Thursday 31 March 2011

Battery as a buffer

The main purpose of a stationary battery is to provide power during power outage. A battery bank can also provide supplementarypowerduring high-traffic periods. In essence, the battery acts as a buffer to assist the AC power supply when so needed. The term “AC power supply” refers to the unit that provides electrical power to the system and charges stationary batteries.

Cellular repeater towers are an example where the battery serves as a buffer to bridge heavy usage times. During off-peak periods, the toshiba batteries are fully charged, and at peak times when the load exceeds the capacity of the power supply, the batteries kick in to provide the extra power. A starter battery in a vehicle works in a similar way. While the motor is on idle at a traffic light, the battery complements the power to run the lights, windshield wipers and other accessories. Driving at highway speed replenishes the borrowed power.

When relying on the battery as buffer, make certain that the battery has enough time to charge between peak periods. The net charge must always be greater than what was drawn from the battery. Avoid deep discharges and make sure that the float charge voltage is set correctly. Stationary and starter batteries are not made for deep cycling. If excessively cycled, the dell laptop battery will experience unwanted stresses that will shorten the life.

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Global battery markets

The battery market is expanding, and the global revenue in 2009 was a whopping $47.5 billion.* With the growing demand for portable electronics and the desire to connect and work outside the confines of four walls, experts predict that this figure will reach $74 billion in 2015. These numbers are speculative and include batteries for the electric powertrain of cars.

An Overview of Battery Types

Batteries are divided into two categories: primary and secondary. In 2009, primary batteries made up 23.6 percent of the global market. Frost & Sullivan (2009) predict a 7.4 percent decline of the primary battery in revenue distribution by 2015. Primary batteries are used in watches, electronic keys, remote controls, children’s toys, light beacons and military devices.

The real growth lies in secondary batteries. Frost & Sullivansay that rechargeable batteriesaccount for 76.4 percent of the global market, a number that is expected to increase to 82.6 percent in 2015. Batteries are also classified by chemistry and the most common are lithium-, lead-, and nickel-based systems. Figure 1 illustrates the distribution of these chemistries.
Revenue contributions by different battery chemistries
Figure 1: Revenue contributions by different battery chemistries
Courtesy of Frost & Sullivan (2009)
Lithium-ion is the battery of choice for consumer products, and no other systems threaten to interfere with its dominance at this time. The lead acid market is similar in size to Li-ion. Here the applications are divided into SLI (starter battery) for automotive, stationary for power backup, and deep-cycle for wheeled mobility such as golf cars, wheelchairs and scissor lifts. Lead acid holds a solid position, as it has done for the last hundred years. There are no other systems that threaten to unseat this forgiving and low-cost chemistry any time soon.

High specific energy and long storage has made alkaline more popular than carbon-zinc, which Georges Leclanché invented in 1868. The environmentally benign nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) continues to hold an important role, as it replaces many applications previously served by nickel-cadmium (NiCd). However, at only three percent market share, NiMH is a minor player in the battery world and will likely relinquish more of its market to Li-ion by 2015.

Developing nations will contribute to future battery sales, and new markets are the electric bicycle in Asia and storage batteries to supply electric power to remote communities in Africa and other parts of the world. Wind turbines, solar power and other renewable sources also use storage batteries for load leveling. The large grid storage batteries used for load leveling collect surplus energy from renewable resources during high activity and supply extra power on heavy user demand. Read more about Batteries for Stationary, Grid Storage.

A major new battery user might be the electric powertrain for personal cars. However, battery cost and longevity will dictate how quickly the automotive sector will adopt this new propulsion system. Energy from oil is cheap, convenient and readily available; any alternative faces difficult challenges. Government incentives may be provided, but such intervention distorts the true cost of energy, shields the underlying problem with fossil fuel and only satisfies certain lobby groups through short-term solutions.

During the last five years or so, no new battery system has emerged that can claim to offer disruptive technology. Although much research is being done, no new concept is ready to enter the market at the time of writing, nor are new developments close to breakthrough point. There are many reasons for this apparent lack of progress: few products have requirements that are as stringent as the battery. For example, battery users want low price, long life, high specific energy, safe operation and minimal maintenance. In addition, the battery must work at hot and cold temperatures, deliver high power on demand and charge quickly. Only some of these attributes are achievable with various dell battery technologies.

Most consumers are satisfied with the battery performance on portable devices. Today’s battery technology also serves power backup and wheeled mobility reasonably well. Using our current battery technology for electric powertrains on cars, however, might prove difficult because the long-term effects in that environment are not fully understood. The switch to a power source offering a fraction of the kinetic energy compared to fossil fuels will be an eye-opener for motorists who continually demand larger vehicles with more. Read more about Batteries Against Fossil Fuel.

Advancements in Batteries

Batteries advance on two fronts, and these developments reflect themselves in increasedspecific energy for longer runtimes and improved pacific power for good power delivery on demand. Figure 2 illustrates the energy and power densities of lead acid, nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) and the Li-ion family (Li-ion).
Specific energy and specific power of rechargeable batteries
Figure 1-8: Specific energy and specific power of rechargeable batteries.Specific energy is the capacity a battery can hold in watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg); specific power is the battery’s ability to deliver power in watts per kilogram (W/kg).

Rechargeable lithium-metal batteries (Li-metal) were introduced in the 1980s, but instability with metallic lithium on the anode prompted a recall in 1991. Its high specific energy and good power density are challenging manufacturers revisit into this powerful chemistry again. Enhanced safety may be possible by mixing metallic lithium with tin and silicon. Experimental Li-metal batteries achieve 300Wh/kg, a specific energy that is of special interest to the electric vehicle. Read more about Experimental Rechargeable Batteries.

Sunday 27 March 2011

Use the AC power adapter switched on when the power is 96 ~ 100% or the battery removed from the machine

Using the AC power adapter, when the AC power plug to plug it into 220V ~ socket, while the power status indicator on the machine yet, gave the former (Note: During this period of about 5 seconds time), please press the power button to turn; dell Inspiron 9300 battery shutdown or go to sleep, in addition to green power status indicator lights have been extinguished all the other things, make a timely manner from 220V ~ unplug the AC power outlet plug, AC power plug pulled out after about 5 seconds, the green power status indicator light turns off ; (if necessary, may from time to unplug from the machine on AC power adapter's DC output plug, this time the battery will discharge through the AC power adapter reverse.) Otherwise the battery will overcharge and damage caused by the battery. Off state due to AC power adapter is still non-unloaded state, it will recharge the battery.

"With the power lithium-ion battery industry, more and more to high-end battery product development, in order to adapt to this change, the concept of battery manufacturers are also changing, lithium-ion battery production environment,IBM Thinkpad 290 Ac Adapter, IBM Thinkpad 365 Ac Adapter, IBM Thinkpad 390 Ac Adapter, IBM ThinkPad 600 Ac Adapter, IBM Thinkpad A20 Ac Adapter, IBM ThinkPad A21 Ac Adapter process support equipment, testing equipment, quality of management types of equipment needed, and so more and high-end. These domestic equipment companies to create a good market demand. "Beijing Sevenstar Electronics Co., Ltd.IBM Thinkpad 290 Ac Adapter, electronic automation equipment, general manager of King Road branch , said in an interview. In the field of lithium-ion battery, investment in equipment investment in fixed assets should be accounted for about 2 / 3 or more. To this end, domestic enterprises have increased the lithium-ion battery powered equipment in the field of investment.

