Batteries - From Laptops to Motorcycles

What would you do without them? Seriously, if every single battery of every single type were suddenly zapped out of every single thing that it operated, what would any of us do?

Laptop computers, without a doubt, are the lifeblood of many a businessperson today. Portable, convenient, they allow us to work on the run and do more business. Laptop batteries are essential to keep this resource working, as it should.

The precursor to the laptop as we know it today was introduced by IBM back in 1986 and was called “The PC Convertible”. It weighed five and a half kilograms and cost around $3500.00.

As laptop computers have evolved, so too have laptop batteries.

• The first type of battery used in laptops was Nickel- Cadmium (NiCad). These can still be found in some older laptops. Their lifespan between recharges is about two hours, however, this decreases with each recharge. Also, if a NiCad laptop battery is charged for too long it may explode.

• The next type of laptop battery used was Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH). These laptop batteries last longer than NiCad batteries but their total lifespan is shorter.

• The current standard laptop battery is the Li-ion battery. As well as being light and having a long life span they can also be randomly charged and won’t overheat if charged for too long. Being thinner, the Li-ion battery is ideal as a notebook battery and can last for between 950 and 1200 recharges.

Perhaps even more crucial to our business life as well as our personal life is the cell phone. There are also three different types of cell phone batteries:

• Lithium-ion Batteries: these are the newest type of cell phone battery and, while having certain advantages over the older NIMH and NICD batteries, care must still be taken to ensure they perform at their best. For example, a new lithium-ion battery should be “conditioned”. What this basically means is that for the battery’s first three charge cycles, fully charge the battery overnight and allow it to fully discharge before charging it again. This will increase the life and effectiveness of the cell phone battery.

• NIMH Batteries: These batteries also should be conditioned in the same way as a Lithium-ion battery. It is important to remember
that extensive overcharging (i.e.: on a battery charger for more than twenty-four hours) can damage these cell phone batteries.

• NICD Batteries: These are the oldest type of cell phone battery and, as is the case with the laptop computer, are less reliable than the newer types.

Okay, so we know we’d be sunk without our laptops and cell phones. But what about the car? Cars have batteries too. Perhaps you ride a Harley Davidson - not without a motorcycle battery! It’s interesting to think where we’d be if the afore-mentioned “zapping episode” took place. We know that our forefathers coped without batteries but could we?

Here’s a challenge: For one whole day leave everything containing a battery alone. No driving or riding, no cell phone or computer, completely “battery-bereft”. At the end of the day you’ll either feel tranquil and centred, at total peace with your surroundings or a nervous wreck, climbing the walls.

Which will you be?

Batteries - Charging ahead

In these days of walk-and-talk and walk-and-work, battery chargers are as much a necessity to business as a microwave oven is to the kitchen. Cell phones, laptops, notebooks, and camcorders, just to mention a few.

But how do they work? Here are some types of battery chargers explained:

• Solar battery chargers: These little gems use the sun’s energy to recharge batteries. From car, boat and motorbikes to cell phones, DVD players and computers, there is a solar battery charger to suit.

• Automotive battery chargers: Most automotive battery chargers simply attach to the vehicle’s battery terminals and plug in to mains power. However, there are now new products on the market that work to prevent the battery from going flat in the first place. To comprehend how the process works it is important to understand what causes a battery to deteriorate.

Car batteries rely on a chemical process to provide power. The car battery contains lead plates in a solution of sulphuric acid, which act together to make and store electricity. Over time a residue of lead sulphate builds up on the plates, reducing the flow of electricity. “De-sulphating” technology reverses this process by using sound waves to dissolve the residue build-up.

Of course this won’t help if you’ve left your lights on at the train station …

• Industrial Battery Chargers: These are the big guys. With names such as ferroresonant, Opportunity Charging and Silicon Controlled Rectifier charger, these are heavy-duty long haul pieces of technology. Whether cold storage units, factory or fleet applications, there is an industrial battery charger to suit. Basically though, it is important that the industrial battery charger contains a voltage regulator of some description. This will ensure that the battery is not damaged while it is being recharged.


• Cell Phone Battery Chargers: It is very important to choose a cell phone battery charger that is designed for the model and type of battery being charged. Likewise, it is prudent to make sure that the battery is, itself, the correct one for the phone.

Choosing the correct battery charger will ensure that the connection points will be compatible and the correct amount of electricity is delivered. If too little electricity is delivered, the battery will not fully charge; if too much, it may overheat. Many cell phone battery chargers today do have a built in system to prevent overcharging, however, it is still important to ensure the charger and battery are compatible.

And to make sure that business, or life in general, isn’t inconvenienced too much due to battery recharging, many cell phone battery chargers now allow the user to make phone calls during the recharging process.

So, the next time you’re out and about walking the talk, spare a thought for the hard-working companion who makes sure your equipment is up to the job. And, the most important thing of all … never mistake that cup of coffee on your desk for your cell phone battery charger carriage.

Choosing the Right Batteries

The advent of modern technology has been amazing to help people getting things done in twice the time, and getting things delivered twice as fast. But what do we do when our technology fails us? What happens when our techny clip-board dies? Sure you can smack it a couple of times but honestly this solution will be short term and may end up only damaging your equipment. The best insurance that a battery will last you a long time is using quality components and following all the instructions.

Battery life time varies greatly depending on a number of factors. Two important factors are the number of applications and types of applications on the small appliance being used. If you want your battery to last a long time, try not to run down the battery life by overusing the appliance. If it is necessary to run multiple applications for an extended period of time, you may want to consider purchasing a larger capacity battery (if available), or purchasing an extra battery so you will always have a charged battery when you need it.

The “memory effect” is another factor you may have heard about that affects battery life. The memory effect is a pattern seen in certain batteries that causes then to hold less charge. It occurs when a battery is only partially used and then recharged to full charge. It is similar to voltage depression, a condition in which the battery’s voltage level drops faster even though total charge power of the battery remains the same. These effects are caused by repeated over charging of that batteries that leave electrolyte build up on the battery. People have come up with several theories to overcome the memory effect, thought most are just that, theories, and are difficult to duplicate in the real world.

Battery manufacturers have worked to develop more powerful and effective batteries. The newest and most popular advent in battery technology is the Lithium Ion battery and it surpasses traditional batteries in many ways. Li-Ion batteries charge faster and weigh much less. They are also more environmentally sound because they do not contain toxic materials such as mercury. And most importantly, Li-Ion batteries do not suffer from memory effect. The technology for Li-Ion batteries is increasing every day.

So an everlasting battery may not yet exist, but we can be assured that engineers are working every day to make the batteries that help us in our daily lives, faster, safer, and more powerful.