Ask Lemmy

This. I don't have to wait for something to charge. I just swap and go.

I'd much rather see modern rechargeable batteries (Li-ion, maybe Na-ion in the future) in standardized, field-replaceable form factors.

This is already common in flashlights. In my pocket today is a flashlight running on an AA-size 14500 Li-ion. There's a magnetic pad to recharge the battery with a proprietary cable, but I can also unscrew the tailcap and replace it with a spare, as most people expect from a flashlight. I can use AA in a pinch with reduced performance, though I'll note supporting both voltage ranges takes extra work on the manufacturer's part.

Being complex and energy-intensive doesn't preclude batteries being standardized or field-replaceable. The issue with smartphones is that they have a highly optimized form factor.

A good percentage of rechargeable cells are standardized too, they’re just not easily accessible. I don’t think it would take much to adjust the design of a thing to accept a replaceable battery in most simple items.

For example, I have a laser pointer that runs on rechargeable lithium batteries, you just unscrew it and put any standard 18650 cell in directly.

As for rechargeable it’s twice the effort to find the charger every two years instead of just using the one time batteries.

I've actually seen USB to USB-C rechargeable AA batteries for sale. I've never tried them so I have no idea personally how good they are but the reviews seem positive. I think that could be the way forward as long as it's a standard charging cable for the batteries.

As for rechargeable it’s twice the effort to find the charger every two years instead of just using the one time batteries.

I recommend keeping some charged spares and the charger in the same place.

I can’t wait to throw out all my flashlights because they don’t have USB-D and I don’t have the right cord to charge them anymore. This is almost certainly better for the shareholders.

I prefer the regular ones. Seems weird to have a port on my battery

Putting the charger circuit inside the battery takes away battery capacity, so I still buy the external chargers

Hank Green recently did a good video on this!

The main reason that they're nearly impossible to obsolete is that AA, etc. are just shapes (and voltages).

• Zinc-Carbon AAs have become functionally impossible to find because alkaline cells are better in basically every way.
• Lithium disposables beat alkaline in longevity, but lose in cost ~~and are only 1.2V.~~
• NiMH are ~~also~~ 1.2V, but are rechargeable; they last longer overall, but are much more expensive and have much worse self-drain while not in use
• Li-Ion cells are far too high-voltage for AAs, but they're also so much higher-density that it's sometimes worth putting a step-down circuit in the battery to get it to 1.5V. That removes most of the density advantage, but it's the only way to use rechargeable batteries to power devices that can't run at 1.2V.

For people confused about the naming of Li-ion batteries: 18650 batteries are have 18mm diameter are 65mm long and cylinder shaped. 21700 have a 21mm diameter are 70mm long and cylinder shaped.

When I learned this they went from confusing to really intuitive.

And 18350s and 13400 (very common in "disposable" vapes), and a bunch of other sizes.

The issue with 18650 is honestly that it's too big for most applications, especially when you look at what currently uses disposable batteries - remotes etc. - and their sizes.

Also, for li-ion, a cylinder isn't an optimal shape, for a number of reasons, first being physics - the rolled up layers result in gaps that reduces the per volume capacity. The form factor also requires a very strong can, is prone to shorts, and doesn't allow for easy addition of protective electronics.

For household purposes I think the best approach would've been utilising Nokia's standardised battery formats (BL-5 family is still ubiquitous even though Nokia hasn't made a phone that uses it in nearly 15 years), scaling them as necessary, while keeping a standardised pinout - with Li-Ion you kinda need more data than just the two poles can provide on a cylinder battery (temperature, internal resistance, etc.).

I've only recently stumbled on 18650's potential (lol) by using the 4Ah Kobalt 24v batteries for some experiments with solar, 12v loads, and inverters. Holee hell nuts. Theoretically around 44amp continuous draw in 4Ah arrangement (though I'm aiming to be well under 30 in most circumstances).

Also need to mod kids power wheels with these.

Careful, let's not feed into the nefarious ideas that manufacturers already have.

Same here but i bought a few packs of rechagable AA & AAA batteries when good sales were on (such as right now during black friday/cyber monday) and use them in the kids toys.
I find once they start getting bored of one thing and stop using it, i take them out to charge and usually they get rotated into the next best thing they have just got for their birthday or christmas.

Smoke detectors that use replaceable batteries are illegal in some places already.

Basically a modern smoke detector should have a non-replacable, 10 year sealed battery, and be discarded when it's dead. The rest of the detector goes bad after that so it's better to just have it all die at the same time.

Are you trying to charge a lithium primary? That seems... unwise.

Apple TV remote has a USB C port for charging