Batteries

[Glen Miyashiro]

Two separate things, but they're both battery-related so I figured they could go together under the same thread title.

Another notebook computer battery has gone up in flames -- this time, it's a MacBook! All you Macheads, keep your eyes open for the next battery recall notice from Apple. This is the price we pay for demanding that our batteries be powerful, long-lasting, light, and cheap, all at the same time. Sometimes they blow up.

I got into a discussion with a friend over the problem of leaking batteries. You know, when you leave a gadget in a drawer for months, and then you take it out and discover that the Duracells have gone bad and leaked nasty goo all over the battery compartment? Yuck. Well, the question was, is it just alkaline batteries that do this, or do the other kinds leak as well -- Nicad, Nimh, Li-ion?

[helen]

Re: Batteries

Zinc carbon batteries leak (sooner than alkalines). I don't remember seeing any nicads leaking.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Batteries

Ni-cads leak too.

Regarding leaking alkaline batteries, I believe these batteries come with a guarantee that if their batteries leak, they will replace the device that was destroyed from those batteries. Of course there are stipulations such as: Did the manufacturer of the product that was damaged specify the use of that battery or similar?

[Composite 2992]

Re: Batteries

I just read that some hobbyists who fly electric radio-controlled planes and helicopters are recommending Lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries to be charged on fireproof surfaces: concrete, Pyrex pans with sand, etc.

There have been too many reports of these batteries bursting into flame.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1898922

As for NiCad batteries leaking, I have an old movie camera that got messed up when its NiCad battery was inadvertently left in it and it leaked. This was probably left in there for 15 to 20 years, so circumstances are unusual. But they can leak...

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Batteries

I know of a paint-baller who uses Lithium Ion battery packs for his gun and he says that sucker got wayyyyy to hot one day and it exploded.

It's that Star Trek problem: I'm giving you all the power I can Captain Kirk but those Dylithium Crystals just can't take it any longer!

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Batteries

I know of a paint-baller who uses Lithium Ion battery packs for his gun and he says that sucker got wayyyyy to hot one day and it exploded.

It's that Star Trek problem: I'm giving you all the power I can Captain Kirk but those Dylithium Crystals just can't take it any longer!

There's not a lot of difference between a battery and a bomb. Both devices store energy, and release it when desired (at least, that's the intended idea). The real question is how much and how fast.

[MixedPlateBroker]

Re: Batteries

One possible way to avoid the laptop battery controversy: Pick up one of these sweet OLPC numbers for $150 http://www.itnews.com.au/newsstory.aspx?CIaNID=42556. I believe it's armed with a capacitor and can be juiced up with your hands or feet.