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Dan Hagopian of BatteryShip.com has been writing about consumer electronics since 1996. Dan has a personal passion for understanding how electronic devices can be powered, for learning about various types of battery devices and their internal systems, as well as the interaction of batteries with interfacing systems, and finally about the internal control mechanisms of batteries. Dan writes on battery power related devices for mobile computing and portable power. Dan writes about this technology ... [More]

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Lithium, Cadmium, Cobalt, Nickel - Demand by The Numbers
[Reference-and-Education:Science] In 2002 it is estimated that 350 million batteries were purchased in the U.S. So if you assume that the past 7 years have been fairly consistent then you could assume that 2.4 Billion batteries were bought and in use and will eventually need to be recycled and replaced. This means that an ever increasing demand for minerals will be placed on the mines of the earth. How much, in terms of quantity, of the required minerals is available for battery technology? How many raw minerals are there and how much do we use annually?

How Do Generic Aftermarket Batteries Compare With Name Brand Batteries?
[Reference-and-Education] Do aftermarket batteries have the same capability and longevity as their branded counterparts? In a simple word - yes - but what aftermarket batteries bring to customers (in addition to long life performance and similar technical ratings and components) is affordability.

How Long Will My Battery Last?
[Computers-and-Technology] When buying a battery for your laptop, PDA, MP3 Play most of us ask: how long will this battery last? Everyone of us has realized at one point or another that batteries do not last forever but have you ever wondered why? How many times can you charge and discharge your battery?

How Many Cells Are in a Battery?
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] Question from a reader: How many cells are in the Toshiba Satellite M105-S3041 Laptop Battery? The battery is for a Toshiba Satellite M105-S3041 and its technical ratings are 10.8 volts 8800 mAh, Lithium Ion. The question from the reader is a great question for it gets to the heart of battery manufacturing and also begins to unravel the power of a battery. The answer is simply: 12 cells. But what does the answer mean and how does the number of cells relate to the overall value of a battery? Let's find out.

Voltage Failure Modes
[Reference-and-Education:Science] What is the failure mode for a lithium polymer battery, a reader asks? The reader continues to ask: if voltage drops will the battery cell still power a device but simply at a lower voltage? If not is the entire battery pack lost? A failure mode is not a singular event, however, with lithium polymer batteries there could be a number of "failure mode(s)" and sub-failure modes related to the manufacturing and personal usage of a battery pack with Li-Po chemistry based cells. For example....

Battery Manufacturing and Cell Grades - Part 2
[Reference-and-Education:Science] What are battery cell grades? How do manufacturers use cell grades in the manufacturing of batteries? How do the different grades affect the quality of a battery? In part 2 of this article series we will continue where we left off and look at the battery cell grade classification system that battery manufacturers use during the process of collecting raw battery material, developing design specifications, and assembling packs for various consumer and industrial applications.

Battery Manufacturing and Cell Grades - Part 1
[Reference-and-Education] What is involved when a battery is manufactured? What materials are needed to manufacture a battery? What are battery cell grades? What do battery grades mean? How do the different grades affect the quality of a battery? How can you know what battery grade you have? And is any one grade more important then another? To understand battery cell grades we have to understand how batteries are manufactured. Battery manufacturing involves:

Rechargeable Batteries Can Only Be Charged 300-500 Times - Part 2
[Shopping-and-Product-Reviews:Electronics] In the last two articles we addressed how and why rechargeable batteries have limited charge cycles. We reviewed in detail the effect of a charge-discharge cycle - a chemical change in a battery system that results in degradation and power loss. But there is one aspect in my last article that deserves special attention. This one factor is the basis of battery degradation. It is the reason why batteries can never just keep going and going and going. The fact is, is that all batteries degrade and lose power because there is a reduction in the battery's active material.

