not exactly OT but...

[philba]

...but not exactly on topic either. I thought it was kind of cute. I'm not sure if the capacity of these batteries makes it an apples to apples comparison.

https://www.metacafe.com/watch/824477/6_volt_battery_hack_youll_be_amazed/

 

[Andy1845c]

What!?! Whats the point of all those little batterys in there?

I opened one of those 6v up once and found 4 "D" cells.

Why would you use 32 smaller batterys? Would it lower the resistance and allow for more current draw?

 

[philba]

probably more capacity. there is less wasted space. But hey, I never actually thought about lantern batteries prior to this.

 

[Oznog]

That says "heavy duty" on the outside. That means they're the crappy carbon batteries, not alkalines. Low overall capacity, and their internal resistance is so high that many devices won't work on them even when the batteries are fresh.

 

[Sceadwian]

Oznog, how does 'heavy duty' translate into Carbon cells out of curiosity?

 

[Pommie]

It's a hoax. Lantern batteries contain 4 long batteries (f cells?) and are wired together with welded on metal strips. I'm not sure that many AA batteries would even fit in a lantern battery but if they did, they would be connected together somehow.

Mike.

 

[Oznog]

Oznog, how does 'heavy duty' translate into Carbon cells out of curiosity?

Sure doesn't make sense, they're generally inferior cells relative to alkaline and only suitable for very light duty. Actually https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc-carbon_battery has something to say. There first was the "General Purpose" wet carbon battery, the "Super Heavy Duty" dry carbon battery was an improvement over it at the time. Both are totally inferior to alkaline, but alkaline wasn't even invented yet. In a few apps it is remotely useful to use the carbons due to cost (like a cheap low-drain device you're going to use once and throw away). They're still on the market. A lot of cheap Chinese products that come with batts come with carbons.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Oznog, how does 'heavy duty' translate into Carbon cells out of curiosity?

Because they print 'Heavy Duty' on them to make buyers think they are any good - they aren't!

 

[HarveyH42]

Wonder why somebody would make such a video in the first place? There was no way for those AA to produce 6 volts and just spill out like that. The outer case of each was bare, none were wired or welded, and all oriented in the same direction. Guess it would fool some people, but why? Suppose it sort of like releasing a computer virus. Wonder if that brand 6 volt battery even exists, or if he made his own label for this video project.

I've been off the throw away batteries for years now, just an occasional 9 volt for the alarm clock, and caller-ID box.

 

[Andy1845c]

Does anyone here have a 6v lantern battery that is dead or weak they would like to open and show us? What is normally in one?

Like I have said before, I got a damaged Duracell 6v once for free where I worked at the time, and opened it and found 4 "D" cell Duracell batterys inside. They even had the label on them.

I have a cheap, plastic cased 6v on my bench that I use for a power supply. I hate to kill it and open it up before its dead, but I am curious.

 

[philba]

Wonder why somebody would make such a video in the first place? There was no way for those AA to produce 6 volts and just spill out like that. The outer case of each was bare, none were wired or welded, and all oriented in the same direction. Guess it would fool some people, but why? Suppose it sort of like releasing a computer virus. Wonder if that brand 6 volt battery even exists, or if he made his own label for this video project.

I've been off the throw away batteries for years now, just an occasional 9 volt for the alarm clock, and caller-ID box.

Interestingly, there is no brand on the battery unless it's powercell but no trade marks on it.

 

[Krumlink]

Because they print 'Heavy Duty' on them to make buyers think they are any good - they aren't!

Its a heavy duty load of crap

That was pretty good, Im going to write that one down...

 

[Sceadwian]

Harvey, I'm sure the video is completly geniune. The top and bottom of the case were likley spring steel contacts routed in such a way as to produce a 4 series 8 parallel configuration which would give you a nominal 8 volts. Under any kind of load it's probably pretty close to 6 for most of it's discharge curve.
The local dollar store sells cheap alkaline cell 6 packs for a buck though. For 5 bucks that'd be 30 cells and they'd be real alkaline's.

 

[Krumlink]

It is a hoax. Lookie here!
**broken link removed**

 

[Pommie]

From Theodore Gray's site,


**broken link removed**

Mike.

 

[Andy1845c]

No AA's in my 6V either.

 

[philba]

here's an even better one

**broken link removed**