EEVblog #751 - How To Debunk A Product (The Batteriser)

[BravoV]

Damn, I came here thinking someone had actually got one. Disappointed again 

Proof that you've taken their bait. 

[kalleboo]

There is also a video on instagram. Kinda "cryptic" though. No pcb shown or the product in action.

https://instagram.fath3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t50.2886-16/14091521_1059354024148962_793596247_n.mp4

Alexander.

Is that a pube hair hanging off the first T?

[rollatorwieltje]

Wait until some genius puts a Batterpoo on a Lithium cell, and it goes off in the hold of a plane, or some child's toy.  We'll have a whole new circus to enjoy!

If you're referring to one of these, it seems that this is BOUND to happen. Classic scenario: it's the middle of the night, the torch has dead batteries... you're not thinking about whether they're lithium or not...



Seriously... what happens or could likely happen if one of these of these is inserted?

Edit: LOL, just noticed the Energiser packaging says 9X Longer Lasting.

The voltage is only marginally higher, 1.8V unloaded and roughly 1.5 during discharge. Worst case the Batterizer just goes into passthrough mode, I doubt it will blow up.

Not sure where they get that 9X number from, but in high drain applications those lithium cells could last significantly longer than alkaline cells, even at 1A they still deliver roughly 3500mAh.

[Someone]

Not sure where they get that 9X number from, but in high drain applications those lithium cells could last significantly longer than alkaline cells, even at 1A they still deliver roughly 3500mAh.

9x is from the ISO digital camera test when compared to their alkaline batteries:
http://investors.energizerholdings.com/2012-03-26-Energizer-Improves-Performance-to-Worlds-Longest-Lasting-AA-Battery-in-High-Tech-Devices
Not the worst comparison ever even though no modern camera would have such a cycle on the batteries.

[omgfire]

Not sure where they get that 9X number from, but in high drain applications those lithium cells could last significantly longer than alkaline cells, even at 1A they still deliver roughly 3500mAh.

They are joy for super low drain applications too. Storage limits for Duracell coppertop are 25°C and 65% humidity. Last time I bought alkaline batteries, half of them leaked within 3 years. So, no more alkaline batteries for me.
20 years / less than 3 years = that is 7x improvement in my experience. Your mileage may vary.

[Fungus]

Damn, I came here thinking someone had actually got one. Disappointed again 

Proof that you've taken their bait. 

Are we going to run a pool on whether it's all just another lie?

I mean...where are the photos?

[ez24]

Are we going to run a pool on whether it's all just another lie?

Who thinks it is not a lie?

[quad]

Batteroo are "under review" by IGG

[EEVblog]

Batteroo are "under review" by IGG

If that's true it could be the reason for the recent shipping updates. It would not be the first time IGG have tapped Batteroo on the shoulder and they have promptly responded publicly with an update.

[Faith]

Not sure where they get that 9X number from, but in high drain applications those lithium cells could last significantly longer than alkaline cells, even at 1A they still deliver roughly 3500mAh.

They are joy for super low drain applications too. Storage limits for Duracell coppertop are 25°C and 65% humidity. Last time I bought alkaline batteries, half of them leaked within 3 years. So, no more alkaline batteries for me.
20 years / less than 3 years = that is 7x improvement in my experience. Your mileage may vary.

Yep, I use lithium cells exclusively, and especially on devices with very low drain (since they are the most likely to result in a leak from long-term storage and usage).

The only time I saw a lithium cell leak actually just happened a week ago on an alarm panel with an internal backup battery which I just learned was installed 15 years ago.

Even my remote controls have lithium batteries in them haha. Unfortunately most consumers only see and care about the upfront cost of batteries.

[LabSpokane]

Bob, Frankie, Ali,

If you are truly shipping product, I will pay you 5X your retail price plus FedEx costs to get a set of your  products in my hands by the end of this week.

Please contact me via PM. My AMEX is standing by.

[ez24]

Bob, Frankie, Ali,

If you are truly shipping product, I will pay you 5X your retail price plus FedEx costs to get a set of your  products in my hands by the end of this week.

Please contact me via PM. My AMEX is standing by.

 

[Muttley Snickers]

That's your entire annual supply of funny things all used up in one go, I personally would have saved a few for later in the thread myself but I ran out months ago.   

[WN1X]

That's your entire annual supply of funny things all used up in one go, I personally would have saved a few for later in the thread myself but I ran out months ago.   