Opportunities faced by domestic equipment
Lithium-ion battery manufacturing systems integrate key technologies
, equipment and product research process is to protect the safe operation of the battery pack important support conditions.
If the suspension of work in order to wait for the machine to enter, or suspend state, not from 220V ~ socket unplug the AC power plug; so when the machines still have the power to maintain. (Not recommended for a long time to make the dell Inspiron 9400 battery machine enters a wait or suspend state, in order to care for your machine.)

Double-check notebook CPU, hard drives, memory and other components, buy the best you can when you open the machine to go and see. In addition, we must guard against the use of second-hand books of the profiteers CPU desktop replacement notebook CPU despicable practice. Since the same frequency of the CPU general users will not notice, but the use of desktop CPU and notebook CPU is totally different, due to heat different issues, making CPU issue comes in the notebook can not shed heat, resulting in system does not stable. So in the process of buying as much as possible on-site inspection request to the CPU. For hard drives, due to visual observation can not understand the pros and cons of the hard disk, and only be detected by means of software, testing battery software available DM, NORTON and so on, through the DM, NORTON scanned, DM with a longer time, NORTON shorter time-consuming. Scanning process must be smooth uniform, if the cluster region which, when used too long, stating that the cluster region there must be problems. With regard to memory, second-hand laptop memory from 32M to 256M are, we should try to select more than 64M of memory, preferably more than 128M. Memory buy when to add a little, because some of the notebook computer's memory is rather special, and now long discontinued and can not reprovision. In addition, other houses, such as graphics card, we should also see a clear face to face.

It is understood that the production of lithium-ion toshiba battery materials, batteries need to prepare the main equipment, the battery pole piece manufacturing equipment, assembly equipment batteries, batteries charging and discharging and testing equipment. Apart from individual key equipment, the basic realization of the domestic. Shenzhen Ji Yang Yang as president of Automation Technology Co., Ltd. Kun said that the current equipment, the domestic lithium-ion battery technology is facing the rapid development of the historic opportunity to increase market capacity year after year, in the past 5 years, average annual growth in equipment demand 100% above. At the same time supporting the emergence of a group of domestic capacity lithium strong independent production companies to increase R & D efforts, and gradually have the level of independent research and advanced equipment to help speed up the lithium-ion battery equipment made the process to ensure the realization of lithium-ion cell manufacturing domestic innovation. "Equipment is the foundation of the industry, only the power lithium-ion battery lead in the development of equipment, and can we talk about the scale of production, can we talk about battery safety, consistency, efficiency, stability, and ultimately to achieve high-quality, low cost manufacturing objectives. "Yang Ru-Kun said. ACER travelmate 230 Battery ACER travelmate 240 Battery

Power is not fully depleted before (ie electricity in the 5-100%), not to recharge the battery, otherwise it will shorten the battery life.
When the power is 5 ~ 95% battery should be used, so the use of AC power adapter will charge the battery (charging side by side state).

4. When the power is 96 ~ 100% or the dell battery removed from the machine can use the AC power adapter switched on, use the AC power adapter AC power adapter when you please put the DC output plug on the plug into the machine, and then AC power plug to plug it into 220V ~ socket; removed when the AC power adapter should be first, and then unplug the AC power plug from the machine, unplug the AC power adapter DC output plug. Otherwise, they might damage your equipment

Thursday 24 March 2011

Get The Best Life Out of a Cell Phone Battery

In previous years, cell phone batteries had a better life if they were completely drained and then recharged completely. On most newer models this is no longer true.

If your phone does not have a full charge when you get it you will need to plug it in and charge it completely. This usually takes between two to four hours and will be indicated on most phones when the charge is complete.

2.When you are not using your phone, plug it in and charge it. It is best to try to plug it in every couple of hours and keep a consistent charge.

3.You can also plug your cell phone is with a car charger or even a computer charger so it doesn't run completely out of charge.

4.Texting and playing games on your cell phone will drain the battery faster. If you are running low on charge, moderate these cell phone activities.

Tips & Warnings

When purchasing a cell phone, ask your salesperson what the best procedure is for charging your phone. Every phone is different and someone with experience in the field is usually up to date on the new technology of cell phone batteries and charging.

Check your manual to see how long you will need to charge your battery.




How Long Do Cell Phone Batteries Last?
The exact amount of time cell phone batteries can last depends greatly on the amount of time the phone is talked on compared to the time it lies idle. Using the phone frequently consumes the battery at a much greater rate, and factors such as how often the battery is fully recharged are also very important.

Time Frame
Most phone batteries have an average talk time of two hours with a standby (idle) time of seven days.

History
The first widely used cell phones, which became mainstream in the 1990s, had an average life of 30 minutes of talk time and 24 hours of standby time.

Geography
A digital phone used in an area with analog service will drain its battery faster as it works to translate the analog signal. Searching for a signal in a no-service area will also drain the battery.

Warning
Some batteries might have their life shortened because they don't recharge fully due to a "memory effect," which causes them to only charge up to a certain level.

Prevention/Solution
The memory effect can be solved by allowing the nokia battery to completely discharge before completely charging it back up.

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Rapid testing portable batteries

When studying the characteristics relating to battery state-of-health (SoH) and state-of-charge (SoC), some interesting and disturbing effects can be observed - the properties are cumbersome and not linear. Worst of all, the parameters are unique for every battery type. This inherent complexity makes it difficult to create a formula for rapid testing that works for all batteries.

In spite of these seemingly insurmountable odds, battery rapid testing is possible. But the questions are asked, how accurate will the test results be and how will the system adapt to different battery types. Instrument cost and ease-of-use are also concerns. This paper evaluates currently used methods, which include the load test, AC conductance test and the six-point test developed by Cadex.

The load test

The load test provides important battery information consisting of open battery voltage, voltage under load and internal resistance. nickel-based batteries should always indicate an open terminal voltage of about 1.1V/cell, even if empty. The electro-chemical reaction of the different metals in the cell generates this voltage potential. A depressed voltage may indicate high self-discharge or a partial electrical short.

A lead-based battery must always have a charge and the open terminal voltage should read 2.0V/cell and higher. If below 2 volts, a sulfation layer builds up that makes a recharge difficult, if impossible. An open terminal voltage of 2.10V/cell indicates that the battery is roughly 50% charged.

The voltage of a lithium-based battery can, to some extent, indicate SoC. A fully charged cell reads about 4.0V/cell and a partially charged cell measures between 3.0 and 4.0V/cell. The load test applies a momentary load, during which the voltage is measured. Voltage over current equals the resistance. More accurate results are obtained by applying a two-stage load. Figure 1 illustrates the voltage pattern of such a two-stage load test.

Figure 1: DC load test. The DC load test measures the battery's internal resistance by reading the voltage drops of two loads of different strength. A large drop indicates high resistance.

