My Lithium Bathroom

Ykick

Ykick

1 GW
Joined
Nov 26, 2009
Messages
5,534
Location
San Diego, California
As my Lipoly knowledge and understanding grows I've found myself repowering several old appliances/devices with various pouch cells.

After doing an old Panasonic shaver yesterday I realized my bathroom now holds 3qty re-powered devices.

Photo on 1-16-13 at 10.55 AM #2.jpg

The first device I cobbled into Lipoly submission is/was the nose trimmer. It was originally pair of AA but I scavenged an old Cell Phone pouch and now run it on 3.7-4V. Yes, those aligator clips are my on/off switch. Nothing elegant about the conversion but it works and works well....

The original NiCd Water Pik I ordered a small HK Nano-Tech pouch cell. A spare is sitting in front of the device as an example. Cell phone wall wart for charging - the best looking and elegant of my conversions so far.

Last is the Panasonic ES7003 shaver originally using 2S NiMh/NiCd cells. Once again a scavenged Cell Phone battery (an extra sits in front) serves the purpose and I'm still working on closing it up and a plug for wall wart charger.

Surely I'm not the only one breathing new life into old Nickel/Alkaline devices and appliances? I'd love to see some other conversions to this dangerous and "deadly" chemistry, LOL.....
 
Nice,
Hey Ykick, could you please post a video of when you rc nitro engine power your nose hair trimmer.

Thank you,
Jared

yhst-62196343123315_2243_68709796_zps5841bf90.gif
 
I'm betting the uber water pik does him in... "those aren't tears of joy that you see. that's pure powah!"
 
Careful... There are LiPo naysayers out there who will assert that one day instead of trimming your nose hair, your lipo pouch will offgass and flame out and singe those hairs into oblivion...
 
So what does the Missus aka "the Boss" say about this? :pancake:
 
LOL.... Good ones guys! Just having fun, using some of this Lipoly knowledge and being cheap. Luckily, this is my bachelor pad in NYC so the "boss" doesn't have too much to say. But, she knows how I am and would not be surprised.

I fix her stuff too, dildo repower is actually a very good idea! Bring those devices into this century!

btw, I also reworked an old NiCd drill a few months ago with some A123 developer cells laying around. Thing is awesome and saved me a couple hundred bucks!
 
only one I think i ever documented was convrerting my old palm (III? no, maybe m100?) from 2AAA to celphone battery, back whe n I started my electrimotorificiation projects a few years back. Usually I jus t replace the cells with something simlair so I can continue with the regular old chargers, but that one didn't have that option, and i got tired of losing all the data everytime i changed the batteries, cuz of a design flaw. i put the celphone pack on it so i could drop the whole device onto the desktop cahrger for the phone it came from.

I can't fidn the pics right now but it is on my http://electricle.blogspot.com blog probably under teh VeloAce categories.
 
I swear to you that my first thought when reading the subject line was of a Minecraft room made with Lithium blocks! Using the Crafting Table, you could forge appliances that sit on top of or “plug into” walls – such as LED torches, maybe a Zombie shaver, Anti-Creeper Pulse Rifle, etc. The Lithium blocks could be recharged by Redstone circuits…

Ah, only in the Minecraft universe.
Searching for Diamonds in the rough, KF
 
I debated whether to start a big flashy thread title - "My 1st and hopefully last RC LIPO fire!" Instead, I figure a few curious types might take a peek and get a laugh (fortunately) outta my recent RC Lipo fire!

Remember the waterpik above? Well, stupid me using a cellphone wall wart because the iCharger kept kicking off, duh!!! The carnage:
LipoBurnA.jpg
LipoBurnB.jpg

First signs of smoke quickly doused in a bucket of water. This was just a little nano-tech 1S 750mAh pouch. Can't begin to imagine how much trouble a 5Ah cell would cause?

I knew better but took a chance only because it was small. Lesson learned....
 
The 14500 cell (14mm diameter / 50mm long / 0 = cylindrical), is the same size and shape as an AA battery. The voltage is roughly 3.7 (LiMn), and I have been curious about modding devices with these.

I have a solar panel that just fits through my door (to store indoors at night) that I got for emergencies and power outages. It charges a 12V deep-cycle RV battery, and I have several 12V chargers for my laptop, cell-phone, and flashlights.

The problem is that some devices (my digital camera) and others I hope to buy...will not run on the rechargeable 1.2V Sanyo Eneloop AA cells that I am fond of. These devices run only with a disposable 1.5V energizer/Duracell AA.

