Open source battery forum?

[Geek Tripp]

What's up everyone. I've been interested in batteries for quite some time now, as practically every project I ever undertake is hindered by current battery technology, and it seems every potential startup is hindered by gaining capital, etc etc.

I was curious what people here felt about a open source battery forum. It would simply be a place to discuss both innovations in batteries, as well as ways to possibly make more of a DIY battery that's better than current Li-Ion solutions. I thought I'd see what all of you thought before I undertook this project.

 

[Pman]

What I would wonder is how it would be unique to all the information that is out there. There's an awful lot of places you can go to for battery information and real world testing.

 

[Cyparagon]

...a DIY battery that's better than current Li-Ion solutions.

I'm all for experimenting and constructing new things, but you might as well say "maybe I can make a better CPU than Intel in my garage". You can't. You don't have the resources, the manpower, the supply chain, the scales of economy, the business connections... the list could go on for pages. You cannot hope to compete in this arena.

Wanna build a potato clock? great! Just don't expect to wage war on Duracell with your new spud buddies.

 

[Rivem]

Not true and condescending. Many great inventions came from peoples garage.

Cyparagon may have worded it a little harshly, but he's pretty correct in saying you can't really hope to make a better battery than commercial manufacturers at home.

Many 21st century products are way too complex to reproduce at home unless you've got some serious $$$$ for industrial equipment and some serious knowledge/skill. You can build them from premade parts, but not necessarily from raw materials. Look at computers. Even the garage inventors of Apple assembled their products from premade digital components.

With batteries, the glavamic chemistry is pretty simple, so you could totally make them at home.
It'd probably just be way more expensive to make an inferior product compared to a manufacturer who can get better quality control and prices due to volume production and good equipment.

 

[Bionic-Badger]

"Open source" really only takes off when the cost to implement ideas is cheap -- such as software. For other stuff, the cost of utilizing an "open" idea outweighs return on investment. Even those "open source" hardware designs are of little value except for designing new things, because it costs so much to fabricate the hardware unless you're in China making them in bulk.

 

[Pi R Squared]

Many great inventions came from peoples garage.

That will probably happen now more than ever, a little scary if you think about it, but I don't think with batteries. I once made a battery, probably equal to a AAA but was many many times as large but worked good for awhile.

I think super capacitors may replace some of our batteries in the future if they can make them smaller.

Alan

 

[OVNI]

... I think super capacitors may replace some of our batteries in the future if they can make them smaller.

I built an alarm clock some 15+ years ago that was backed up by a coin cell battery. Since it was a DIY, to replace the battery you had to open it up, get your little screwdriver, etc. I built it for my wife who traveled a lot and while the coin cell didn't need replacing for many many months, she asked if I could make it so it never needed replacement.

Necessity was the mother of invention again and I found supercaps. I prefer the coin cell so I modified the design and PCB to handle both. The supercaps I found will keep time for 48 hours or so and has enough drive for a speaker alarm (normal mode is the alarm slowly brings up an incandescent lamp) which will be plenty for a trip and overnight stay with the power going out at your hotel.

It would be nice to see them get to higher voltages but these 5V ones still have plenty of applications for current digital circuitry.

 

[RedCowboy]

With buck/boost going into everything we will be able to put in what ever battery we have and our device will make what it needs or do nothing but flash the insufficient battery light.

We already have flashlights that will take 1 to 4 cells and make what it wants.

I have gone to 3 cells with my SXD builds just so I don't have to recharge as often, and it's easier on the cells, it gives the driver a workout but it is well heatsinked.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes Alan Ultra caps will be the new super cell, or a hybrid, but the technology will advance and that is good, I have plans and need a lot of portable power. :eg:

 

[OVNI]

I saw this crowd funding website and 'bought' about $90 worth of Batterisers for AAA, AA, and C sizes. Bought means you give them the money before they finish production then wait in line for them to begin production and ship. Kind of like Tesla was, maybe still is. That was last summer. Claim back then was they were to begin shipping in Nov 2015. After several delays I stopped keeping track.

Now I see that I may have to 'claim' what I bought - will have to check that out.

I thought the idea was clever. Some are dubious of their claims. I guess I'll see.

 

[Cyparagon]

I... 'bought' about $90 worth of Batterisers

That sucks :yabbem:

They're total bullshit, in case you didn't know. Like... breaking the laws of physics bullshit. EEVBlog has several videos explaining how it's not possible.

 

[Geek Tripp]

I believe many of you might have misunderstood what I mean. I don't mean an open source battery based on modern battery tech like lithium ion. I mean experimentation and discussion on new ideas for superior batteries.

It would essentially be more on material sciences with the goal of a better battery.

 

[seychelles]

I saw this crowd funding website and 'bought' about $90 worth of Batterisers for AAA, AA, and C sizes. Bought means you give them the money before they finish production then wait in line for them to begin production and ship. Kind of like Tesla was, maybe still is. That was last summer. Claim back then was they were to begin shipping in Nov 2015. After several delays I stopped keeping track.

Now I see that I may have to 'claim' what I bought - will have to check that out.

I thought the idea was clever. Some are dubious of their claims. I guess I'll see.

well as they say"A fool and his money are soon parted" was proved true just ehre

going to invest in some magic wands to wireless charge your batteries next time? :beer:

 

[Rivem]

I believe many of you might have misunderstood what I mean. I don't mean an open source battery based on modern battery tech like lithium ion. I mean experimentation and discussion on new ideas for superior batteries.

It would essentially be more on material sciences with the goal of a better battery.

To me, it seems like the consensus is that the material science experimentation aspect of any battery isn't going to be doable at home. At least not enough to have a forum about it.

You can do plenty simple experiments with galvanic chemistry at home, but they probably won't be nearly as good as something from a lab or manufacturer. Don't expect to break new ground in this area without a whole lot of knowledge and resources.

You can make decent high voltage capacitors pretty easily though.

 

[Geek Tripp]

To me, it seems like the consensus is that the material science experimentation aspect of any battery isn't going to be doable at home. At least not enough to have a forum about it.

You can do plenty simple experiments with galvanic chemistry at home, but they probably won't be nearly as good as something from a lab or manufacturer. Don't expect to break new ground in this area without a whole lot of knowledge and resources.

You can make decent high voltage capacitors pretty easily though.

I understand that's the consensus, but there have been quite a bit of breakthroughs that require little to no expensive equipment. With that said, it would be a place for providing the knowledge. Obviously, people don't really agree with that, so it's fine. That's why I asked. I just feel many people here don't understand the potential for materials never thought of before. Look at graphine: Who would have thought we would find a new material by taking simple graphite from a pencil, and using tape, removing each atom until it was simply one atom thick and become a very different material?

 

[Cyparagon]

there have been quite a bit of breakthroughs that require little to no expensive equipment.

To demonstrate the concept for a TV crew using tape and graphite is one thing. To make a working cell that even comes close to the performance of an industrially manufactured cell... it's not even the same topic any more.

 

[Geek Tripp]

To demonstrate the concept for a TV crew using tape and graphite is one thing. To make a working cell that even comes close to the performance of an industrially manufactured cell... it's not even the same topic any more.

There in lies the issue. I'm not talking about creating a battery. I'm more discussing the science behind it. Talks on the technology and ways to make them better, etc etc. I'm not saying we would make a business and sell said batteries...