Rechargeable Batteries Can Only Be Charged 300-500 Times - Part 1
[Reference-and-Education:Science] A charge-discharge cycle involves draining or using your battery to where there is for all intensive purposes, no charge left, and then subsequently charging the battery with a power adapter to 100% capacity. This process of charging and discharging (charge cycling) can only be done between 300-500 times. The question that we want to address is why? Why is it that lithium batteries can only be charged less than 500 times? Why does a battery over time degrade and eventually stops working and what if any does the reduction of the battery's active material and subsequent causes of chemical changes effect battery degradation?

How Many Times Can I Charge My Battery?
[Reference-and-Education] 500 million lithium batteries are in use today. A very big number indeed and the chances that you are one of them are quite high. You could have a laptop, PDA, MP3 or even a cell-phone, all of which more likely than not has a lithium ion or a lithium polymer chemical based battery system. If so then one question that you will have eventually is how many times will I be able to charge the battery before it is effectively dead? Is it 300 times, 400 times, or 500 times? The answer is...

Lithium Ion Batteries Are Sensitive to Heat
[Computers-and-Technology:Personal-Tech] Over 15 million students are enrolled in fall college classes across the United States according to a US Census Bureau study in 2004. Interestingly the number of college students that are going to college with laptop computers have increased nearly 70% of enrolled students. In real numbers that represents 10,500,000 laptop computers. Now listen up college students - your laptop battery is more than likely a Li-ion battery and if it is then you will face a big problem. The problem is heat.

Digital Memory Effect on Batteries
[Computers-and-Technology:Personal-Tech] Have you ever wished that you had an extra 20 minutes of battery life left in your portable device? How about an hour! A real difference exists between the life of your battery and the displayed battery charge meter on your device? How big of a difference? How often does it occur? Why does it occur? What can be done? In this article we will look at these questions and learn about what you can do to reduce power waste and maximize your battery life by looking at:

Battery Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Part 2
[Computers-and-Technology:Hardware] A battery mode and effects analysis is a procedure for identifying and understanding potential failure modes in a battery system. But how do you perform this procedure? In part 1 of this article series we look at the valuable pre-work that lays the ground work for identifying potential problems. In this next portion of the series we learn how to measure battery failure severity and occurrences. To recap we found that a battery mode and effects analysis contains four main steps or phases including:

Battery Safety Guidelines
[Reference-and-Education] Have you ever held a battery before? Did you know that a battery though relatively safe can act and operate like a mini bomb? Don't worry your next battery more than likely will not explode on you if handled correctly. In fact in excess of 100 million battery related devices have been bought by consumers since 2003 (that is a conservative number). So the 339 incidents report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission represent .000003 (a very small percent) of all battery related devices on the market.

Battery Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Part 3
[Computers-and-Technology:Hardware] Over the last three articles we looked at the battery failure mode and effects analysis and learned how helpful this procedure is for analyzing potential failure modes in a battery system. In this last article in the series we will learn how this effective tool, associated with six sigma methodology, can reduce manufacturing errors, improve sales processes and increase customer satisfaction.

Battery Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Part 1
[Computers-and-Technology:Hardware] Have you ever wondered "why" your battery stops working? All batteries fail at one point or another and more importantly all batteries fail - due to different reasons. Specifically, two identical batteries that come from the same manufacturing batch, with the same identical voltage, capacity, and chemistry fail (or stop working) at different times. Why? To understand why batteries fail I will walk through the steps of a battery mode and effects analysis to discover modes of battery failure and the effects of the battery failure.

Buying Batteries - How to Buy a Battery
[Shopping-and-Product-Reviews] We buy batteries first because we need them and then secondly we buy them at the cheapest possible price. Considering that 75% of the world's batteries are made by Chinese manufacturers, regardless of brand then it makes sense to buy the cheapest battery available knowing full well that I will have to buy another replacement battery sooner rather than later. But who cares as long as it is cheap (buy cheap - buy often)! However if I wanted to make a better battery purchase what considerations would I have to factor? In other words how do I buy a battery that gives me the best value for my dollar?