The AC conductance test

An alternative method of measuring the internal battery resistance is the AC conductance test. An alternating current of 50 to 1000 Hertz is applied to the battery terminals. The battery's reactance causes a phase shift between voltage and current, which reveals the condition of the hp pavilion dv6400 battery. AC conductance works best on single cells. Figure 2 demonstrates the relation of voltage and current on a battery.
Figure 2: AC load test. The AC method measures the phase shift between voltage and current. The battery's reactance and/or voltage deflections are used to calculate the impedance.

Some AC resistance meters evaluate only the load factor and disregard the phase shift information. This technique behaves similar to the pulse method in that the AC voltage is superimposed on the battery's DC voltage and acts as brief charge and discharge pulses. The amplitude of the ripple is utilized to calculate the internal battery resistance.

There are some discrepancies in the resistance readings between the 'load test' and 'AC conductance test'. The differences are more apparent on marginal than on good batteries. So which reading is correct? In many aspects, the AC conductance is superior to the load test, however, one single frequency cannot provide enough data to evaluate the battery adequately. Multi-frequency devices are being developed but their complexity rises exponentially with the number of frequencies used.

Resistance measurement, as a whole, provides only a rough sketch of the battery's performance because various battery conditions affect the readings. For example, a battery that has just been charged shows a higher resistance reading than one that has rested for a few hours. An empty or nearly empty battery also exhibits elevated internal resistance. To obtain reliable readings, a battery must be at least 50% charged.

Temperature further affects the internal resistance readings. A hot battery reads a lower resistance than one at ambient temperature or one that is cold. In addition, the chemistry, the number of cells connected in series and the current rating (size in mAh) of a battery influence the results. Many batteries also contain a protection circuit that further distorts the readings.

The Cadex QuickTest™

Cadex Electronics has developed a method to measure the state-of-health (SoH) of a hp compaq 381374-001 battery in 3 minutes. QuickTest™ uses a patent-pending inference algorithm to fuse data from 6 variables, which are: capacity, internal resistance, self-discharge, charge acceptance, discharge capabilities and mobility of electrolyte. The data is combined with a trend-learning algorithm to provide an accurate SoH reading in percent. Figure 3 illustrates general structure of such a network.
Figure 3: General structure of the Cadex QuickTest™
Multiple variables are fed to the micro controller, 'fuzzified' and processed through parallel logic. The information is averaged and weighted according to the battery application.
QuickTest™ is built into the Cadex C7000-Series battery analyzers and services nickel, lithium and lead-based batteries for two-way radios, cell phones, laptops, scanners and medical devices. The analyzers are user-programmable and also perform battery priming, reconditioning, fast-charging, life-testing and boosting functions.

QuickTest™ uses Pavilion dv3500 Series battery specific matrices that are obtained with the analyzer's trend learning process. The ability to learn allows adapting to new batteries in the field. The matrices are stored in the battery adapters and automatically configure the analyzer to the correct battery setting. The adapters commonly include the matrix at time of purchase. If missing, the matrix can be added in the field by scanning two or more batteries on the analyzer's Learn program. The required charge level to perform QuickTest™ is 20-90%. If outside this range, the analyzer automatically applies a brief charge or discharge.

What is the definition of state-of-health and when should a battery be replaced? SoH reveals the overall battery conditions based on the above mentioned variables, which are capacity, internal resistance, self-discharge, charge acceptance, discharge capabilities and mobility of electrolyte. If any of these variables provide marginal readings, the end result will be affected. A battery may have a good capacity but the internal resistance is high. In this case, the end SoH reading will be lowered accordingly. Similar demerit points are added if the battery has high self-discharge or exhibits other chemical deficiencies. The toshiba laptop battery should be replaced if the SoH falls below 80%.

Sunday 20 March 2011

How to Disassemble a Laptop Battery

Since buying a new laptop battery is so expensive, replacing the old cells inside a battery pack has become an attractive alternative for some laptop owners. Also, if the battery casing or housing becomes damaged, putting the good cells in a different battery housing can save a lot of money. Taking a laptop battery apart is not that difficult, and can be a fun learning experience for both children and adults.

1.Allow the battery to discharge. Turn off your laptop (if necessary), then remove the battery.

2.Pry open a small section of the battery pack seam with a screwdriver or craft knife. Continue to pry the case cover loose by moving around the edge until the entire top is free. This may take a bit of force. Lay the cover aside.

3.Carefully remove each HP compaq Pavilion dv3500 Series battery cell and its wire connectors using a craft knife and wire cutters. Each battery pack is different, but the cells are usually wrapped in a plastic casing with metal contacts attached to one end.

4.Put the cells, metal contacts, plastic casings, wires, and any other materials in a safe place if you plan to reuse them. Remove any adhesive residue or tape from the cells and metal contacts.

5.Remove any tape or screws that attach the circuit board to the battery housing, then lay it aside. Depending on the battery type, the circuit board may be attached to the cell pack, and not the battery housing. Clean any remaining residue from the plastic housing.

Tips & Warnings

If you decide to rebuild the HP compaq 381374-001 battery, watch it carefully while you charge for the first time. If the contacts are not connected properly, the battery may overheat and cause damage to the laptop.

Wednesday 16 March 2011

How to transport batteries

Many battery types fall under strict transportation regulation. This is done for the safety of those handling them and the passengers traveling on a common carrier. Here are the rules in short.

Lead Acid

Most countries set strict rules for transporting lead acid batteries. Failure to comply with the regulations is a civil or criminal offense that can bring a stiff penalty on the carrier and/or shipper. The transport regulations require the following precautions.
  • The vehicle transporting batteries can carry only one type of hazardous material. Brace the batteries securely to prevent damage and short circuits in transit. Non-hazardous goods on the same vehicle must be secured to prevent damaging the batteries.
     
  • Batteries must be stacked upright, pole side outwards and placed on a wooden pallet. Place honeycomb cardboard between the layers and limit the stack to three layers on a single pallet. Wrap the package several times with shrink-wrap.
     
  • Identify hazardous material with labels marked “Corrosive” using the appropriate symbols and colors. Stickers must conform to regulatory specifications.
     
  • Mark all packages, i.e., batteries, wet, filled with acid, identification number (UN 2794).
     
  • Provide a bill of lading document that includes the name of the company and shipper, contents of package, description of hazardous material and shipper’s certification.
     
  • When shipping by air, restrict the weight per package to 25kg gross (55lb) on passenger air carriers. There is no limit on the number of packages per flight.
Different rules apply when shipping damaged batteries. A lead acid battery is considered damaged if there is a possibility of leakage due to a crack, or if one or more caps are missing. Transportation companies and air carriers may require that the batteries be drained of all acid prior to transport. Place damaged batteries in an acid-resistant container and add soda ash to neutralize any acid that might spill. Separate damaged and intact batteries.

Nickel-based Batteries

Nickel-based batteries have no transport limitations, however, some of the same precautions apply as for lead acid in terms of packaging to prevent electrical shorts and safeguard against fire. Regulations prohibit storing and transporting smaller battery packs in a metal box. If there is a danger of an electrical short, wrap each battery individually in a plastic bag. When carrying small batteries in your pocket, do not mix them with coins and house keys.

