A few things:
- Batteries convert chemical energy to electrical energy.
- There are two types of batteries: primary (single use) and secondary (rechargeable).
- Different batteries are designed for different purposes. Factors to consider include shelf life, voltage, current, intermittent vs. continuous use applications
- Connecting batteries in series increases the voltage. Connecting batteries is parallel increases the amperage or capacity. This is clearly demonstrated on page 37 of Fashioning Technology.
- Manufacturers rate batteries according to ampere hours (Ah)
1 amp-hour = 1 amp (1000 mA) for 1 hour, 100mA for 10hrs, 10mA for 100hrs
In reality, this may differ depending on how much current is drawn. - Remember – voltage and capacity for batteries differs based on manufacturer, chemistry, primary vs. secondary, etc.
Books
- Fashioning Technology, p.37
- Electronics for Inventors, pp.77-84
- Make: Electronics, p.123
Web Resources
- ITP Physical Computing Battery Guide
- Wikipedia on batteries: primary, secondary, battery sizes
- Solarbotics: batteries and batteries compared
- Arduino and XBee Battery Tests by Rob Faludi (Shall we do a series of Lilypad Arduino tests as a class??)
- battery holders with voltage booster circuits
- Power Stream: Battery Chemistry FAQ, Rechargeable Battery Comparison, Battery Pack Power Connector
- cheapbatteries.com
- Battery Calculator
- How To Get What You Want: Battery 101, Lithium Polymer Batteries, Sewable 3.3V Regulator, Neoprene Battery Pouches
Search Engine for Electronic Parts (good for finding datasheets!)
Multimeter tutorials
- Sparkfun
- Adafruit
- Make Magazine: video, PDF
- Jeff LeBlanc