Recycling Seal Lead Acid Batteries
[Reference-and-Education:Science] Seal Lead Acid batteries have a long history of being one of the most environmentally friendly resources on the free market and are actually "greener" then soft drink cans, beer cans, newspapers, glass bottles, and tires. Indeed lead-acid batteries are an environmental success story of our time. More than 97 percent of all battery lead is recycled. This is almost twice as much as aluminum soft drink and beer cans, newspapers, glass bottles and tires. In fact lead-acid batteries are the most recycled consumer product of our time. How are lead acid batteries recycled and reused in brand new batteries. What is the recycling process of lead acid batteries? Let's find out.

Seal Lead Acid Batteries
[Reference-and-Education] Seal Lead Acid batteries have a long history of industrial use and date back to 1859. Lead acid batteries are used commonly in a multitude of industries including aviation, telecommunications, medical equipment, electronics, solar power, garden equipment, and automobile engines. In addition lead acid batteries are surprisingly one of the most environmentally friendly resources on the free market and are actually "greener" then soft drink cans, beer cans, newspapers, glass bottles, and tires. What exactly are lead acid batteries? Who uses them? And what are the real benefits of seal lead acid batteries?

What Materials Are Used to Make a Battery?
[Reference-and-Education] One billion batteries! Conservatively speaking billions of batteries are bought each year. Out of my own curiosity I have thought about the vast amount of raw material that must be used to go into the making of a battery started asking what is my battery made of? Building a battery requires certain components and their associated raw materials. The basic battery components include the following.

Understanding Battery Life - Part 3
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] Battery degradation - the ultimate failure of battery life is a cause of individual usage patterns and internal technical factors. Furthermore once battery degradation begins there is no stopping it! Activating a battery can be done by charging a battery, connecting a battery to a device, opening a battery or any other actions that would chemically activate the battery! The reason why is because connecting a device for example to a battery creates a...

Understanding Battery Life - Part 2
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] The initial technical ratings of a battery are the specs (the technology) that define the battery. They are represented in most battery websites as the voltage, mAh (battery amperage/capacity), and battery chemistry. What is key to know about the battery’s technical specs is that they were all decided upon prior to the production of the battery and predestined to operate at specific power levels. Knowing this allows the buyer and seller of a battery to understand in advance how the battery will perform, thus disclosing upfront the capability of the battery and how long the battery will last before it dies! Internal battery design is critical to know if you want to know how long a battery will last.

Understanding Battery Life - Part 1
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] Mobile Computing users (people that use laptops, PDAs, and Smartphones) have one thing in common and that is they all use batteries to power their device. In part 1 of Understanding Battery Life we will look at what battery life really means? How battery life is measured? We also look at the factors that determine battery life and the point at which battery life begins to fade and decline.

100 Million iPod Batteries
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] 100,000,000 iPod owners and counting! A remarkable tribute to Apple's iPod music player - no question! I wonder how many of these iPod owners know how their iPod battery works. Understandably most people don't really care as long as it does. However most people would never realize how complex an iPod battery is nor would they realize how many components can be found within their iPod battery. For starters your iPod battery is made up of highly specialized battery components including...

What is Inside My iPod Battery?
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] The iPod is the fastest selling music player, selling over 100,000,000 iPods in the last 5 years! In fact just in the last 3 months of 2006 Apple sold 21 million iPod players. So it is no real surprise that 48% Apple's $7.1 billion in revenue is comprised of iPod sales. There is a downside to this and that is the 100 million people who bought an iPod will at one point or another need to have their iPod battery replaced. But why? What makes an iPod battery power your device and effectively "wear out". What technoogy is inside my iPod battery?

Common Causes of Battery Failure - Part 2
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] All batteries will ultimately fail, stop working, and cease to operate, and or otherwise end their useful life. It is the reality of a consumable product. But sometimes batteries can warp, bubble, and even explode. Batteries can also fail due to incompatible designs or improperly selected hardware, and batteries can fail due to customer misuse or abuse. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission each year deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost U.S. taxpayers more than $700 billion annually.

