Transcript Battery Usage - Communication Graphics Index

Batteries
How boring can a lesson get,
right?
WRONG!
Batteries are a BIG deal…
as nearly everything runs on them.
Why is it that devices that run on batteries ALWAYS die
when you need them the most?
How many of you have had a cell phone call dropped
because your battery died?
Keeping Your
Device Going
• A little humor…
– even this young kid
understands the importance
of keeping the camera
running...with an external
battery.
– This is not me…but a picture from:
http://michaelbluejay.com/batteries/
• Entertainment
– Microphones
– Headphones
– Remotes (TV, Toys)
Usages
• Work
– Cell Phones
– Cordless power tools (drills, sanders,
leaf blowers)
• Other
– Hybrid Cars
– Battery Back Up Systems – Computers,
Hospitals, etc.
• What other devices can you think of
that use batteries?
Built In vs. Removable Battery Pack
• Which is better? Which would you buy? Why?
A
B
15-20 Minutes
More Power
10-15 Minutes
Less Power
Replacing an INTERNAL B&D tool battery.
Battery System
The flipside of the iPad's seemingly inexhaustible battery life is that the
length of time it takes to recharge it is best measured in epochs. Turns out,
some methods work better than others.
One last thing about iPad battery management: It's worth taking a peek at Apple's
recommendations for optimal iPad battery lifespan. Of note, you ought to take your iPad
through a full recharge cycle once a month. That means running it down completely, then
charging it to 100 percent. It's actually the first part that's hardest, as we found out while
trying to test all of these charging techniques. [Giz iPad Coverage]
Why so many types?
Main types of batteries:
• General Purpose
–
•
Sealed Lead Acid (SLA)
–
•
longer lasting, NO significant memory effect.
LiON and LiON Polymer
–
•
original rechargeable, had a memory effect if you charged while the
battery was not completely drained.
NiMh
–
•
used in watches
NiCd
–
•
one time use
Mercury
–
•
Used in UPS (battery backups for computers and TVs…the only true
source of surge protection
Alkaline
–
•
"Heavy Duty" is a big misnomer; these are really "puny duty". General
Purpose are very susceptible to leaking.
Found in most current cell phones and laptop because they do not mind
being "topped off" (charged daily)...i.e. NO significant memory effect.
But you should still allow the battery to show some signs of discharge
BEFORE recharging for maximum life of the battery. But it is not
necessary to deplete the battery...in fact, LiONs do NOT like to be
deeply discharged.
Lithium
–
Newest latest greatest. Longer run time with less weight ...great for
cordless mice and other compact devices.
All batteries can leak, cheap ones even more so
Battery Life
Battery
Why so many types?
• Main difference in all the is the way the battery
stores and distributes it’s energy and also how
it discharges over time when not used.
• Standard disposable Alkalines, for example, have a long shelf life…but
start to loose power right away. They start with 1.5v, put drop to below
1.2 VERY quickly.
• Most rechargeable batteries (NiCD and NiMH) hold more power
longer…but loose power when not being used. They start at 1.25v…but
keep 1.2v for a longer period of time.
Self Discharge
• All batteries loose some power sitting around…others
loose more…as much as 1-2% per day.
– So, after 30 days of non-use…you could have less than 50%
capacity…which may not be enough to even power up the device.
Disadvantages of Rechargeables
• Do not like to be completely discharge (esp. LiON)
• Cost more initially…usually need two sets to cycle the batteries.
Tip: Carry a set of Lithium's as a backup to your rechargeable.
• Takes time to recharge
• They die suddenly…most batteries that do not have smart chips
inside of them and so do not REALLY know how much is
remaining.
• 1-2% self discharge PER day…especially NiMh
• Require a great deal of “management”
• Require electricity and a charger to recharge
• Very little compatibility between chargers and types of battery.
• They can blow up…cause fires...here is a battery that blew up at
my house...and very fortunately did not cause a fire...
