OT - but may come in handy...
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Posts: 46,084
Hi all,
I've just removed some dead Energizer Titanium AAA size batteries from my
digital camera.
These batteries, and other batteries in the Energizer and Duracell range,
have a indicator on the side so you can see how much energy they have in
them.
Does any one know how they work?
I've just cut one off a dead battery and applied power to it to see how much
current, etc. it takes to go full scale. Figured I could use them as
indicators elsewhere...
It can draw 0.5A!!
I reckon, just by using these built in testers, you'll flatten your
battery...
Anyway, they appear to be a metalic strip, with some sort of black liquid
enclosed that goes clear upon a current going through the metalic strip.
It doesn't matter which way round the current flows, the indicator always
goes up the same way.
Is this some sort of LCD type arrangement?
--
http://www.lennard.net.nz/
Ben Lennard, NCEE, Dip EE
Electronics R&D - Kiwi Made, Innovative Electronics.
Hm: +64 4 972 7567
Mb: +64 21 536 627
87 Spencer Street
Crofton Downs
Wellington
New Zealand
"To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is
half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be."
No animals were harmed in the transmission of this email, although the
Dog next door is living on borrowed time, let me tell you! Those of you
with an overwhelming fear of the unknown will be gratified to learn that
there is no hidden message revealed by reading this warning backwards.
I've just removed some dead Energizer Titanium AAA size batteries from my
digital camera.
These batteries, and other batteries in the Energizer and Duracell range,
have a indicator on the side so you can see how much energy they have in
them.
Does any one know how they work?
I've just cut one off a dead battery and applied power to it to see how much
current, etc. it takes to go full scale. Figured I could use them as
indicators elsewhere...
It can draw 0.5A!!
I reckon, just by using these built in testers, you'll flatten your
battery...
Anyway, they appear to be a metalic strip, with some sort of black liquid
enclosed that goes clear upon a current going through the metalic strip.
It doesn't matter which way round the current flows, the indicator always
goes up the same way.
Is this some sort of LCD type arrangement?
--
http://www.lennard.net.nz/
Ben Lennard, NCEE, Dip EE
Electronics R&D - Kiwi Made, Innovative Electronics.
Hm: +64 4 972 7567
Mb: +64 21 536 627
87 Spencer Street
Crofton Downs
Wellington
New Zealand
"To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is
half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be."
No animals were harmed in the transmission of this email, although the
Dog next door is living on borrowed time, let me tell you! Those of you
with an overwhelming fear of the unknown will be gratified to learn that
there is no hidden message revealed by reading this warning backwards.
Comments
that turns clear with heat. When you press the little test buttons, current
flows through the resistive film and generates heat, turning the black stuff
clear. The tapered shape of the resistive film is what makes it able to
display the percent of charge left.
Original Message
> I've just removed some dead Energizer Titanium AAA size batteries from my
> digital camera.
>
> These batteries, and other batteries in the Energizer and Duracell range,
> have a indicator on the side so you can see how much energy they have in
> them.
>
> Does any one know how they work?
>
> I've just cut one off a dead battery and applied power to it to see how
much
> current, etc. it takes to go full scale. Figured I could use them as
> indicators elsewhere...
>
> It can draw 0.5A!!
>
> I reckon, just by using these built in testers, you'll flatten your
> battery...
>
> Anyway, they appear to be a metalic strip, with some sort of black liquid
> enclosed that goes clear upon a current going through the metalic strip.
>
> It doesn't matter which way round the current flows, the indicator always
> goes up the same way.
>
> Is this some sort of LCD type arrangement?
direction...
I just had a closer look, and yep it's tapered...
--
http://www.lennard.net.nz/
Ben Lennard, NCEE, Dip EE
Electronics R&D - Kiwi Made, Innovative Electronics.
Hm: +64 4 972 7567
Mb: +64 21 536 627
87 Spencer Street
Crofton Downs
Wellington
New Zealand
"To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is
half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be."
No animals were harmed in the transmission of this email, although the
Dog next door is living on borrowed time, let me tell you! Those of you
with an overwhelming fear of the unknown will be gratified to learn that
there is no hidden message revealed by reading this warning backwards.
> From: Rodent <daweasel@s...>
> Reply-To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Thu, 02 Jan 2003 05:08:23 -0600
> To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] OT - but may come in handy...
>
> The tester is a tapered piece of resistive film and some type of chemical
> that turns clear with heat. When you press the little test buttons, current
> flows through the resistive film and generates heat, turning the black stuff
> clear. The tapered shape of the resistive film is what makes it able to
> display the percent of charge left.