Common Causes of Battery Failure – Part 1
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] All batteries will ultimately fail, stop working, and cease to operate, and or otherwise end their useful life. It is the reality of a consumable product. The cost to operate a replacement battery in your device, however, is relatively cheap so it is not a catastrophe when batteries stop working (although certainly an inconvenience). Yet when batteries do fail have you ever wondered why? In my next series I will look more closely at the common causes of battery failure including battery degradation, batteries that that warp, bubble or explode, batteries with incompatible designs or hardware, and battery misuse.

Lithium Ion Batteries Explode?
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] "A cellphone exploded in his living room last year, causing up to $100,000 in damages. Ortega and his family had to live in a trailer for a few months while their house in California was fixed" as reported in the Chicago Tribune back in 2006. Without question the impact that the fire had on this family is devastating but what is alarming about that fire is that through the fire and insurance investigation the cause was found to be due to a cell phone's lithium-ion battery failure and subsequent spontaneous combustion. What? How is that possible?

Dissecting A Smart Battery - Part 3
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] What makes a smart battery "smart"? What technology is contained within the batter of my pda for example that makes it power my device? In my first two articles of the series Dissecting A Smart Battery I discussed some of the specialized hardware contained in the smart battery including the connector, the fuse, the charge and discharge FETs, the cell pack, and the the sense resistor. In my final article of the series "Dissecting A Smart Battery" I would like to round out some fother important features of the smart battery.

Dissecting A Smart Battery – Part 2
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] In part 1 of Dissecting A Smart Battery I mentioned that smart batteries have contained within them specialized hardware that when working in concert provides the power necessary to run a device such as a PDA, digital camera, or ipod player. Continuing the dissection of a smart battery this article of the series will look at the smart battery's fuse, charge and discharge FETs, the cell pack, and the sense resistor (RSENSE) to discover what role they each play within the smart battery.

Dissecting A Smart Battery – Part 1
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] Smart Batteries - they are used in PDAs, iPods,MP3s, MP4s, Laptops, Cell Phones, Smartphones, DVD players, and other electronic devices. When we buy new batteries we want them to work. We really don't care how they work just as long as the do. But since PDA Batteries are a unique interest for me and since pda batteries are smart batteries I'm going to dig a little deeper to discover what lies within PDA batteries. So follow along as I dissect a pda battery to learn what it is made of!

What is Inside A Smart Battery?
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] If you have a PDA, MP3, MP4, Laptop, Cell Phone, Smartphone, DVD players, or other electronic device then more likely then not the battery within your device is a high capacity smart battery pack. What is a high capacity smart battery pack? A high capacity smart battery pack is a complex battery system designed to power high tech electronic devices. What differentiates smart batteries from standard batteries is the specialized hardware that provides calculated on demand current as well as predicted information.

Batteries - One Size Does Not Fit All
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] If I buy a Palm Zire 72 Battery that is 3.7 volts can I plug it into a Palm m505 and have that battery power both devices as needed? Furthermore are all 3.7 volt batteries the same? The quick answer is no - all 3.7 volt batteries are "not" the same – and a battery specifically designed for a Palm Zire 72 will not be compatible with a Palm m505 PDA. How so if both devices accept batteries with a 3.7 volts why can't I use it? Let me explain.

Brand New Batteries? How "Fresh" Are They? How Old is the Battery Stock? Will They Work?
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] Buying a brand new battery? If so you may be inclined to ask about the age of the battery inventory at your battery supplier of choice! For that matter does the age of the battery really matter?

