Startup Seeo Creates Safer Next-Gen Lithium Battery

The unnerving capability of lithium ion batteries to catch on fire emerged as headline news last month, as Boeing was forced to ground its futuristic 787 Dreamliner FLEET after two batteries caught on fire. But the next generation of lithium ion batteries are promising to be safer, and a few of them are already starting to be used in real-world situations in the power grid, electric vehicles and gadgets.

Six-year-old startup Seeo — which is backed by Vinod Khosla, Google Ventures and others — has installed its first battery system to act as energy storage in conjunction with a solar panel system developed by SunEdison, according to Seeo CEO Hal Zarem, who I interviewed last week. The solar battery installation is a trial for now, but a sizable one: on the level of kilowatts and tens of kilowatts, explained Zarem. For comparison’s sake, the Nissan LEAF uses a 24 kilowatt hour battery, while an average cell phone will use 2,000 to 3,000 milliamp hour batteries (far smaller than a kilowatt hour of capacity).

Batteries, like the one Seeo has installed for SunEdison’s solar system, can act as storage for the energy produced by solar panels, so that when the sun goes down (or behind a cloud) the battery can then offer up the stored power. Utilities, building owners and even home owners are starting to see the benefits of having battery storage systems connected to solar systems, because power can be far more smooth and reliable. Likewise solar installer SolarCity has been working with Tesla’s batteries to sell a home battery system with its solar panels in certain markets.

THE NEXT GEN-TECH

Are Cheap Batteries Worth The Money?

Someday, you may be able to go a year between cellphone charges. Someday, we may finally get those flying cars we were promised, too.

In the meantime, we have to live with the technology we have. When it comes to replaceable batteries, you pretty much get what you pay for. Most cheap batteries die a lot sooner than their more expensive counterparts, pretty much defining the phrase "false economy." In other words, you'll pay less in the long run if you invest in quality.

At $6 a pop, the Energizer Ultimate AA lithium battery may seem wildly indulgent. But in Consumer Reports' tests in a camera, this battery took 1,286 shots before dying, at a cost per 50 shots of 23 cents. Compare that with the 50-cent Kirkland Signature battery, which fired off just 172 shots (29 cents per 50 shots) or the $2.50 WalMart SuperCell at 133 shots (a whopping 94 cents per 50 shots).

Similarly, at $59.49, the Dell Inspiron® for models 15, 1525, 1526, and 1545 Laptop Battery (High capacity also available for $67.99) may seem like a stretch but when you compare it to a cheaper battery, the differences in performance and product quality are evident. Cheap batteries for the same model go for $7.60 from SIB on Amazon. But with customer feedback like this:

• "For the first 3 weeks of having it, the battery would only charge to 45% and stop!" 
• "Bought this product and it didn't work....Holds no charge."
• "Battery stopped working after 10 months of use." 

The hassles of returns, the waiting, the searching and browsing all over again, and loss of productivity are just not worth it.

Edited by Limewit Tech Blog

Photos courtesy of Limewit Tech Blog

Written by Liz Weston

How Does A Rechargeable Battery Work?

How Does A Rechargeable Battery Work?

Rechargeable batteries behave like ordinary batteries when they are being discharged. An electrical circuit is created when one material oxidizes, or gives up electrons, while another material immersed in an electrolyte becomes reduced, or gains electrons. The key to a rechargeable battery, however, is that it can reverse this flow of electrons when it is plugged into an electrical outlet (see image above). The material that oxidizes during discharge gains electrons, while the other material gives up electrons.

A More Detailed and Scientific Response

"All batteries, both rechargeable and nonrechargeable, undergo electrochemical reactions. When a battery is discharged, an electrochemical oxidation reaction proceeds at the negative electrode, and an electrochemical reduction reaction occurs at the positive electrode. When one attempts to recharge a battery by reversing the direction of electric current flow, the opposite takes place: a reduction reaction proceeds at the negative electrode, and an oxidation reaction takes place at the positive electrode.

