Page 23 - Ready for IMPACT Battery Blog

[caption id="attachment_1772" align="alignleft" width="150"] Solar power system[/caption]

Solar cells are almost like magic. These inert devices, with no moving parts, are able to convert simple sunshine into electrical power. Although the novelty of solar power systems makes them seem complicated, in reality they are quite simple.

Parts of a Solar Power System

A complete solar power system consists of a few parts. A simple system usually contains one or more solar panels, an inverter and a mounting system. The solar panels capture the energy of the sun and are built from a carefully engineered sandwich of semiconductors. The inverter is needed to convert the DC power of the solar panels into AC power usable by common household appliances. Some systems also include a battery bank and a charging system for the batteries; these systems are designed to be self-sufficient and may also include a small gasoline-based generator as a final back-up

Converting Solar Power Into Usable Power

When sunlight

I just answered a question about an airsoft battery at AirsoftForum.com from ShadowBandit12, and thought it was worth sharing.

Question:  My KWA G36C has not been holding the battery's charge lately. It's not every time I charge. But others, the battery doesn't even make it through the first game. I have a smart charger and a 9.6 battery for it, and I use the smart charger to charge it. I don't know if this is due to bad connections when being charged, or something wrong with my gun. Also, the charger makes a weird noise that it did not before I started having this problem. When the battery doesn't charge it almost instantly starts die, but sometimes it works fine. I have even tried getting a new 9.6v battery. but it still did the same thing. Any suggestions about what's going wrong?

My Thoughts:  I would check your charger with a voltmeter and the wire connections in the gun. Your Airsoft battery is either being shorted out in the gun, or the charger is not working and is not charging

I just answered a Tenergy Battery question at AirsoftSociety.com from ncbairsoftteam, and I thought it was worth sharing.

Question:  Is a 8.4v 1100 mAh Tenergy battery any good? I already have the 9.6v 1500  mAh, this would just be a back up.

My Thoughts:  The batteries made by Tenergy are great batteries. In your case you will notice the rate of fire compared to your 9.6V will be slower, but that is because you reduced voltage. The battery will probably seem like it is lasting about the same length of time even though it is 400mAh less capacity. This is due to the drop in voltage as well.

True or false: Lithium-air batteries will shortly revolutionize the electric and hybrid car industries.

The beliefs of naysayers to the contrary, some feel that lithium-air batteries have the potential to provide 20 times more power than the commonly used lithium-ion variety. That is, if they ever get them working.

How Does the Lithium-Air Battery Operate?

Lithium-air batteries utilize oxygen from the air around them to pull in electrons. The use of an external substance precludes the need to store all components inside, and that makes these batteries lighter and less complex. It may sound good, but it isn't all that easy.

The Trouble with External Air

In these batteries, while the anode contains lithium, the cathode contains ion-generating air. In order to produce ions inside the battery, the oxygen must get there in the first place. Once it's inside, something needs to prevent it from reacting negatively with the battery's internal components and causing premature failure.

At present,

Camping in a recreational vehicle is worlds apart from tent camping, and new RV owners are often faced with an enormous influx of information. It's easy for some important data to get lost in the shuffle, but there are a few tips that can help you avoid the most common pitfalls.

Know Your Facts and Figures

Before you hit the road for the first time, there are a few vital statistics that you should know about your new recreational vehicle. Some of the most important facts and figures include the:

• Exterior dimensions

• Amp service that the rig is wired for

• License plate number

• Tank capacities

While you might be able to get away without knowing some of that information, your trip will go a lot smoother if you're prepared. Knowing the dimensions of your RV will allow you to avoid low bridges and other tight spots, and the size of your tanks capacities will dictate how long you can dry camp.

When you arrive at your destination, knowing the amp service your RV is wired for will allow you to select

Deep cycle batteries are suitable for a variety of different applications that require sustained delivery of power over an extended period. Start, Light and Ignition (SLI) batteries are designed to briefly deliver substantial cranking amps through numerous cycles. In contrast, a deep-cycle battery typically discharges 50-70 percent of its capacity before needing to be recharged.

