Ode to the AA Battery

#176

Post by kalleboo »

jonpurdy wrote: post #27
dragontamer wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not the reason. Alkaline batteries only have 1.5V for a short time. In practice, toys are designed to opeerate off of 1V to 1.5V, because Alkalines vary _wildly_ in voltage during use. NiMH at 1.2V _STAYS_ at 1.2V, even when drawing 1Amp or more (under these conditions, Alkaline would have long dropped below 1V). EDIT: This is also a problem because "nicer toys" will measure the voltage assuming an Alkaline is…

I had an issue with the original Apple Magic Mouse that would not work correctly with NiMH batteries but work fine with disposable AA. The mouse would be fine for a few days then randomly stop working; using fresh NiMH would revive it again. I assumed it was due to 1.2v vs 1.5v but perhaps that particular mouse (or all Magic Mice) was just bad.

Apple sold their own NiMHs (actually rebadged Eneloops) along with their own AA charger to go along with the Magic Keyboard/Mouse, so my bet would be on a faulty device. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Battery_Charger

Re: Ode to the AA Battery

#177

Post by oskarkk »

eisa01 wrote: post #77
oskarkk wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't used them, but IIRC they maintain a constant voltage until they're discharged, when it instantly drops to 0. That may be a problem, because if your device has any battery indicator, it will show the battery as full until the end. Nothing will tell you that you need to replace the battery before the device powers off. That's why I decided not to buy them. My mouse knows when my alkaline AA battery is low and…

You can get them with different voltage drop-off curves E.g., this battery is 1.5V for ~70% of the capacity, before it gradually reduce to 1.0 V https://www.xtar.cc/product/xtar-1-5v-aa-clr-3300-lithium-ba... edit: And one with USB-C and linearly decreasing voltage curve https://www.xtar.cc/product/xtar-aa-lithium-lr-2000mah-usb-c...

That's cool, thanks for the links.

Re: Ode to the AA Battery

#178

Post by IAmBroom »

Scoundreller wrote: post #44
alnwlsn wrote: post #13

Designers have a choice in lithium-ion though. 18650 is is pretty large cell but there's 14500 which is AA sized or 10440 which is AAA sized. They make versions with the usual battery "nub" rather than the flat faces for spot welding, and built-in protection circuitry to prevent over-discharging. You probably would want to use ones of a different size than normal 1.5v cells though. A personal favorite of mine is RCR1…

I’m visiting some family and I’m a hero for fixing a couple devices that stopped working from alkaline batteries by using a bit of foil paper to overcome the corroded contacts. Maybe not great in the long run (steel and aluminum don’t like eachother)… maybe I should have put on some grease…

Pish, what's the worst that could happen when rusted steel and aluminum are kept in a sparky environment?

Re: Ode to the AA Battery

#179

Post by Dylan16807 »

IAmBroom wrote: post #178
Scoundreller wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m visiting some family and I’m a hero for fixing a couple devices that stopped working from alkaline batteries by using a bit of foil paper to overcome the corroded contacts. Maybe not great in the long run (steel and aluminum don’t like eachother)… maybe I should have put on some grease…

Pish, what's the worst that could happen when rusted steel and aluminum are kept in a sparky environment?

In chunks like that, with such little metal total? Nothing. Even if you sabotaged it to heat indefinitely the plastic around it would burn and leave the aluminum unreacted.

Re: Ode to the AA Battery

#180

Post by dhll »

eulgro wrote: post #68
dhll wrote: post #67

I'm always surprised that camping, and other outdoorsy, tools (i.e., flashlights, headlamps, satellite communicators, GPS, etc.) are increasingly powered by li-ion batteries. I think it's because there is currently an "ultralight" trend going on in the backpacking world, but it's still very annoying. When I go out, I just make sure everything, except for my Kindle, is powered by AA(A)'s. This way all I need is a dry…

This makes no sense. With the li-on batteries you would need everything you listed, minus the extra batteries.

Well, you wouldn't need the sun for one.
Post reply on HN