Lithium-based Batteries

In 2009, 3.3 billion Li-ion batteries were transported by air. Such air shipment is an ongoing concern, and an airline-pilot union has asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ban them on passenger aircraft. From March 1991 to August 2010, batteries and battery-powered devices caused 113 recorded incidents with smoke, fire, extreme heat or explosion on passenger and cargo planes. The Portable Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA) is aware of possible hazards and opposes any revisions in transportation rules, arguing that the restrictions would cost shippers and manufacturers billions of dollars.
PRBA is made up of major battery manufacturers, including Energizer, Panasonic, SAFT America, Sanyo and Varta Batteries. These manufacturers do not want to disrupt air shipments, especially batteries for critical medical and military missions. They argue that the batteries causing problems do not meet US hazardous material handling regulations and ask the FAA to enforce stricter manufacturing rules. The manufacturers tell the aviation industry further that, as a result of the well-publicized 2006 recall, a safer generation of Li-ion batteries has emerged. According to U.S. Census Bureau (2010), airfreight transports roughly 364 million cell phones, 142 million cameras and 47 million laptops as part of just-in-time delivery to stores. No deaths and only 26 injuries are attributed to shipping billions of lithium batteries every year.
The estimated failure rate of Li-ion is one per 10 million. Examining the 113 recorded incidents of transporting batteries by air in 19 years reveals that most failures occurred due to inappropriate packaging or handling, which caused damage or electrical short. Most incidents happened at airports or in cargo hubs. Problem batteries include primary lithium (lithium-metal), lead, nickel and alkaline systems, and not just lithium-ion, as is perceived. Newer consumer products have very few surprise failures caused by Li-ion batteries.
There are, however, restrictions with lithium-ion batteries on airplanes and travelers are reminded how many batteries can be carried on board in portable devices and as spare packs. Since January 2008, people can no longer pack spare lithium batteries in checked baggage, but airlines allow them as carry-on. The passenger compartment enables better safety monitoring with access to fire extinguishers. In one incident, a coffee pot served as extinguishing device for a flaming laptop battery on board of a plane. This would be impossible in the cargo bay below.
In terms of transportation, lithium-based batteries are divided into non-rechargeablelithium-metal batteries that are typically used in film cameras, and the rechargeable lithium-ion battery found in cell phones and laptops. Airlines allow both types as carry-on either installed or carried as spare packs as long as they don’t exceed the following limitation of lithium or equivalent of:
  • 2 grams for primary lithium batteries
     
  • 8 grams for a secondary lithium-ion. This amounts to a 100Wh battery.
     
  • 25 grams for all Li-ion combined. This amounts to 300Wh worth of Li-ion batteries.
The lithium content of the primary lithium batteries is often printed on the label. Li-ion, on the other hand, has no metallic lithium and uses the equivalent lithium content (ELC) instead. To calculate the ELC, multiply the rated capacity (Ah) times 0.3. As an example, a 1Ah cell has 0.3 grams of lithium. The 8-gram ELC limitation allows a 100Wh battery.
A laptop battery commonly uses 2Ah cells containing 0.6 grams of ELC each. The battery pack may have eight cells (4 in series; 2 in parallel), which brings the ELC to 4.8 grams, well below the 8-gram limit allowed by a single pack. To derive the watt-hour, multiply the battery voltage by the ampere-hours (Ah). The battery in question has a voltage of 14.40V (4 x 3.6V) and a rating of 4Ah (2 x 2A). In summary, 14.4 x 4 = 57.6Ah, or roughly 60Wh.
While regulations limit the Li-ion battery to no larger than 100Wh, each passenger and travel companion is allowed to carry spare packs of up to 25 grams of ELC, or 300Wh. The airlines recommend placing each battery in a clear plastic bag or covering the contacts with a tape to prevent an electric short. Although current rules forbid passengers from carrying lithium-ion batteries in checked luggage, devices with non-removable batteries, such as the iPhone, iPad and certain brand of laptops, are exempt from the rules.
 Anyone shipping lithium-ion batteries in bulk must meet transportation regulations and this applies to domestic and international shipments by land, sea and air. Lithium-ion cells whose equivalent lithium content exceeds 1.5 grams or 8 grams per battery pack (100Wh) must be shipped as “Class 9 miscellaneous hazardous material.” Film crew often carry larger batteries for professional video cameras, and these are handled as hazardous material. If a shipment in the US contains more than 24 lithium cells or 12 lithium-ion packs, special markings and appropriate shipping documents are required. Each package must be clearly marked to inform the airline that lithium batteries are involved. Open cells and packs must be separated to prevent electrical short. The packages must be strong to allow stacking.

Frequently Asked Questions about Transporting Lithium Ion Batteries by Air

  • Must consumer-type lithium ion batteries always be shipped as Class 9 dangerous good?
No. Almost all small Li-ion (less than 100Wh) in consumer products are except from dangerous goods regulations and do not require Class 9 labeling, marking or packaging.
  • In what quantities can lithium ion batteries be shipped?
Lithium ion asus a32-f5 battery can be shipped in small and large quantities. A single package may contain as few as five batteries, while a pallet may contain more than 1,000 packs.
  • Why do some packages of Li-ion batteries contain a "Caution" marking and include shipping papers when most consumer lithium ion batteries are except from regulation?
In the US, the marking is mandatory for packages of more than 24 Li-ion cells or 12 Li-ion packs. The documents identify the goods and tell what to do if the package is damaged.
  • Must lithium ion batteries be tested according to the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria?
Yes, all Li-ion cells and packs shipped internationally must be tested. In the US, UN testing also includes small, consumer-size lithium ion cells and packs. Read about Building a Lithium-ion Pack.
To assure lithium-based batteries are designed and packaged to withstand transportation conditions, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) proposes new regulations. While the Airline Pilots Association supports tighter restrictions and has called for lithium batteries to be “fully regulated dangerous goods” as airline cargo, PRBA recommends dropping the proposed rules in favor of the International Civil Aviation Organization requirement (ICAO), which has been in effect since 2009 but was never applied in the US. Industry lobbyists say that the government has enough rules to ensure safe toshiba pa3399u-1bas battery shipments and express concern that some shippers do not follow packaging requirements. They recommend stronger enforcements there.

Proposed changes by the US Department of Transportation (DOT

  • Mandate that all batteries pose a hazard when transported.
     
  • Mandate transport documentation to accompany a shipment of small lithium batteries, including notifying the pilot of the location of Li-ion being shipped on the aircraft.
     
  • Require manufacturers to retain UN-specified tests for all lithium battery types transported.
     
  • Make cargo locations accessible to crew, place cargo in locations equipped with an FAA-approved fire suppression system, or transport cargo in an FAA-approved container.
     
  • Adopt watt-hours formula in place of equivalent lithium content.
     
  • Put Li-ion not exceeding 100Wh in inner package of 10kg (22lb) limit; attach caution label.
     
  • Divert the transportation of defective or damaged batteries to highway, rail and boat. 
Articles comes from: http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_transport_batteries

Monday 14 March 2011

The secrets of battery runtime

Declining Capacity

Energy storage in a battery can conceptually be divided into three imaginary segments of the available energy,the empty zonethat can be refilled, and the unusable part (rock content). Figure 1 illustrates these three sections.
Aging battery


Figure 1: Aging battery
Batteries begin fading from the day they are manufactured.A new battery should deliver 100 percent capacity; most packs in use operate at less.
Courtesy of Cadex
Although the manufacturer specifies the runtime of portable equipment based on a battery performing at 100 percent, most packs in the field operate at less capacity. As time goes on, the performance declines further and the battery gets smaller in terms of holding capacity. A pack should be replaced when the capacity drops to 80 percent. This is only 20 percent down from 100 percent, and the end-of-life threshold may vary according to application and company policy.

