Ive got an old Mac Powerbook G4, and ive noticed lately that the battery continues to drain even when its plugged in while im using it. When i stop using it the battery charges back up. Can you have to many accessories plugged into a laptop so that the battery on it will drain even when the computer is plugged in?

I currently have 5 external hard drives connected (3 of which drawing from their own power cords) my iphone and my ipod.

It's hard to make sense of it. If you remove the battery, does the computer shuts down?

I guess I would charge the battery completely, then remove the battery and keep the laptop plugged in and only put the battery back in when you need to move.

Unable to ship rechargable battery packs with drills. Hoping to ship drills and place batteries in my luggage. Is this feasable? Legal?

Yes, but don't put them in your check bag.

When you purchase an iPOD, what do you think about? Are you imagining what songs you’ll put on it? Do you think about all the accessories and kits that you’ll get for your iPOD? Can you picture in your mind all the places you’ll take your iPOD? Of course you’re thinking about all those things. Are you also thinking about the lithium iPOD battery that powers your device, and how it works? Probably not.

The iPOD is a remarkable device that has changed how people transfer and enjoy music and information, but little is paid attention to what makes an iPOD work. We know how it works, and what it can do, but what enables it to do all those cool things? The answer is a small but powerful lithium iPOD Nano battery.

Lithium iPOD batteries are more powerful than standard nickel-cadmium batteries. Because of this, lithium batteries last longer and don’t require to be charged as regular batteries. This allows you to max-out the times you need to change your iPOD battery. Now, with any form of battery - lithium-ion or otherwise - you will eventually need to purchase an iPOD or to simply replace the iPOD battery itself. After all, it won’t last forever, but it’s sure close!

A lithium-ion iPOD Nano battery works better for two reasons:

1. Lithium is lighter than nickel
2. Lithium batteries have smart “fast-charge” technology

Let’s focus on point number one. Because lithium-ion is lighter than crystal, which means that your iPOD doesn’t have to work as hard to charge a light material vs. a heavy material. So, your iPOD battery uses less power to fully charge up. That’s good for you, because having lithium iPOD batteries gets your device charged up faster. It also saves you the expense of having to frequently purchase iPOD Nanos.

On the second point, iPOD batteries are smart charging. Now, you can’t use your iPOD Nano battery to help study for a test! Rather, they’re smart because they can tell the charger when they’re almost full. When your iPOD is charging, it charges up to 80% capacity in no time flat. Then, the iPOD battery tells the charger to slow down, so the charging process goes from warp speed to snail’s pace. This ensures that the battery doesn’t overcharge, and makes certain that you’re spending your time with your music, and not spending your cash on iPOD batteries.

With any battery, every time you charge it, it loses a bit of its performance and power. Over time, that battery will die, and after you give it a proper funeral, you’ll have to change it. The same is true with your iPOD. Eventually, you will have to replace the iPOD battery. You can either change the iPOD battery itself or purchase a new iPOD Nano . But, because your iPOD battery is a lithium-ion beast, you won’t need to worry about that for a while!

Freddy Mason
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/the-life-and-times-of-the-ipod-battery-126928.html

The advent of hearing aids many decades ago was a great blessing to the numerous people who had a hearing loss to one extent or another. However, no matter what kind or style of assistive listening device a person uses, all of these important hearing units are dependent upon minute batteries for power. For this reason, making sure that the hearing aid batteries are in good working order is always a high priority for hearing aid users.

There is a wide array of different styles, models and brands of hearing aid products on the market and as a result there is also a wide array of hearing aid batteries that are designed to work with these different models of hearing devices. It is important to be sure that the correct type of hearing aid battery is purchased for the hearing instrument or there can be damage, not only to the device but also to the hearing of the person wearing the device with the wrong battery.

All types of hearing aid batteries are round in shape and quite small. This has added to the possibility of becoming confused over the right battery model. To help with this, all batteries have an engraved model number on the surface and that also identifies the voltage of the cell and the manufacturer.

The problem with the etchings that are engraved on these batteries is that they are also very small and often extremely difficult to read. As a result, in addition to the etchings to help identify the different models of batteries, they are also marked with colored bands around them. These colored bands help to further distinguish the various battery models, so that they can more quickly and easily be recognized, reducing the risk of confusion between models.