In the case of the rechargeable battery, the electrochemical oxidation- reduction reactions are reversible at both electrodes. For example, when the battery is recharged, the overall electrochemical reduction reaction at the negative electrode is identical to the electrochemical oxidation reaction that proceeded at the negative electrode when the battery was discharged, only written in reverse."

-Frank McLarnon, staff scientist/principal investigator in the Energy & Environment Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Limewit.com, is an excellent source for portable and mobile rechargeable batteries. The majority of these are Li-iOn (lithium-ion) which outperform other battery cell technologies. They also have a higher capacity, no memory effect, faster charge times, and have a longer shelf/operational life.

Out of Power? Print a New Battery! Berkeley Grads Create Printable Battery

Imprint Energy is a new start up founded by campus graduates Christine Ho and Brooks Kincaid that has created printable batteries. The design, produced in part due to a $250,000 grant from the university, is seen as a new way for batteries to be produced and disposed of in way a less harmful to the environment.

But how does one print a battery?

“It’s a variety of inks, and in combination they create a battery,” Kincaid said. “There are four to five layers that, once deposited, create the battery.”

Kincaid explained that the process used is called “screen printing” — the same type of industrial printing that is used to print T-shirts or other high-volume materials. At the moment, it is not possible to print at home, but Kincaid said this could still become a reality in the long term.

“We don’t use heavy metals or seriously toxic materials,” Kincaid said. “We use materials that are widely available and at a low-cost battery technology.”

Professor of metallurgy James Evans, who taught Ho when she was a graduate student studying materials science and engineering, further explained the company’s sustainable nature.

”The invention here is a way of making a rechargeable battery with a zinc electrode work. Because you can recharge it, it has less of an impact on the environment,” said Evans, who is also an adviser to the company.

The start up is currently located in Alameda and employs five people. According to Kincaid, the company is seeking to grow and develop more investors and customers.

By Levon Minassian

Curated by Limewit Blog

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Samsung Galaxy S III Is Here! (Product Review)

Samsung Galaxy S III Black and White.

The Samsung Galaxy S III has officially landed on US shores. It should be in a store near you in the coming weeks. Does it live up to the hype? Is it the best Android phone out there? We believe it has what it takes to compete and to perhaps be one of the best smart phones out there.

Samsung designed this phone to "make life easier" and they may just accomplish that with their beautiful display and specs that are up to par with anything else on the market. The phone did lose some points for us in terms of aesthetics and the case is brightly colorful but gaudy and tasteless.

The Skinny.

Features
4.8-inch 720×1280 Super AMOLED display
Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich
Samsung’s TouchWiz overlay
S-Beam/NFC
2GB of RAM
1.5GHz dual-core processor
8MP rear camera (1080p video capture)
1.9MP front camera
4G LTE at available carriers
MSRP: 16GB is $199 on-contract, 32GB is $249 on-contract (Very affordable)

Why do laptop batteries lose power over time?

Over time, laptop batteries degrade and lose their ability to hold a full charge. This occurrence is quite normal to all rechargeable laptop and netbook batteries. Today, laptop batteries are designed with modern materials that hold their charge much longer than in previous years. Even so, the average life of a laptop battery varies from 1.5 – 3 years.

The number one reason why laptop batteries lose power over time is due to its declining capacity. Simply put, the amount of charge a battery can hold will gradually decrease due to usage and aging.

The second reason is low quality battery components. Not all batteries are made the same and when you combine this with the declining capacity your batteries life can be cut by as much as 30%. It is very important to choose a battery that is composed of quality materials and backed by a minimum 1 warranty to ensure longevity.

You may have noticed that your battery lasts less and less as the years go by. If your battery, when fully charged, lasts under 2 hours, then it’s time to replace.

So remember, choosing a high quality battery will ensure that you get your money’s worth and will keep your laptop portable.

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Laptop Batteries -  Laptop Battery Chargers (ac adapters)

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