Construction

There are two types of deep-cycle batteries including flooded lead acid and valve regulated lead acid. Each battery includes thick plates that serve as electrodes, usually consisting of lead or a lead antimony alloy. The electrodes are fashioned into plates and then inserted into the battery casing. Electrolyte liquid fills the cells, which are separated by a porous divider. A 12-volt battery configuration includes six electrode plates that supply about 2 volts each.

The thickness of the plate determines the total quantity of reserve energy stored in the battery. Plate density allows for slow current

[caption id="attachment_1674" align="alignleft" width="150"] Maintain your motorcycle[/caption]

Motorcyclists have a lot to worry about whether it's other vehicles or even getting their Class M licenses. Maintenance may not sit at the top of the priority list for most bikers, but it should. While a motorcycle battery may not be a major concern for those who ride every day, those whose bikes see occasional use should check their batteries regularly. Cold weather environments will also diminish battery life, so those who store their bikes in areas open to the elements should be especially cognizant of their batteries.

Exploring the Tender

The easiest way to maintain a battery is with a charger. A charger, or tender, connects to a standard outlet and delivers amps to the battery to compensate for periods of inactivity. While most people drive their cars every day, bikes often sit for long periods of time, which wears down the battery. A tender will keep the battery in near-factory condition

The most common type of battery for vehicles and heavy machinery is the lead-acid battery, but within this broad category are several specific types. The most commonly used type of lead-acid battery is the flooded, or wet-cell, battery. Other types of lead-acid batteries include the gel battery and the absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery. While gel and AGM batteries are always sealed, wet-cell batteries come in both sealed and unsealed versions. All three types of these sealed batteries have some important differences that can play a role in deciding which one to purchase.

Lead-Acid Battery Basics

To gain a complete understanding of the differences between sealed lead-acid batteries, it is first necessary to understand the similarities. Each battery is composed of several cells, and inside each cell are two metal plates. The positive plates are made of pure lead while the negative plates are lead oxide. These plates are submerged in a solution that is approximately 33.5% sulfuric acid. Electricity

The Mysterious 'T' shaped Honda Shadow Battery

This peculiar battery was first introduced in 1983 in the HONDA VT750C Shadow Bike. It defied the traditional rectangular shape with a front profile that looked like the letter T. The original Honda Shadow Battery part number was the HYB16A-AB. It was a wet battery with a vent tube, 150 Cold Cranking Amps and capacity of 16 Ampre Hour. This Honda Shadow battery is found more readily in various VT1100 series motorcycles from 1985 through 2000. It must be noted that not all of the VT1100 bikes use this T shaped battery so it is important to check the exact model and year. It can be confusing. The advent of the sealed lead acid and advanced AGM battery has created a bit of confusion as to which battery can be used with or is required in these Honda Shadow motorcycles. Many forum posts on HondaShadow.net and other fan favorites have made reference to which battery should be used...sadly some are leading their buddies astray. We will attempt to

How to Test a Battery for Drain Using a Voltmeter

When a battery unexpected loses its charge after being unused for a short period of time,
the culprit is often a malfunctioning electronic system that is attached to the battery. This situation is referred to as parasitic battery drain or parasitic load, and it most often occurs in vehicle batteries. Car and motorcycle batteries have dozens of electrical systems attached to them, and they may be drawing a charge off the battery when they are supposed to be shut off. To fix this problem, it is first necessary to determine whether parasitic battery drain is actually the problem, but this test requires the use of a voltmeter or a digital multimeter.

What is a Voltmeter?

A voltmeter is a device that can be attached to an electrical circuit to test how many volts of electricity are moving through it. The meter consists of a base unit, a display, a positive test probe and a negative test probe. Older meters are purely analog and use moving-needle