When purchasing batteries for hearing aids, the packaging that holds them usually has large and easy to read markings to help people be sure they are getting the right model of battery. The main problem can be trying to read the engraving of the existing battery in the hearing aid because it is so small.

A good tip is to write down the exact model on a card that you carry in your purse or wallet, so that you always have it on hand when at the store. This simple tip can help to reduce errors when buying batteries for your hearing aid products, which will not only reduce problems with having the wrong battery but will also save money in the long run.

The general life span of hearing aid batteries depends on the size of the battery itself. Larger batteries will generally have longer life spans than the smaller batteries. However, this is not always the case because there are some hearing aids that simply draw more power in order to operate correctly.

MIKE SELVON
http://www.articlesbase.com/technology-articles/proper-hearing-aid-batteries-are-needed-for-hearing-aid-devices-424106.html

Use batteries for digital camera - never sure if fully charges and have some of different Milliamp rating - this ws listed on package but not on battery. I want to separate by mAh rating.

Can get voltage checked on tester but unable to figure out how to test for mAH

By way of example, an Energizer (non-rechargeable) AA battery has a rated capacity of 2,850 mAh (milliamp hours) at 1-1/2 Volts and 25 mA continuous drain.

That means that it should provide 1-1/2 volts at 25 mA current for 114 hours (2,850 / 25 = 114).

You can set your amp meter scale to 100 mA, and if the battery is pushing 25 mA you should read it easily. However, mAh is a measure of milliamps produced over a period of time (hours).

The only way you could measure that would be to load each battery at its mA rating and see how long it actually lasts before it's discharged.

Seems like a lot to go through. I'd just charge them all and carry a spare or two!

I don't know if that helps…I hope so.

It's said that if you want to prolong the shelf life of a battery you should put it in the fridge. That makes sens to me because it's slowing down the internal reactions of the battery.

However, whenever I walk to class with my laptop in the winter or have my camera in my pocket in the winter it significantly decreases the charge on the battery. Why this contradiction?

The "Keep Batteries In The Fridge" is a myth…

TOTAL MYTH…

It actually doesn't help at all and does damage to the batteries…

Google it…

1. Combining a AA battery with a AAA battery and a AAAA battery?

2. Combining a AA battery from some company, with another AA battery from another company, and with a AA rechargeable battery?

Note: New batteries (of the combinations above) are used after each object they power (the list of objects they power are below).

Suppose this is to power a remote control.
THEN
Suppose this is to power a hand held fan.
THEN
Suppose this is to power a toy car.

Thanks.

When connecting voltage sources (batteries) in parallel you improve the current (Amp1+Amp2+Amp3) but voltage adds up like 1/(1/V1 + 1/V2 + 1/V3)

And in series your current is added up like 1/(1/Amp1+1/Amp2+1/Amp3) and your voltage is added up (V1+V2+V3).

As long as the batteries are all the same material it is OK. Mixing rechargeable and Alkaline batteries could be hazardous depending on how you hook them up, especially when the voltage of the Alkaline drops below the rechargeables.

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” (Benjamin Franklin)

These wise words are as true today as they were more than two hundred years ago when Benjamin Franklin first made this statement. That Franklin was one of the foremost minds of his time is well known. Yet, clearly, he also understood the value of using his hands as well as his head when it came to learning.

Franklin knew that science isn’t just a collection of facts. You can no sooner understand science by memorizing facts than you can understand music by memorizing a score. You have to do science just like you have to play music to really “get it.” What better way is there to shape our minds, expand our knowledge, and enhance our understanding of physical science than hands-on experimentation fueled by curiosity?

Franklin’s insatiable curiosity, love of science, and hands-on approach led to numerous discoveries and inventions, especially in the area of electricity. The story of his kite-flying experiment during a thunderstorm has become part of American lore, and the lightning rods that he invented are still saving property and lives to this day. However, despite the many advances in, and widespread use of, electricity since Franklin’s time, it is understood surprisingly little.

What Is Electricity?

Electricity is such an integral part of our daily lives that it would be difficult to imagine society today without it. Yet, we normally cannot see, taste, smell, or touch it. So, what is it?