These have two cells in series, so the system is designed to work on 3.0V. If they don't work with low volts (1.2V + 1.2V = 2.4V), then...I am wondering if I dare try two 14500's hooked up in parallel? (= 3.7V?). I like the fact that if I am on a vacation, I can find disposable AA's just about anywhere, but for 90% of my usage, I would like to have a rechargeable option. (I have a 12V car charger for the 14500's).

I may try a garden solar LED battery that is LiFePO4 (3.2V?), but it wouold have to be a Velcro pack because I haven't found a 3.2V in 14500 size.

There are other devices that use four disposables ( 1.5V X 4 = 6.0V), and it just so happens that five 1.2V = 6.0V right on the nose.

I have considered making a dual-AA hollow adapter that runs to an external voltage regulator and a ten AA Eneloop pack (12.0V)...
 
spinningmagnets said:
The 14500 cell (14mm diameter / 50mm long / 0 = cylindrical), is the same size and shape as an AA battery. The voltage is roughly 3.7 (LiMn), and I have been curious about modding devices with these.

I have a solar panel that just fits through my door (to store indoors at night) that I got for emergencies and power outages. It charges a 12V deep-cycle RV battery, and I have several 12V chargers for my laptop, cell-phone, and flashlights.

The problem is that some devices (my digital camera) and others I hope to buy...will not run on the rechargeable 1.2V Sanyo Eneloop AA cells that I am fond of. These devices run only with a disposable 1.5V energizer/Duracell AA.

These have two cells in series, so the system is designed to work on 3.0V. If they don't work with low volts (1.2V + 1.2V = 2.4V), then...I am wondering if I dare try two 14500's hooked up in parallel? (= 3.7V?). I like the fact that if I am on a vacation, I can find disposable AA's just about anywhere, but for 90% of my usage, I would like to have a rechargeable option. (I have a 12V car charger for the 14500's).

I may try a garden solar LED battery that is LiFePO4 (3.2V?), but it wouold have to be a Velcro pack because I haven't found a 3.2V in 14500 size.

There are other devices that use four disposables ( 1.5V X 4 = 6.0V), and it just so happens that five 1.2V = 6.0V right on the nose.

I have considered making a dual-AA hollow adapter that runs to an external voltage regulator and a ten AA Eneloop pack (12.0V)...
Click to expand...

Based on my crude, simple volatile experiments LiMn discharges closer to 4V than 3.7V. I know manufacturers throw 3.7V out there but IMO when you reach that it's just about empty for my uses.

Seems to me there could be a huge untapped market for drop-in Lithium AA/AAA physical replacements? My initial thought is to incorporate BMS to regulate around 1.5-1.6V output and offer basic cell protection. Of course, that ain't gonna be cheap so it's understandable why something like this hasn't been mass produced yet....

At work we use dozens of wireless body mics running 2qty AA/AAA and they behave okay on NiMh but that's only about 2.4V feeding a circuit that's usually operated around 3V. LVC and battery level meter issues sometimes crop up but all in all it's a manageable system. Biggest drawback however is self-discharge - those NiMh just don't hold their charge all that well IMO.
 
I need to hack my SonicCare so I can brush in less time. 8)
 
spinningmagnets said:
These have two cells in series, so the system is designed to work on 3.0V. If they don't work with low volts (1.2V + 1.2V = 2.4V), then...I am wondering if I dare try two 14500's hooked up in parallel? (= 3.7V?). I like the fact that if I am on a vacation, I can find disposable AA's just about anywhere, but for 90% of my usage, I would like to have a rechargeable option. (I have a 12V car charger for the 14500's).
Click to expand...
Typical diode drop is ~0.5-0.7V, so just stick a diode in series with it if it's really only 3.7V fully charged. But since it is probably closer to 4V full, use two diodes in series.

Install a bypass switch around one of the diodes if you like so that as the pack runs low you can still use it's full capacity.
 
Typical diode drop is ~0.5-0.7V, so just stick a diode in series with it if it's really only 3.7V fully charged. But since it is probably closer to 4V full, use two diodes in series. Install a bypass switch around one of the diodes if you like so that as the pack runs low you can still use it's full capacity.
Click to expand...

AW, I should have just PMed you first! You are the type of electronics guy I want to get solutions from.
 
You mean the wierd macguyvery-macgimmicky hackadoodle-do type? :lol:

Well, better that it is asked in the forums, cuz then eveyrone else can see the question and answer, too, in case they ever need it. Or in case my idea is totally bogus and would cause a fire. :p
 
I recently bought a pair of 14500 Lifepo4's from Hong Kong. I will use them as a 6V replacement in my digital camera Just need to make a pair of dummy cells to fill the gaps, with a wire running down each, to pass the V from 1 battery to another. They are rated at 700 mah.

Radio Shack used to have them for Solar path lighting, but, their store online doesn't list them. Might try in y'alls areas though.
 
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