Besides age-related losses, sulfation and grid corrosion are the main killers of lead acid batteries. Sulfation is a thin layer that forms on the negative cell plate if the battery is allowed to dwell in a low state-of-charge. If sulfation is caught in time, an equalizing charge can reverse the condition. [BU-804, Sulfation] With nickel-based batteries, the so-called rock content is often the result of crystalline formation, also known as “memory,” and a full discharge can sometimes restore the battery. The aging process of lithium-ion is cell oxidation, a process that occurs naturally as part of usage and aging and cannot be reversed.

Rising Internal Resistance

High capacity has limited use if the battery is unable to deliver the stored energy effectively. To bring the power out, the battery needs low internal resistance. Measured in milliohms (mW), resistance is the gatekeeper of the battery; the lower the value, the less restriction the pack encounters. This is especially important with heavy loads and high current pulses, as elevated resistance causes the voltage to collapse and trigger an earlyshutdown. The device turns off and valuable energy is left behind. Figure 2 illustrates batteries with low and high internal resistance as free-flowing and restricted taps.
Effects of internal battery resistance Effects of internal battery resistance
Figure 2: Effects of internal battery resistance
A battery with low internal resistance delivers high current on demand. High resistance causes the battery voltage to collapse. The equipment cuts off, leaving energy behind.
Courtesy of Cadex
Lead acid has a very low internal resistance, and the asus a32-f5 battery responds well to high current bursts lasting for only a few seconds. Due to inherent sluggishness, however, lead acid does not perform well with a sustained discharge at high current and the battery needs rest to recover. Sulfation and grid corrosion are the main causes of increased internal resistance. Temperature also affects the resistance; heat lowers it and cold raises it.
Alkaline, carbon-zinc and other primary batteries have relatively high internal resistance, and this relegates their use to low-current applications such as flashlights, remote controls, portable entertainment devices and kitchen clocks. As the batteries discharge, the resistance increases further. This explains why regular alkaline cells have a relatively short runtime in digital cameras. The high internal resistance limits most primary batteries to “soft” applications, and using them to drive power tools that draw high amperage is unthinkable.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 reflect the talk-time of cellular phones with pulsed discharge loads of 1C, 2C and 3C, which GSM and CDMA demand. All batteries tested are similar in size and have capacities of 113%, 94% and 107% respectively, when checked with a battery analyzer on a DC discharge. The three graphs clearly demonstrate the importance of low internal resistance, which varies from a low 155mΩto a moderate 320mΩ, to a high 778mΩ respectively.

GSM discharge pulses at 1, 2, and 3C with resulting talk-time
Figure 3: GSM discharge pulses at 1, 2, and 3C with resulting talk-time
The capacity of the NiCd battery is 113%; the internal resistance is 155mΩ.

GSM discharge pulses at 1, 2, and 3C with resulting talk-time
Figure 4: GSM discharge pulses at 1, 2, and 3C with resulting talk-time
The capacity of the NiMH battery is 94%, the internal resistance is 320mΩ.

GSM discharge pulses at 1, 2, and 3C with resulting talk-time
Figure 5: GSM discharge pulses at 1, 2, and 3C with resulting talk-time
The capacity of the Li-ion battery is 107%; the internal resistance is 778mΩ.

All three figures courtesy of Cadex
Notes:  The above tests were done on cellular phone batteries before lithium-ion took over as the leading battery type for this application. The internal resistance of a modern cellular battery is between 150 and 350mΩ.
The maximum discharge pulse current of GSM is 2.5 amperes. When drawn from an 800mAh pack, this represents a 3C discharge, or three times the rated current.

Elevated Self-discharge

All batteries are affected by self-discharge. Self-discharge is not a manufacturing defect per se, although poor manufacturing practices and improper handling can promote the problem. The amount of electrical leakage varies with chemistry, and primary cells, such as lithium and alkaline, are among the best in retaining the energy. Nickel-based rechargeable systems, in comparison, leak the most and need recharging if the toshiba pa3399u-1bas battery has not been used for a few days. High-performance nickel-based batteries are subject to higher self-discharge than the standard versions with lower energy densities. Figure 6 illustrates in the form of leaking fluids the self-discharge of a battery.
Effects of high self-discharge Figure 6: Effects of high self-discharge
Self-discharge increases with age, cycling and elevated temperature. Discard a battery if the self-discharge reaches 30 percent in 24 hours.
Courtesy of Cadex
The energy loss is asymptotical, meaning that the self-discharge is highest right after charge and then tapers off. Nickel-based batteries lose 10 to 15 percent of their capacity in the first 24 hours after charge, then 10 to 15 percent per month. Figure 7 shows the typical loss of a nickel-based battery while in storage.
Self-discharge as a function of time

Figure 7: Self-discharge as a function of time
The discharge is highest right after charge and tapers off. The graph shows self-discharge of a nickel-based battery. Lead- and lithium-based system have a lower self-discharge.
Courtesy of Cadex
One of the best batteries in terms of self-discharge is lead acid; it loses only five percent per month. This chemistry also has the lowest specific energy and is ill suited for portable use. Lithium-ion self-discharges about five percent in the first 24 hours and 1 to 2 percent thereafter. The need for the protection circuit increases the discharge by another three percent per month.
The self-discharge on all battery chemistries increases at higher temperatures and the rate typically doubles with every 10°C (18°F). A noticeable energy loss occurs if a battery is left in a hot vehicle. Cycling and aging also increase self-discharge. Nickel-metal-hydride is good for 300-400 cycles, whereas the standard nickel-cadmium lasts over 1,000 cycles before elevated self-discharge starts interfering with performance. The self-discharge on an older nickel-based battery can get so bad that the pack loses its energy mainly through leakage rather than normal use during the day. Discard a dell latitude d620 battery if the self-discharge reaches 30 percent in 24 hours.
The self-discharge of Li-ion is reasonably steady throughout the service life and does not increase noticeably with age, unless there is a cell anomaly caused by separator damage when microscopic metal particles group together. Improved manufacturing methods have minimized this problem on newer batteries.Table 8 reveals the self-discharge rate per month at various temperatures and state-of-charge conditions.
 
Charge condition
0°C (32°F)
25°C (77°F)
60°C (140°F)
Full charge
40–60% charge
6%
2%
20%
4%
35%
15%
Table 8: Self-discharge of Li-ion at various temperatures and state-of-charge
Self-discharge increases with rising temperature and higher SoC.

Once present, the high self-discharge of a flooded lead acid battery cannot be reversed. Factors leading to this failure are sludge buildup in the sediment trap on the bottom of the container. The sludge is semi-conductive, and when substance reaches to the plates a soft short occurs. On nickel-based batteries, a weakened or damaged separator is the cause of high self-discharge. Contributing factors are crystalline formation (memory), permitting the battery to “cook” in the charger or exposing it to repeated deep discharge cycles. A faulty separator also increases the self-discharge in lithium-ion batteries. In extreme cases, heat generated by the electrical leak further weakens the damaged separator. This can lead to a thermal breakdown.