Likewise for my supply of popcorn 

[Fungus]

That's your entire annual supply of funny things all used up in one go, I personally would have saved a few for later in the thread myself but I ran out months ago.   

Likewise for my supply of popcorn 

I stopped wasting them on The Batteroo Brothers a long time ago.

[Fungus]

Are we going to run a pool on whether it's all just another lie?

Who thinks it is not a lie?

Not me. If they had any boxes of production Batterisers/oos they'd have posted some pics. Time for everybody on IGG to call their bluff.

[StuUK]

Are we going to run a pool on whether it's all just another lie?

Who thinks it is not a lie?

Not me. If they had any boxes of production Batterisers/oos they'd have posted some pics. Time for everybody on IGG to call their bluff.

Be better having a pool on what the excuse will be....

[Fungus]

Be better having a pool on what the excuse will be....

 

[StuUK]

How about...

1) Unfortunately due to shipping nervousness around batteries, our shipment has mistakenly been held up whilst undergoing inspection to determine that shipment of such is safe.
2) We have recently been informed that our new name of Batteroo is actually an offensive term in some countries so we are having a rethink about further rebranding but luckily we prevented any shipments from leaving and have averted offending any of our backers.
3) Our first shipment was successfully sent to our first small group of backers but have been discovered to be defective due to mishandling by our shippers.
4) Unfortunately a company (we cannot name for legal reasons) has instigated action against us and we are forced to withhold shipping pending a legal decision. This is more evidence of big battery corp flexing their muscles. Apologies to our backers for yet more delays beyond our control.

and so on and so forth.....

[LabSpokane]

Bob, Frankie, Ali,

If you are truly shipping product, I will pay you 5X your retail price plus FedEx costs to get a set of your  products in my hands by the end of this week.

Please contact me via PM. My AMEX is standing by.

Hello?  Bob?  Frankie?

[SL4P]

a) The Chinese government have forbidden us from exporting any engineered metal products from the mainland to western countries, due to the current geopolitical climate in the South China Sea, and the possible requirements for use in defence/armaments.

b) The manufacturer won't release the containers due to their concern that in the event he becomes POTUS,  Donald Trump won't allow payment to chinese entities from US financial institutions.

[Neilm]

2) We have recently been informed that our new name of Batteroo is actually an offensive term in some countries so we are having a rethink about further rebranding but luckily we prevented any shipments from leaving and have averted offending any of our backers.

It has now been realised that calling it Batteroo could mean it is confused with a kangaroo...

[quad]

a) product certification issues - UL/CE/FCC - thought it was done but due to the new ASIC they have to get it re-certified - thankfully they found out JUST before the first box was shipped!
b) the shipping container containing EVERY SINGLE BATTEROO was put on the wrong ship by mistake of the Logistics Company and they are taking steps to locate and recover it (and posts a picture of generic shipping containers out at sea)
c) Big Battery have Spies working Everywhere and have Intercepted the Shipment to prevent this Revolutionary Technology from Reaching the Light of Day

[Halcyon]

Our shipment of Batteroo's have been destroyed in a motor vehicle collision and subsequent vehicle fire while being transported from the factory to our shipping team. The team at Batteroo apologies to all backers however this unforeseen accident was beyond our control.

[amspire]

I think they probably do have a product, but it is unlikely to be anywhere as good as they were implying. They also have to sell far more then the IGG campaign, so I think that this is all about locking in distributers/resellers. They probably have to make a loss to satisfy the IGG supporters. If a Batteriser can sort of work at 500mA, it would still be usable in many applications. Might only do 250mA. Who knows? Who knows how much RF noise it will generate at full load? How much problem will audio noise generated from the beat frequency mixing of multiple batterisers make?

If they did get a new IC designed (or more likely, they got an existing IC repackaged to smaller size), they probably need a production run in the millions to make sense. The last thing they want is annoying bloggers tearing the product apart before the reseller lock-in and media hype takes place. They want to have dumb sites that do test such as take a torch with NiMh batteries and show how it suddenly gets much brighter with the Batteriser. "Hallelujah it works! The critics were all totally wrong!".  With the right "Changing The World" publicity on mainstream non-technical sites, they could make a big profit on sales even if the device is not solving any problems.

If they are dependant on selling millions, the whole thing can still fail if they cannot lock-in the sales, or if the devices coming off the production line are just not reliable.

The "harder to make then iPhone" comments sound like someone hasn't done the right engineering and that is not a good sign.  Production is not the place to discover that kind of problem.