Generally speaking, electricity can be described as “the flow of electrons in a conductor.” Electrons are negatively charged subatomic particles (extremely small parts of an atom). They travel in orbits around the protons and neutrons of an atom’s nucleus, much like the planets in our solar system travel in orbits around the sun.

Conductors are materials (usually metals) that permit electrons to flow through them. Most metals don’t hang on to their outermost electrons very strongly. So when an electrical charge is applied across a conductor, it causes those loosely held electrons to move from one atom to another to another, thus creating a flow that we commonly refer to as “electricity” or “electric current.”

Experience tells us that electricity doesn’t flow through everything. If it did, we’d get a shock every time we turned on a lamp or plugged in a vacuum cleaner. Once again the Creator has revealed His genius. He has provided us with both conductors to carry electricity and insulators to safely separate us from it. Insulators, then, are the opposite of conductors. They hold on to their electrons so well that current does not flow through them.

If you’ve ever been shocked after walking across a carpet in socks and then touching a doorknob, you’ve experienced static electricity. As a result of your feet rubbing across the carpet, a negative charge built up on your body. That charge had nowhere to go (hence the term static) until it encountered the metal doorknob and discharged all at once.

You can perform a simple static electricity experiment at home with a balloon and a piece of paper. Begin by rubbing the blown-up balloon vigorously against the hair on your head or against a wool sweater; then hold the spot that was rubbed up to a wall and let go. The balloon will stick. The rubbing pulled electrons from your hair to the balloon. Since electrons don’t flow in an insulator (such as the latex balloon), they stay put, and the negatively charged portion of the balloon is attracted to the wall.

Now tear up the paper into small pieces and rub the balloon again. You can pick up the small bits of paper with the charged portion of the balloon. A strong enough charge will actually cause the pieces of paper to leap up to the balloon.

What About Circuits?

Electricity doesn’t do us much good unless we can control it in order to do useful work. Scientists learned to do this with circuits. First, they discovered that a circuit must be complete in order for the electricity to flow. Think of a circuit as a circle. When the circuit is complete, electricity can flow; we call that a “closed” circuit. When there is a break anywhere in the circuit, electricity cannot flow, and we call that an “open” circuit. Second, electricity is lazy. It will always follow the path of least resistance.

Electric circuits are comprised of three connected parts:

1. An energy source, such as a battery

2. A conductive path for the electricity to flow through, such as a wire

3. A load that uses electricity to do work, such as a light bulb

Try This at Home!

Here’s a simple circuits experiment you can do with your children. All you need is a battery (AA, C, or D will work), a small piece of wire, and a flashlight bulb. If you don’t have them at home, you can get the wire and bulb from any hardware store, electronics store, or the science fair section of a hobby shop. We used some surplus electric fence wire we had at home and borrowed a bulb and battery from a flashlight.

Connect the bulb to one side of the battery as shown in Figure 1. We’ve connected the bulb to an energy source, so why doesn’t it light up? It doesn’t light up because it’s an open circuit: there’s no path on which the current can get back to the other side of the battery to complete the circuit. Now connect the circuit as shown in Figure 2. The current flows through the bulb back to the battery and the bulb lights up. Congratulations, you’ve just created a working circuit!

Now let’s modify that circuit to build an insulator/conductor tester. You’ll need two more wires. You may find it easier to use jumper wires with alligator clips. (These are small versions of the jumper cables for your car and can be found in the same shops mentioned above.)

Connect one end of the battery to the bulb. Connect one jumper wire to the other side of the battery and the other jumper wire to the other side of the bulb. (See Figure 3.) Now when you touch the loose ends of the jumper wires together, the circuit is complete and the bulb lights up. So if we put a conductor between the free ends of the jumper wires, the bulb will light. If we put an insulator there, the bulb will not light.

Metals will usually conduct; experiment with coins, keys, pencil lead, foil gum wrappers, etc. Non-metals will usually insulate; experiment with plastic cups, glass, painted objects, wood, etc. Have your children record their predictions before they test an object, and then record the results after the tests. This can lead to a discussion of the properties of conductors and insulators. They may be interested to know that materials that are good conductors and insulators of electricity are also good conductors and insulators of heat.