Premature Voltage Cut-off

Not all stored battery energy can or should be used on discharge, and some reserve is almost always left behind when the equipment cuts off. There are several reasons for this.
Most cell phones, laptops and other portable devices turn off when the lithium-ion battery reaches 3V/cell on discharge. The manufacturers choose this relatively high voltage threshold to allow for some self-discharge while in storage, giving a grace period before the protection circuit opens at about 2.5V/cell.
A hybrid battery on a car never fully discharges and operates on a state-of-charge of 20 to 80 percent. This is the most effective working bandwidth of the battery, and staying within this range delivers the longest service life. A deep discharge with a full recharge causes undue stress to any battery, including Li-ion. Nickel-based batteries are similar, and because of reduced charge acceptance and heat buildup above the 80 percent SoC, the batteries are seldom fully charged. The emphasis on an electric powertrain is on maximizing service life rather than optimizing runtime (as is the case with consumer products).
Power tools and medical devices that draw high currents push the battery voltage to an early cut-off. This is especially true if one of the cells has a high internal resistance, or when the battery is operating at cold temperatures. These batteries may still have ample capacity left after the “cut-off” and when discharging at moderate load, a acer travelmate 6592 battery analyzer may read a residual capacity of 30 percent. Figure 9 illustrates the cut-off voltage graphically.
Illustration of equipment with high cut-off voltage


Figure 9: Illustration of equipment with high cut-off voltage
Portable devices do not utilize all available battery power and leave some energy behind.
Courtesy of Cadex 

Sunday 13 March 2011

The equivalent of lithium-ion secondary battery is applied to the use of liquid organic electrolyte.

In China, car battery replacement after the recovery of more forgotten corners. A repair shop in the 4S said: “The car battery can be recycled. 4S store in the user’s car battery replacement, the unified collection of adapter specialized batteries sold to recycling companies, one can sell a hundred million.” Regret is that the owner was told that each time only for a new battery, do not know the replacement of the old batteries can be recycled.

And domestic users of automotive batteries automotive knowledge and understanding of diametrically opposed, in Europe and the United States and other auto power, auto batteries already been placed in the supermarket shelves, and oil, tires, like the three cars side by side to become vulnerable one piece. A fire or a car suddenly broke down there Dabu Zhao circumstances, the owner will be obvious to determine where the problem lies immediately removed. In these countries, can often see such chic scene: the car owners driving a car to the supermarket shopping, by the way forget to buy a battery, to return home to open car cover, replace the battery themselves. This is abroad, is not something new in. In the United States, there are four or more into the hands of the owners to replace their batteries.
“Owner should cultivate a good sense of the car battery consumption, in order to protect their own rights.” An appeal to the industry.HP EV087AA Battery, He said: “the current situation, China’s auto battery market, has just started, most owners do not realize that automotive batteries are not only start the car directly to the energy, but also for the growing automotive electrical current to provide a balanced guarantee. Leading to frequent car broke down halfway there the embarrassment caused to the owners a lot of unnecessary trouble. Therefore, we owners should be aware of the importance of automotive batteries. “

Pleased to see that some well-known domestic companies have started to focus on automotive batteries to guide China’s auto battery consumption, and thus lead China’s automotive battery industry. As the world’s top 200 companies, has the world’s automotive battery market share nearly 35% of the industry leader, Johnson Controls has already begun such actions. “We hope that through our efforts to help China’s auto users to have a correct knowledge of the car batteries and consumer outlook.” Johnson Controls Power Program (battery) of China, Mr. Huang, director of sales and marketing, said in an interview,asus a32-f5 battery, “We understand the owners the case of a sudden Dabu Zhao Jiao set fire flawless mentality, so we hope that through the efforts of Johnson Controls for China to bring a healthy and positive life vehicles as far as possible to avoid the occurrence of the above. ”

However, with the liquid organic electrolyte is different from solid electrolyte has an excellent stability, even at high voltage and temperature, it can also resist deterioration or evaporation. Solid electrolyte to avoid security risks, such as solvent leakage and fire, which also has a wide range of construction of technical merits. With Idemitsu Kosan’s development of solid electrolyte batteries are also available at low temperatures below 0 ° C run.

Phosphorus sulfide solid electrolyte can be used a variety of electrode materials, can have a high capacity cathode electrochemical nature.


Idemitsu Kosan has demonstrated with its lithium-sulfide electrolytes A6-size (105 mm × 148 mm) thin-layer solid-state lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries.

With cascade double-click the A6-size battery output voltage 14-16V, solid electrolyte film thickness is about 100 μm, film thickness will further make it 10-20 μm, in order to reduce resistance,  and to explore the optimization of electrode materials.

Japan’s Idemitsu Kosan has developed lithium-ion dell latitude d620 battery phosphorus sulfide solid electrolyteThe International Energy Network News: Japan in the petroleum and petrochemical business,  adapter Idemitsu Kosan Company March 8, 2010 announcing that it was accelerating the development of solid-state lithium-ion batteries phosphorus sulfide solid electrolytes (Li2S-P2S5), the company will be officially launched in 2012 solid-state lithium-ion battery with new electrolyte.

Idemitsu Kosan Co. as the company confirmed that lithium sulfur rechargeable lithium-ion battery (rechargeable batteries) with the potential electrolyte materials, are currently being evaluated with the PPS resin produced high-purity lithium sulfur technology. Since 2006 the company set out to develop a solid electrolyte based on the material will be highly applicable to hybrid vehicles  and electric vehicles, development of the electrolyte, at room temperature, the lithium-ion conductivity of 4 × 10-3S/cm, the equivalent of lithium-ion secondary toshiba pa3399u-1bas battery is applied to the use of liquid organic electrolyte.

Tuesday 8 March 2011

Conclusion--Netbook Buyer’s Guide

When ASUS announced the Eee PC back at Computex 2007, a few people doubted it would spark off a whole new trend in mobile computing. With the economy the way it is, netbooks offer a cheap way to stay connected while you are on the move. They are often the cheapest of the cheap computers even when considering desktops.
Price tags on the last generation of Atom-based netbooks (N2XX) are almost neck and neck with the current generation. If you are in the market for a netbook, make sure you are getting the Pinetrail (Intel) or Nile (AMD) platforms. The last generation of netbooks only makes sense if it comes at a serious price discount (<$175 in our opinion).
Market Price $339.99 $299.99 $349.99   $299.99 $329.99 $299.99 $374.99
Brand Acer Asus Dell Gateway HP Lenovo MSI
Model AO521 1001P 10 (1012) LT2120u 210 HD S10-3 U160

The new Intel and AMD offerings shouldn’t change the landscape too much. Remember thin and lights are another category entirely. So the holiday buying season is going to be ripe for some good deals--at least ones much better than the market prices we are seeing on these netbooks now.
Here are some of my recommendations:
1. Business notebook:
  • Lenovo's S10-3 has a good mix of correct color, battery life, and arguably the best keyboard available. At 98%, it keeps you keeps your typing speed up. I only wish the company offered a better touchpad. If typing is your thing, this is the netbook you want above all others. The fact that Lenovo is understating S10-3's 6-cell battery capacity should be another plus.
  • Gateway LT21 series (LT2120u) has the best touchpad, hands down. Interfacing is such a crucial component that I cannot stress enough the excellent touchpad design. The fact that this packs a high-density battery makes it an even better shopping option.
  • The Asus 1001P is probably one of the few netbooks out there that offers a matte display as well as a decent keyboard. Business users tend to dislike the glossy displays due to overhead lighting reflections. If you need matte, the Asus, Acer, and HP are the only companies that seem to be offering this option among their different netbook SKUs.

