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Is there a user preference on available Rechargeable Battery Chemistry? — Parallax Forums

Is there a user preference on available Rechargeable Battery Chemistry?

Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,568
edited 2009-02-01 17:14 in General Discussion
I would like to see what kind of rechargeable batteries that you most frequently use, and if there is a preference you have over one or the other.
Since there are many different shapes, sizes, chemistry, capacity, etc. available, be sure to include this information as well if you can.

Thank you.

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Beau Schwabe

IC Layout Engineer
Parallax, Inc.

Comments

  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2009-01-29 01:53
    Beau,

    NiMH for AA (Energizer 2200 mAh)·and I am using a SLA (Power Sonic PS 1270 -·7Ah·or 1272 - 7.2 Ah)·for the 12 volt motor and wheel kit bot.

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    Whit+


    "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2009-01-29 02:01
    I like the 7.2 volt NiMH batteries that are found at RC car shops, with the Tamiya connector.
  • MSDTechMSDTech Posts: 342
    edited 2009-01-29 03:26
    For my robot I'm using 5 AA (2500 mAh) NiMH cells for the electronics and 5 D (4500 mAh) NiMH cells for the servos. I may switch over to a 10000 mAh MiMH 6v pack like I used in my weather station. So far I've been happy with the performance of the NiMH based cells - just wish they could match the voltage / number of cell requirements of some battery powered devices. At least Parallax came out with a BOE-Boost to allow them to work reasonably in the BOE-BOT.
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,403
    edited 2009-01-29 03:59
    SLA Power Sonic 7-12 Ah 12V batteries for my projects.

    Ken
  • Carl HayesCarl Hayes Posts: 841
    edited 2009-01-29 04:21
    In cars, flooded lead-acid automotive batteries.
    In motor home, flooded lead-acid deep-cycle batteries.
    In cameras, NiMH AA.
    In flashlights, NiCd.
    In laptops, NiMH mostly.
    In photoflash units, NiCd and NiMH.
    In UPSs, Sealed lead-acid (SLA, all glass-mat at the moment, I think).
    In handi-talkies, NiCd.
    Lessee -- that about covers it.

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    · -- Carl, nn5i@arrl.net
  • John AbshierJohn Abshier Posts: 1,116
    edited 2009-01-29 05:06
    Right now I only use NiMH of various sizes. 7.2 volt NiMH (3000 mAh) with the Tamiya connector for larger robots. 7.2 volt NiMH Losi MiniT (1600mAh) for smaller robots. NiMH AA's. 9.6 volt NiMH (don't remember capacity) for VEX RC transmitters. I think my next purchase (not in immediate future) will be Li Ion for reduced weight.

    John Abshier
  • UghaUgha Posts: 543
    edited 2009-01-29 05:20
    8 AA ni-mh 2200mah rechargables for the electronics of my robot, and a 6volt 2.8ah lead acid for my motors.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2009-01-29 08:13
    Almost exclusively NiMH (AA and AAA). Self-discharge is a nuisance, though. I've got some Li-ion units in a CR123 format, but the charger that came with them is a cheap one, and I don't trust it to run unattended.

    -Phil
  • bambinobambino Posts: 789
    edited 2009-01-29 15:44
    Nimh, But I am going to switch to NiCd for a while as the Metal Hydride can't handle the cold. I have heard the Lion's do a good job in the cold, but an embedded charger circuit(of my making) scares me to death!
  • MSDTechMSDTech Posts: 342
    edited 2009-01-29 18:31
    Bambino,
    The NiMH battery in my weather station has only had one problem this winter. We had a "dark week" where there was cloud cover with rain and snow. The solar charger output was inadequate to recharge the battery and I had to take it out and hook it up to a wall charger. It has functioned well at temperatures down to -2F.
  • bambinobambino Posts: 789
    edited 2009-01-29 19:23
    MSDTech,
    Curious, What brand of battery is that? I am using energizer AAA's and they bug out at about 34F. It's kind of funny to see me standing over my app with a heat gun just to load a program!
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2009-01-29 19:31
    I use sub c NiMH - 3,000 mah for most projects where weight is not an issue (because I have hundreds of them salvaged from Segway Batteries). I use LiPos in all my RC flying things. I really like the LiPos but it is a small pain to charge them - I always use a balancer.
    For electronic devices, cameras, radios etc., the Eneloop AA cells have been working well, they do hold a charge for extended periods of non use.

    Overall, I mostly use NiMH. I have had more cells fail with NiCads than any other cell type.