What is the Biggest Battery and Other Interesting Battery Facts
[Computers-and-Technology:Hardware] When was the first battery made and who made the first battery? How many batteries are there in the world today? What is the biggest battery in the world? What is the smallest battery in the world? As a technical writer it is often the case that I write about technical features on how things work and why. One fascinating consideration that is fun to look at has nothing really to do with the technical ratings, how long a battery can power a PDA or other device for, or any other technical feature. It is perhaps more journalistic in nature, more inquisitive, more to do with interesting little facts then anything else! Let's discover some little known facts about batteries!

iPod Battery Capacity
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] In my last article about the 24 Hour iPod Battery we discussed the true capability of such an iPod battery. Now however, I wanted to speak directly about the primary limitations of current battery technology that makes it difficult to truly get an iPod battery to last 24 hours given the multifaceted demands of consumers. Question: can an iPod battery power your iPod with 24 hours of music playback, a bright screen, cycling through your music files while all the while you are connecting external devices to your iPod? I do not believe so and the testimonies of thousands of iPod users support my belief. Now we must question why?

The 24 Hour iPod Battery
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] The 24 hour iPod Battery: Fact or Fiction? It would be great if our iPods could play non-stop for 24 hours but is it really possible that such a battery exists? How does consumer usage effect the iPod battery life and can such a tiny design space truly accommodate the capacity specifications required to power an iPod for 24 hours?

Buying Batteries - Brand New, Used or Refurbished?
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] When buying a battery for your mobile device (PDA, iPod, Digital Camera etc.) make certain you are only buying new batteries – never buy a used or refurbished batteries! Why? The answer to that is analogous to the question 'Would you Buy a Half Eaten Sandwich?' The answer undoubtedly is no! Here is why!

The Battery - Cathodes, Anodes, and Electrodes (Part 2 of 2)!
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] Inside your PDA, iPod or any Lithium-ion based battery are electrons, flowing at a speed of 62,000,000,000,000,000,000 electrons per second (that is 62 quintillion electrons per second). But where are they flowing and why? Let's find out!

The Battery - Cathodes, Anodes, and Electrodes (Part 1 of 2)!
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] A battery is a device that stores chemical energy and through an electrochemical process converts the stored chemical energy into electric energy via a direct current voltage. A battery is made of battery cells. Within each battery cell are three basic components: the anode, the cathode, and an electrolyte solution. In part 1 of this 2 part report however we are going to focus specifically on the cathode and the anode, commonly referred to as the electrodes and how batteries power devices by the creation of direct electrical current flowing back and forth between the electrodes.

Lithium Solid Polymer Electrolyte Batteries
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] If you have ever owned a PDA, iPod or any other small electrical device the battery power more often then not incorporated a technology called lithium polymer. What is so amazing this technology is that the conducting metal gel which is enabling the current to flow to and from the electrodes is only tens of micrometers wide (that is smaller then one of your strands of hair)!

What You Need To Know About Lithium Ion Batteries
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] In the wake of latest recalls from Dell and Apple batteries this What You Need To Know About Lithium Ion Batteries is timely. Used for many popular handheld devices from iPods to iPAQs lithium-ion batteries are ideal for mobile electronics. They are lightweight, energy-dense, and have a chemistry composite allowing the battery to recharge fast. But what is lithium, where does it come from, how is it made into a battery, what does it look like, and where can I get it?

Lithium Ion Rechargeable Batteries
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] Lithium ion rechargeable batteries are by far one of the most important technologies that have been developed over the last 10 years. Lithium based batteries are used in most portable devices from PDAs to laptops to digital cameras. Lithium ion rechargeable batteries are not hazardous when sealed and used according to the recommendations of the manufacturer. But there a number of electrochemical components contained inside a lithium battery that can cause it to be dangerous.

Battery Recall – Are Lithium Batteries Safe?
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] With the battery recalls that have recently occurred with both Dell and Apple many people have been writing about battery safety issues. Batteries can and do fail. But not as much as you may think. Why do they fail? They fail due to faulty cell design, uncontrolled manufacturing processes, operations in uncontrolled conditions, abuse and through degradation and power loss.