2. Music and Media
  • The HP 210 Mini HD is probably the only netbook available that is specifically designed as a “multimedia”-centric netbook. If you are going to be spending most of your time playing video content, this is good choice. The speakers are well positioned toward the front lip, which keeps distortion at a minimum. HP released a new iteration of its Mini netbooks while retaining model names. The performance is the same as the one featured in this showcase. It seems to actually use the same motherboard. The only difference is that the company no longer offers the 3-cell dell battery on the newer models. The system is now designed to hold the 6-cell battery flush, so this means you are going to get a beefier system.
  • The Dell Inspiron 10 (1012) is a decent choice for the videophile, as well. There is a good balance of color and white to the display, and it sports a better battery than the 210. I've seen this floating around at Best Buy for sub-$250 prices, so it is a good idea to check every now and then for deals. Just a few days ago, Dell had a "non-HD" option of the 1012, but on September 28, there seems to have been a change in the buying options (along with a simpler shopping interface). All 1012s from Dell.com are now running native 1366 x 768, but have dropped the "HD" suffix. This is rather inconsequential. The thing that I find bothersome is the higher starting price (previously $399.99), while the 1018s take the budget spot at $299.99. These two have a lot of crossover competition, which is probably why Dell decided to restructure the pricing. I generally put less stock into MSRPs because I care about the dollar you actually spend and not the dollar the company wants. Hopefully, we'll see Dell use its immense distribution network to keep their low retail prices. We should also expect some good price slashing on the MSRP (or at least some decent sales prices) as we approach the holidays on Dell.com. Under the current price structure, we can't recommend the 1012 at the Dell.com's $469.99 starting price. For now, we will give Dell the benefit of the doubt by listing the Mini 10 (1012 non-HD) with the price we are seeing at Best Buy.

3. Battery Life
  • The MSI U160 and Gateway LT21 are neck and neck when it comes to toshiba battery life, thanks to their high-density battery cells. They only weigh a few ounces more, so this might be a worthwhile investment for those that want to stay away from the wall socket as long as possible.

4. Performance
  • Acer has had quite a slew of popular Aspire netbooks based on two generations of Intel’s Atom processor. The company is trying something different with the AMD-based AO521, and there is a lot to like (including the price). While AMD’s Nile platform consumes a good deal of power, Acer offsets that concern with a decent battery pack. If you plan on doing any amount of serious computing while you are on the go, this probably the best choice. To top it off, this is the most capable 10.1” netbook when it comes to any form of gaming (or heavy multimedia for that matter).

No one shares the same shopping criteria, so look through the system profiles and benchmarks before you make a decision. Obviously, MSI’s U160 and Dell’s Mini 10 (1012) are a bit of a stretch, simply because they fetch higher prices (MSI’s poor wireless strength doesn’t help).
There are a plethora of models and SKUs out there, and we can't possibly cover them all. Buying a notebook is always a bit give and take; most often between battery life, performance, and price. We recommend shopping with clear priorities so that you don't end up regretting your purchase down the road.
There are a few things to keep in mind across all brands:
  • Remember that a multi-gesture touchpad does not mean multi-touch. These touchpads still force you to use only one finger to navigate. If you use multiple points of contact, the touchpad locks up or goes completely bonkers. Multi-touch is what you get on Apple notebooks.
  • DDR2 vs DDR3 is meaningless
  • Don't get hung up on Crystal HD. For the most part, Pinetrail-based netbooks can play Youtube 360p (Fullscreen), Youtube 720p (Windowed), Hulu 360p (Windowed), and H.264 480p (Fullscreen) just fine.
  • At retail prices, netbooks shouldn’t fetch beyond $330, unless you are getting something spectacular to justify the higher price tag.
  • Chiclet keyboards may look nice and offer a smaller profile, but traditional keyboards offer better spill protection. If you just dumped coffee, it can be a tricky all-or-nothing game with the chiclet keyboards. In many cases, you can replace traditional keyboards by yourself without voiding warranty. This isn’t so with the “island” keyboards.
  • At the moment, increasing system memory is the only near-universal user-accessible upgrade available. Hard drives are sometimes out of the question. So make sure you get the capacity you want or a model that offers the option to upgrade before you click the “buy” button. Otherwise, you might have to void your warranty to put in a larger drive. In fact, only four out of the seven netbooks we have seen in the lab (Acer’s AO521, Gateway’s LT2120u, Dell's Mini 10 [1012], and Lenovo's Ideapad S10-3) allow you upgrade the hard drive with minimal effort.
  • Anytime you see a netbook claim over 10 hours of battery life based on current tech, take it with a grain of salt. This is a highly inflated number based on an idle benchmark, usually with WiFi off, and the lowest brightness setting. In real life, people actually perform tasks with wireless networking enabled and a display set brighter than a lunar eclipse. If the fine print says they used BatteryMark, take the number and cut it down by 50%. Though, that new number is still an optimistic idea of battery life. If the fine print says MobileMark 2007, take that number and cut it down by 1/3 and now you have a fair estimate.

HP Laptop Battery Issues

HP laptops are main players in the laptop world and are extremely popular. However, over time battery issues might occur. In the event that the battery does not function properly, you should be informed on how to adequately respond.

Troubleshoot
1. Initially you need to troubleshoot to make sure that the battery is actually defective and to ensure that you are not experiencing an adapter issue. Make sure that the wires in your adapter are not worn, and verify that the power button or power LED is lit when the computer is on.

Common Issue
2. One of the main problems that you might experience as an owner of an HP laptop is that over time your computer might not hold a charge. You might find that even though you charge your laptop for a considerable period of time, the battery life is short.

Battery Test
3. After discerning that you are not experiencing an adapter issue, try connecting the power supply to the power and let the battery charge for 15 to 35 minutes. Once this is complete, try turning the computer on. If the computer does not turn on, or it goes out after only a few minutes, then you likely need a new battery.

Sunday 6 March 2011

Toshiba Laptop Battery Board Repair

Like many electronics devices, the battery in your Toshiba laptop uses a small circuit board known as a battery board to operate. If you've been having problems with your battery, it is most likely the result of a bad battery cell connection to the battery board. This problem can be fixed by opening up the battery itself.

1. Unplug your battery from the bottom of your Toshiba laptop and place it on a sturdy work surface.

2. Insert the tip of your screwdriver in the seam where the top half of the battery meets the bottom half. Work your way around the sides of the battery until the top half pops off. Set the top half aside.

3. Locate the cylindrical battery cells in the bottom half of the battery housing and lift them out of the housing. Notice the cell wires that connect to the green motherboard on the side of the battery housing.

4. Check for any wires that half broken off their connectors on the top of the laptop battery board. Plug in your soldering iron and let it warm up.