Conclusion

Through these simple experiments, you’ve begun understanding the fundamentals of the technologies that play an increasing role in our modern lives. So don’t let the fun stop now. Add electric circuits to your curriculum. There are a number of hands-on teaching materials available today (although attractively packaged, don’t settle for toys), and parents need not be engineers to help their children fully, safely, and correctly learn about electric circuits.

The son of a son of an engineer, David M. Jones has long been fascinated by science and technology. With two engineering degrees and more than twenty-six years of experience, he recently co-founded Edamar, Inc. and has turned his energies toward helping others learn the fundamentals of science in an increasingly technology-driven world. Learn about Edamar’s exciting new approach to hands-on science at www.KitBook.com.

©2008 The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC
www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2008 issue of The Old
Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC

Reprinted with permission from the publisher.

David M. Jones
http://www.articlesbase.com/homeschooling-articles/the-shocking-truth-about-electricity-743484.html

The Kyocera cell phone battery is designed to have a long life — most people find they won’t need to change it for the life of their phone. If you do find the need to look for a new Kyocera cell phone battery, there are some important things you should know.

1. Watch out for imitations. An official Kyocera cell phone battery will have the Kyocera logo stamped on the battery. While the knock-off cell phone batteries may be found to be cheap, they are typically cheap in construction, too. If it doesn’t say Kyocera, it’s not a Kyocera cell phone battery.

2. Match up the model numbers. Just because a cell phone battery will fit your phone doesn’t mean it’s the right battery. A Kyocera cell phone battery will display a model number. Make sure when buying a replacement battery that the model numbers on the Kyocera cell phone battery match on both the old and new.

3. Recharge according to the manual. Some battery packs are just fine with being plugged in when not in use. But some work better (have a longer life) when they’re recharged only after being fully discharged. Check the manual for the Kyocera cell phone battery that you have to find out the best recharging schedule for your phone.

Here’s a bonus tip: Most people with a cell phone only have one battery, but anyone who does a lot of talking may want to look at getting a second, spare Kyocera cell phone battery. This can come in handy, especially when traveling. Your vacation or business trip could come to a screeching halt if your cell phone gives out and there’s no place handy to recharge.

Follow those three simple steps and finding a new Kyocera cell phone battery that’s just right for you will be quick and simple!

Jay Jennings
http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/the-kyocera-cell-phone-battery-what-to-look-for-132426.html

With the increase in portable electronic and electric devices, the need for batteries has grown geometrically through the years, with no end in sight. Of these types of batteries, sealed lead batteries are the most common. Let’sa explore them in some detail.

Sealed lead batteries were created around 1975 for the purpose of having a power source that was maintenance free while also being economical for both the manufacturer and consumer. Amongst features beyond the sealing of the lead electrolyte from spillage was the formation of special release valves to allow dangerous gas build-up to release safely. Further, these sealed lead batteries were often designed to be rechargeable (which is when most of the gasses would form in this type of battery).

Two basic types of lead acid batteries were created that survived the tumults of economic and consumer demands. These were the VRLA and SLA batteries. VRLA stands for valve regulated lead acid, whereas SLA is sealed lead acid. Both types are quite synonymous overall, with little difference between them.

One of the best features of these two sealed batteries, when they are rechargeable, includes an excess voltage safety mechanism which disallows the battery’s explosive gas from becoming too great in quantity. This is effected by a depletion of full potential, should the battery become over-energized. The key here is not to over charge a battery.

A great deal of effort has gone into this aspect of rechargeable batteries specifically. Not only do batteries become dangerous when they are overcharged, but on a more economic note, they lose their overall charge through time via the buildup of crystals or corrosion, which limit the amount of electrolyte storage ability.

While this is somewhat ideal for the makers of such batteries, in that it brings in further income once the recharged battery no longer will take a charge and must be replaced, there is a continual race to make this type of lead batteries more efficient and longer-lived. As well, in a time of speed being almost synonymous with efficiency, it should be noted that sealed lead batteries do not charge so quickly. They trickle chargbe over a longer period of time.

However, with lead, as opposed to lithium ion and other types of batteries, the damage and memory loss is next to nil. However, self discharge is still a fact of life, leading between 35 and 45% loss per year. So recahrgeables are not as great as first thought.

Keith Londrie
http://www.articlesbase.com/technology-articles/a-brief-glimpse-at-sealed-lead-batteries-96339.html