    Rich H
  • Dennis FerronDennis Ferron Posts: 480
    edited 2009-01-29 22:33
    I've had bad experiences with Li-Ion. I dropped a robot using a rectangular one once and it swelled up to the size and roundness of an orange. In another instance, I designed my Prop6502 laptop with the intent of placing some Li-Ion batteries in spaces I left to either side of the screen. Although they were salvaged, I expected them to be good batteries because they came from a new portable DVD player that had never been used - one was good but the other was shorted internally, so at the last minute I had to figure out a way to fit 6 AA batteries in another place instead.

    Not saying I wouldn't love to be able to use Li-Ion in projects - it's just that I don't trust them.

    I use Ni-MH AA's in my small projects, and Lead acid in my giant robots. I've never been quite sure why you can find AA NiMH that are rated 2500+ mAH, but C size NiMH batteries are rated only 2000 - 3000 mAH. (I've seen them as poor as 1500mAH). You'd think a C battery would have twice the energy of a AA. My suspicion is that because C batteries are less commonly used, the battery companies only make AA and are cheating consumers by making C batteries that are nothing more than AA batteries with a fat plastic shell around them.
  • MSDTechMSDTech Posts: 342
    edited 2009-01-30 03:17
    Bambino,
    The battery pack I am using is listed here:
    http://www.batteryspace.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1482
    It was designed to use with a bicycle light. They also sell 5000mAh "C" cells and 10000mAh "D" cells.
  • bambinobambino Posts: 789
    edited 2009-01-30 14:23
    Nice site, Thanks.
    Didn't mean to hi-jack your thread Beau, sorry!

    Back to the topic. I like the 7.2 NiMh RC batteries that Radio shack carries. Not because of their size, but because of their availability, and cheap chargers. Being able to design circuits of my own to charge them with is also a plus!
  • Tracy AllenTracy Allen Posts: 6,666
    edited 2009-01-30 17:46
    Hi Beau, I wonder, why do you ask?

    I usually use 12 volt SLA in the range 1.2 to 7 Ah and have a solar float charger for those built into my data logger. They have good performance even at low temperatures. Sometimes small 6 volt SLAs from 0.5 to 1.2 Ah is fine too, depending on external requirements. For some stations that have to run at very low temperatures from primary batteries, I've used the Energizer L91 Lithium Disulfide AA batteries, or CR123 LIMnO2's. In one project where the enclosure was fit for a standard 9v battery, we started using rechargeable Li-ion 7.2 volt packs from the same source MSDtech just recommended. Unfortunately the Li-ion batteries that have the same form factor as the standard 9v do not have as good an Ah capacity as 9V alkalines (AFAIK).

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    Tracy Allen
    www.emesystems.com
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2009-01-30 18:14
    For those who are unfamiliar, as I was, with the acronym "SLA", it stands for "sealed lead acid".

    Carry on. smile.gif

    -Phil
  • Tracy AllenTracy Allen Posts: 6,666
    edited 2009-01-30 21:29
    Also in relation to SLA batteries, one can differentiate "AGM" (absorbed glass mat, the electrolyte is held in the fiberglass mat between the plates) vs "Gel", where the electrolyte is gelled, usually with silica. Those are sealed, as opposed to the "Flooded" type, which are like a standard automotive battery with caps where one can add electrolyte, although the plates may be much thicker to accommodate deeper discharge cycles.

    I usually operate from solar power, and rely on low dropout linear circuits to charge my relatively small SLA AGM batteries. I've followed the discussions of MPP (maximum power point) chargers here with interest.

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    Tracy Allen
    www.emesystems.com
  • Carl HayesCarl Hayes Posts: 841
    edited 2009-01-31 21:15
    John Abshier said...
    Right now I only use NiMH of various sizes.
    Huh?· How can one NiMH (or one of anything) be of various sizes?

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    · -- Carl, nn5i@arrl.net
  • ChrisPChrisP Posts: 136
    edited 2009-02-01 15:40
    NiMH in most retail things I've purchased.

    SLA in anything that requires·large power capacity.

    Lithium Ion scavenged from 9.99 cel phones for low power draw logic level stuff. (Nice that they include a free charger and 5v power supplies [noparse];)[/noparse]·

    Lithuim Ion and NiMh in the RC planes
  • UghaUgha Posts: 543
    edited 2009-02-01 17:14
    ChrisP, have you used those lithium ions in parallel before to power a voltage regulator? I'm thinking of doing so but I'm worried about all the
    horror stories.
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