Disadvantages or Rechargeables
Disadvantages
of
Rechargeables
And, not all batteries are created equal
• OEM (Original Equipment from the
Manufacture)
– More expensive
– Usually less power than the competition
• Replacement (often OFF name) batteries
made to spec (specifications of the
manufacture)
– A LOT less expensive
– Push more power to boost the claim to a
competitive edge
– RISKY, RISKY, RISKY
OEM vs. Generic
Advantages
• MUCH less expensive over time
• Provide longer run time at a higher power
rating in most cases
- Cons seem to outweigh the Pros, huh?
– There is good news…at the end…at least with
AA and AAA
Battery Ratings
• Rechargeable batteries are rated
by how much power they will
deliver over a period of time,
called…Amperes per Hours.
– Except most consumer batteries you
are familiar with are rated in milliamps
per hour, mAh.
• The HIGHER the mAh, the
better...but not all batteries are
created equal.
– Two batteries of the same rating (even
of the same brand) may perform
completely different.
– Many devices need a certain voltage
to power up the device.
– And, the more power they start with,
the quicker they loose the power.
The Good News
•
In the last 5 years, a brand new rechargeable battery has emerged called Eneloop.
This battery’s claim to fame is reduced self discharge. Normal NIMH batteries are
pretty much useless after about 2 weeks. The Eneloop batteries are designed to be
useful straight off the shelf at the store...and capable of sitting on a shelf for months
with 90% of their capacity after 6 months.
Eneloop
• I have been using these batteries for about 4
years. As with anything new, there are concerns.
BUT, this has been one of the ONLY batteries
that will power up many of the newest devices
and is proven to maintain a charge for the many
weeks I have stored them and then relied on
them for power.
• Other companies are now making these type of
low self discharge, “Ready to Use” straight off
the shelf, like Kodak LSD from Wal-Mart. Do
NOT USE THEM…they are NOT as good.
Chargers
• Notes about chargers: Not all chargers are created equal
either. The best chargers will charge each battery
individually. Unfortunately MOST chargers will charge all of
the batteries with the exact same amount of electricity, which
is bad and can be dangerous.
– SMART chargers come with a little chip to detect when the voltage
(resistance) builds up in a battery and shuts off and/or switches to
trickle mode. Watch out for too cheap of a charger...at the very
least...it can damage the battery.
• Make sure if it has a NiCD/NiMh switch, that it is in the
correct setting.
– Attempting to charge a non-rechargeable or the wrong type of battery
could be a disaster.
La Crosse Alpha Battery Charger and Recovery
System BC-900 Battery charger – is one of the
best chargers on the market.
Rechargeable
Battery Industry
is BIG Business
• Here is an ad
that shows the
changes to the
rechargeable
battery industry.
• This first ad
shows how
chargers have
changed (the
plug is built
in…no heavy
brick power
adapter).
• This 2nd ad
shows the
impact of the
Lithium Ion
battery (i.e.
cells phone,
laptops)...lots
of power...in a
small package
(the CAMEA
couldn’t
REALLY jump
start a car).
Charger Differences
• The top two are
pretty basic,
delivering the
SAME amount of
current (i.e..
charge) to all four
batteries.
• The charger on the
bottom is a SMART
charger (it has a
computer chip)
…and is a much
better charger
because EACH
battery gets it own
specific, dedicated
charge that is
JUST right for the
internal resistance
of the batter,
whether it be
between brands or
with in the same
brand.
How to get
rechargeables to
work for you
• It is true, rechargeable batteries are lots of work.
– If it were just for the money savings and doing what is right for the
environment, most people wouldn't bother.
– But today's devices REQUIRE the capacity and type of discharge rate
possible with a NiMh or LiON battery...so it is necessary that we learn
to deal with rechargeable.
• My recommendation is to always have three sets of
batteries.
– Run the first set down and have the other set ready to go.
– If your camera is using AA batteries, the third set should be NONrechargeable, preferably Lithium, so they do not loose their charge.
• Tip:
– For AAs, keep them all going the same way for GOOD batteries, and
mixed up for BAD batteries.
– For LiON packs, number them so you know which is which.
UPS
• One of the only ways to protect your computer is to
use a UPS. Your computer will actually be running
on a battery that is charged by the wall outlet.
• The UPS battery is one of the best way to protect
against power surges
• Think about this…when does a light bulb always
seem to burn out
Video Clips
• Internet Storage (Computer related)