>
>
Original Message
>
>> I've just removed some dead Energizer Titanium AAA size batteries from my
>> digital camera.
>>
>> These batteries, and other batteries in the Energizer and Duracell range,
>> have a indicator on the side so you can see how much energy they have in
>> them.
>>
>> Does any one know how they work?
>>
>> I've just cut one off a dead battery and applied power to it to see how
> much
>> current, etc. it takes to go full scale. Figured I could use them as
>> indicators elsewhere...
>>
>> It can draw 0.5A!!
>>
>> I reckon, just by using these built in testers, you'll flatten your
>> battery...
>>
>> Anyway, they appear to be a metalic strip, with some sort of black liquid
>> enclosed that goes clear upon a current going through the metalic strip.
>>
>> It doesn't matter which way round the current flows, the indicator always
>> goes up the same way.
>>
>> Is this some sort of LCD type arrangement?
>
>
>
>
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>
>
is little current flow and only one end of the strip gets hot -- only part
of the black stuff turns clear.
Actually, the guy that invented the battery tester probably owned stock in
the company that made mood rings and liquid crystal thermometers -- he
wanted to find a use for all their unsold inventory.
Original Message
> Ah yes! That explains why it works with current flowing in either
> direction...
>
> I just had a closer look, and yep it's tapered...
> > The tester is a tapered piece of resistive film and some type of
chemical
> > that turns clear with heat. When you press the little test buttons,
current
> > flows through the resistive film and generates heat, turning the black
stuff
> > clear. The tapered shape of the resistive film is what makes it able to
> > display the percent of charge left.
> >
> >
Original Message
> >
> >> I've just removed some dead Energizer Titanium AAA size batteries from
my
> >> digital camera.
> >>
> >> These batteries, and other batteries in the Energizer and Duracell
range,
> >> have a indicator on the side so you can see how much energy they have
in
> >> them.
> >>
> >> Does any one know how they work?
> >>
> >> I've just cut one off a dead battery and applied power to it to see how
> > much
> >> current, etc. it takes to go full scale. Figured I could use them as
> >> indicators elsewhere...
> >>
> >> It can draw 0.5A!!
> >>
> >> I reckon, just by using these built in testers, you'll flatten your
> >> battery...
> >>
> >> Anyway, they appear to be a metalic strip, with some sort of black
liquid
> >> enclosed that goes clear upon a current going through the metalic
strip.
> >>
> >> It doesn't matter which way round the current flows, the indicator
always
> >> goes up the same way.
> >>
> >> Is this some sort of LCD type arrangement?
activated and the more heat the more power the battery has left. A gimmick.
It will run the cell down very fast, but then, they want you to buy more
cells then don't they.
Original Message
From: Ben [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=8TbzpksbcRStvVaJp0c0HsgVKhZe_B6Wb9fMZsSi1U5edo0X3nb9DLgVqnvfFAnOk9GWyUJFR-nOlg]ben@l...[/url
Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 4:51 AM
To: Stamps
Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] OT - but may come in handy...
Hi all,
I've just removed some dead Energizer Titanium AAA size batteries from my
digital camera.
These batteries, and other batteries in the Energizer and Duracell range,
have a indicator on the side so you can see how much energy they have in
them.
Does any one know how they work?
I've just cut one off a dead battery and applied power to it to see how much
current, etc. it takes to go full scale. Figured I could use them as
indicators elsewhere...
It can draw 0.5A!!
I reckon, just by using these built in testers, you'll flatten your
battery...
Anyway, they appear to be a metalic strip, with some sort of black liquid
enclosed that goes clear upon a current going through the metalic strip.
It doesn't matter which way round the current flows, the indicator always
goes up the same way.
Is this some sort of LCD type arrangement?
--
http://www.lennard.net.nz/
Ben Lennard, NCEE, Dip EE
Electronics R&D - Kiwi Made, Innovative Electronics.
Hm: +64 4 972 7567
Mb: +64 21 536 627
87 Spencer Street
Crofton Downs
Wellington
New Zealand
"To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is
half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be."
No animals were harmed in the transmission of this email, although the
Dog next door is living on borrowed time, let me tell you! Those of you
with an overwhelming fear of the unknown will be gratified to learn that
there is no hidden message revealed by reading this warning backwards.
To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
Body of the message will be ignored.
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> Anyway, they appear to be a metalic strip, with some sort of black liquid
> enclosed that goes clear upon a current going through the metalic strip.
>
> It doesn't matter which way round the current flows, the indicator always
> goes up the same way.
>
> Is this some sort of LCD type arrangement?
The chemical (black liquid) used is similar to the "MoodRings" of a few decades
back.