5. Solder the ends of the cell wires to the ports on the top of the battery board and wait a few moments for the solder to dry.

6. Run hobby glue along the top of the housing and then fit the top half of the housing over the bottom. Wait a few moments for the glue to dry.

Thursday 3 March 2011

Rejuvenate a Lithium-Ion Laptop Battery

Lithium-ion batteries are found in many common portable electronic devices. Thanks to their small size, lightness and power output, they have quickly become the industry standard for use in cell phones, PDAs and laptops. Unfortunately, there are a few drawbacks to lithium-ion technology that can cause its capacity to be greatly reduced. If your battery isn't holding a charge like it used to, there are things you can do to extend your battery's life.

1. Charge your battery every day, if possible, and don't let the charge reach zero. Your battery should reach 80 percent charge in an hour or two (depending on its size), but the last 20 percent may take a bit longer. For best results, keep your battery at 100 percent as much as possible.

2. Avoid heat and store unused batteries in a cool place. If you won't be using the battery for a long time, charge it to 50 percent, remove it from the device and store it in the refrigerator. The cooler temperature will prolong its life. Conversely, don't expose lithium-ion batteries to extended periods of heat. High heat degrades battery life much more quickly, so leaving your iPod or laptop in a hot car on a sunny day will accelerate its aging process.

3. Only buy batteries when needed. Lithium-ion batteries "age" from the time they're manufactured and lose capacity slowly and predictably. For example, a brand-new, unused battery drains slowly because of increased internal resistance and its built-in voltage monitoring circuit. A well-ventilated laptop battery, kept at 100 percent charge most of the time, will irreversibly lose about 20 percent capacity per year.

4. "Deep cycle" your battery every 30 days. Let your device drain the battery until it turns off, then charge the battery to 100 percent. This recalibrates the internal circuitry that detects how much charge is left, giving you more accurate battery readings.

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Sony Laptop Battery

Sony is a giant in the consumer electronics market. Its products are known for their high quality, top designs and durability. Sony laptops have the same pedigree as other members of the product family. With Sony’s wide reach in electronics, the company can assure the quality of the components of its products since it manufactures most of these. Your Sony laptop battery is in all likelihood one of such high quality component made by Sony. Apart from one or two local recalls, Sony laptop batteries are sturdy, reliable and efficient.

On average, a Sony laptop battery should stay in good condition for at least 2 years before its performance will steeply or steadily fall. This is not a flaw in design or manufacture. It is simply the way the lifetimes of batteries go. All batteries die in time. Considering that the battery powering your Sony laptop works and is recharged every day, it is really a technological marvel that such a light and small package can last that long and keep up with the growing needs of mobile computing.

Of the battery types and technologies out there, your Sony laptop battery is most likely a Lithium Ion battery.  Lithium Ion batteries are the most popular laptop batteries today, having taken over from Nickel-based batteries such as Nickel Cadmium and Nickel Metal Hydride batteries. Nickel-based batteries are usually heavier than Lithium Ion batteries.

Other advantages of Lithium Ion batteries, the like of which is your Sony laptop battery, include a high energy density (the highest when compared with other battery technologies), lack of a memory effect which affects Nickel batteries (this effect is evidenced by the charging cycle being affected by the memory of the last discharging cycle), design flexibility (including coming in all sizes and shapes, the very ability which makes it possible to have different battery sizes and capacities for all kinds of Sony laptops).

For all the above, the Lithium Ion making up your Sony laptop battery can meet the laptop’s power draw for mobile computing needs while retaining a slim, lightweight profile. Unlike, Nickel-based batteries, you do not need to fully discharge the battery before recharging it.

When looking to replace your Sony laptop battery, the first thing to look out for is the original battery’s parts number. This is because only a replacement battery with the same number can make a perfect fit for the battery compartment as well as provide the same capacity and voltage as the original battery. It is, therefore, important that you know that there are different kinds of Lithium Ion Sony laptop batteries and that some of these may look similar to your old battery yet not be the same.

There are other considerations to make when buying a replacement battery for your Sony laptop. One very important one is the number of cells in the replacement battery. The higher the number of cells in the battery, the bigger the capacity and the longer it will last per charge. A 3-cell Sony laptop battery will not last as long as an 8-cell battery. However, doubling the number of cells in a battery does not necessarily translate to double the time it will take to discharge. In addition, you can buy a replacement battery with more cells than what came with the original battery as long as the new battery is compatible with your Sony laptop.

You can always buy your replacement Sony laptop battery at the local electronics shop. However, for a cheap and high quality battery, head to a reputable online store dedicated to selling batteries. There are a lot of these online, selling batteries from different manufacturers and for different gadgets. Sony laptops are popular enough that you can find their batteries at any of these online stores.

Be careful while you shop that you are visiting a real online store. Look for signs of safe and secure shopping as well as customer care service, warranties, support and read the return policy statement.

Most of these online stores regularly conduct sales and promos. Those are the best times to buy a cheap replacement battery for your laptop. Lastly, note that laptop batteries are smart, incorporating technologies that allow your computer to see and correctly calibrate them. For this, make sure the seller can provide or point you where you can download a BIOS update for the replacement Sony laptop battery you are purchasing.

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Take Care Of You Laptop Battery

Laptops are common now; most people have them to take to school or when they travel for work. They’re useful and easy to move with. What is also common is to see someone scrambling to find a place to charge a laptop battery. That report due tomorrow may suddenly be lost if you don’t find an outlet within thirty seconds… Or that slideshow you have created (but carelessly forgot to save) may disappear if your laptop battery is not recharged.

As common as laptops are now, it is just as common to see individuals forgetting that the machine needs a little bit of help to run. It does not magically power itself; the battery does not somehow manage to stay full as you work for hours at a time. Yet, many seem to think that their battery does just that. No matter how long they stay hunched over the machine, it will work.

A few times of having the laptop die will cure that fantasy.
The truth is: you must keep your laptop charged. Yes, one of the advantages of having a laptop is that you can take it anywhere; it does not require you to remain plugged into the wall. That still does not mean that you can expect the laptop to run with a low battery. Yes, you can walk around with it; yes, you can wander away from your plug. You still should return, however, when your computer tells you it’s low.
And they do tell you. Laptops feature a symbol at the top of the screen that allows you to see just how much your battery is charged. The lower it drops, the less time you have. This is basic. Anyone will even a small trace of knowledge should know and understand this. Yet, too many people risk losing everything to squeeze out an extra minute on their battery. These are the same people who try to frantically finish a report as opposed to saving and heading to their charger, only to lose the majority of it when the computer quits. And these are the same people who swear they will never do it again, but forget that promise the next time around.

Laptop batteries have short ives. They can fail as quickly as thirty minutes. Some last longer, of course, but the result is still the same: if you are not careful and don’t pay attention, the battery will die. Of course, laptops offer warnings when a battery is low. Often, a small screen will pop up to remind you that the time is almost there. Still, thinking you can simply ignore that screen since you’re busy is not the wisest of moves.

This are basic ideas, and you may be rolling your eyes, wondering who would be so foolish. But it does happen, all-too-often it happens. Because of this, you must make an effort to remember that, as convenient as your laptop is, it is still a machine and therefore needs care. Check your hp laptop battery and keep it charged.