How Do Batteries Work
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] How do batteries work? What are batteries? When was the first battery made and who made it? How does one of today's popular batteries work? Let's look more closely at one popular battery – the iPAQ Battery 167648 and use this battery as an example of how an electrochemical reaction is occurring inside the battery to create power.

Batteries Are Affected By Temperature
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] Batteries are affected by temperature and or humidity. If batteries are too hot or too cold, then yes batteries will exhibit behaviors that would be incongruent with their normal and designed operating specifications. This is not a manufacturer defect but a consequence of using a battery in an environment that the battery was never designed to be used. Let us refer to this type of environment as a weather extreme.

Batteries That Overheat Stop Working
[Computers-and-Technology:Hardware] The worst condition is keeping a fully charged battery at elevated temperatures, which is the case when running a battery powered device on AC power for extended periods of time. If used on main power, the battery inside a device will only last for 12-18 months. Also the battery will not all of sudden stop working but over time gradually lose the capacity to power your device little by little.

What Causes Batteries to Fail?
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] Why do batteries fail? Can there be such a thing as a bad battery? How do I know if my battery is bad? The most effective means of understanding the status of a battery is to test the battery using a battery analyzer. However as this may not be readily available for you let’s examine some of the possibilities that could cause a battery to "fail" and also understand some things you can do to help isolate if a battery is indeed bad.

Integrated Power Management Circuits
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] Integrated Power Management Circuits protects against over-voltage, and under-voltage conditions and they maximize battery life between charges, minimize charging times, and improve overall battery life.

Battery: The Power Behind the Source
[Shopping-and-Product-Reviews] What is a battery? A battery us is a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. How is it used and what are the negative side-effects of batteries if any?

What is Battery Capacity?
[Reference-and-Education] Batteries die! It is a natural phenomena that occurs when the useful life of a battery reaches the point of no longer holding a charge. There are technical reasons why batteries degrade and lose their ability to power a device that include: declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge. Today I want to write about battery capacity and its impact within the design of a battery and how the loss of battery capacity eventually causes a battery to stop holding a charge.

Battery Voltage
[Reference-and-Education:Science] What is battery voltage? I think we talk around the real definition so much we actually begin to believe that we understand what it means when in reality we do not. For my benefit as well as yours let us go back to the basics of what battery voltage really means and how the work it conducts inside your battery affects the other technical factors of your battery.

How Long will My iPod Video Play?
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] Is it true the ipod video (fifth gen ipod) will hold a charge for up to 20 hours? What would cause my new iPod Video to not play for the full 20 hours?

What is Electricity?
[Reference-and-Education:Science] What is electricity? Where does electricity come from? How does electricity work? The name "electricity" is derived from the Greek word "elektor," meaning "beaming sun." In Greek, "elektron" is the word for amber. Amber is a gold-brown colored "stone" that is actually fossilized tree sap.

Internal Battery Design
[Computers-and-Technology:Mobile-Computing] The wireless revolution, the prolific use of PDAs, MP3s, MP4s, Laptops, Cell Phones, Smartphones, DVD players, and other portable devices have increased the need for smart and high capacity portable batteries. Portable batteries however are not typical in design. Indeed the battery that powers your portable device is what is known as a smart battery and as such the internal system design of a smart battery is more complex then most people realize. Let's look at what the internal design of your portable battery looks like!

Amps and Volts: Battery Basics?
[Home-and-Family] This is a back to basic articles on the understanding of a battery's electrical ratings and how they impact a battery.

Amps, Volts, and MAh
[Computers-and-Technology:Personal-Tech] What is an amp? What is a volt? This article will explain the differences of Amps, Volts, and mAh and how they effect the life of a pda battery.

PDA Battery Degradation and Power Loss
[Computers-and-Technology:Hardware] Why do PDA Batteries die? This article explores some of the more techincal reasons why PDA Batteries die and what you can do help to extend the life of your PDA Battery.