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

[EEVblog]

Boosting from 1V to 5V isn't the same as boosting from 1V to 1.5V.

Likely they could be modified for 1.5V output though, or something under 2V anyway.

[GNU_Ninja]

Boosting from 1V to 5V isn't the same as boosting from 1V to 1.5V.

Likely they could be modified for 1.5V output though, or something under 2V anyway.

Yeah, I thought that too. There's not much to 'em. I'll reverse engineer the schematic when I get home from work (and I can also try out my new SMD rework station) 

[bktemp]

With a shottky diode as the rectifier for the boost converter the efficiency will be quite low at 1.5V output voltage. Even without any further losses only 80% are possible. The whole circuit will be have 50-75% efficiency.
A good synchronous boost converter can reach 95%. At 5V output the 0.3V voltage drop on the diode only slightly affects the efficiency, but at lower voltages a synchronous rectifier greatly improves the efficiency.

[Wytnucls]

LTspice demo circuits are available for small DC to DC converters (0.5~1.5V to 1.5V)
At Vin 1.0V, max Iout is about 150mA with Vout 1.5V, in agreement with the datasheet.
Demo boards are also available, but they are expensive ($75.00)  http://cds.linear.com/docs/en/demo-board-manual/dc1053A-EFGH.pdf

[Fungus]

Boosting from 1V to 5V isn't the same as boosting from 1V to 1.5V.

Likely they could be modified for 1.5V output though, or something under 2V anyway.

FWIW: The chip on those is likely to be a CE8301 (from what I can find for chips marked "E50D").

If your boards are like mine they have the SOT-89-3 package which doesn't let you adjust the output.

[edy]

Their "Pre-Order" button on the Batteriser.com website no longer links to IndieGogo. It opens up an e-Commerce widget that lets you order items (see attached photos). Is this any different from the IndieGogo costs? 8 Batterisers for $20... with shipping to Canada it says $30. That's $3.75 a piece. Also they continue to claim November 2015 estimated delivery.

Meanwhile, have a look at the Amazon listing I show as well in the photo.... 8 AA's and charger, same deal for about the same price, but it is rechargeable, meaning I get way more usage out of these batteries than slapping Batterisers on alkalines. And those are not the cheapest options either.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004H2VUUQ?keywords=8%20rechargeable%20aa%20batteries&qid=1444542872&ref_=sr_1_31&sr=8-31

There is also EBL brand which I am not sure about:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M2RA8XS?keywords=8%20rechargeable%20aa%20batteries&qid=1444542019&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

[Halcyon]

So we'll all have our Batterisers before Christmas? ;-)

[Galenbo]

So we'll all have our Batterisers before Christmas? ;-)

I'm already practicing a theatre performance.

"How to behave if a family member good-intentions-nitwit gives it to me as a present"

...

[Ian.M]

Well the FIRST recipient can thank them nicely and post it to Dave for a teardown!

[Barny]

Am I the only one which see this scenario?

One mailbag monday in december:
Dave receive 50% of Batterisers production 

[EEVblog]

Am I the only one which see this scenario?
One mailbag monday in december:
Dave receive 50% of Batterisers production 

I wouldn't bet against that!

[Ian.M]

I would, as in most cases the clueless gift buyer wont give it to the EE recipient till Christmas.    OTOH I wouldn't bet against 50% of the packages on a Feb 2016 mailbag containing Batterizers!

[Marcel_X]

It's gone awfully quiet on the IGG Batteriser website.
9 days and no updates and no new comments since 10 days.
Unless they have been removed by Batteriser.

Hmmm... Maybe they're quite busy with the production.
Roughly one month to go! Let's wait and see...

 

[McBryce]

I wouldn't bet against that!

Will they end up being left 8x longer on the shelf behind you?

McBryce.

[samgab]

Seems like the illustrious Warren Flick may have jumped ship?


-  http://www.changedetection.com/log/batteriser/index_log2.html

[LabSpokane]

Seems like the illustrious Warren Flick may have jumped ship?


- http://63.249.66.211/comparecache.html

What do they need Warren Flick for now that they have no retail channels besides their own and an Amazon order referral service? 

Or, just maybe Warren didn't need them either...

[EEVblog]

So they hired a buddy from Flextronics by the sounds of it.
Interesting that Warren Flick is gone, he was their big ticket business name.
So maybe they have either made the big retail sale they were hoping for and his job is done, or the wheels have fallen off the billy cart.
Guys like Flick usually don't leave after such as short time.

[LabSpokane]

One has to wonder why someone needs a Director of Product Development for a product that is already developed and desperately needs to be manufactured tout de suite.

They need not a manufacturing engineer, nor a logistics person, nor a purchasing agent, but rather someone with extensive experience in ... wait for it ... PCB design. 

[EEVblog]

One has to wonder why someone needs a Director of Product Development for a product that is already developed and desperately needs to be manufactured tout de suite.
They need not a manufacturing engineer, nor a logistics person, nor a purchasing agent, but rather someone with extensive experience in ... wait for it ... PCB design.

But if he has ties with Flextronics, who I'm lead to believe they are getting to manufacture it, then that makes some sense.

Still no updates.

[ez24]

Flick usually don't leave after such as short time.

I bet he watched their videos.

[LabSpokane]

One has to wonder why someone needs a Director of Product Development for a product that is already developed and desperately needs to be manufactured tout de suite.
They need not a manufacturing engineer, nor a logistics person, nor a purchasing agent, but rather someone with extensive experience in ... wait for it ... PCB design.

But if he has ties with Flextronics, who I'm lead to believe they are getting to manufacture it, then that makes some sense.

Still no updates.

Flex may well still be the manufacturer, but certainly not at the original price.  Flex normally wouldn't even have answered Batteroo's phone call, save for Bob being an insider.  From what I've seen, no one, except for a third or fourth tier CM would even consider something with this little dollar volume.  It's only virtue is that it is simple to manufacture as long as one assumes no liability for the PCB to clip solder joint. 

Batteroo is the account that the CM assigns to their lowest seniority project manager.  All work + no profit = no bonus.

[Fungus]

But if he has ties with Flextronics, who I'm lead to believe they are getting to manufacture it, then that makes some sense.

Probably figured out that there's no profit in the initial production run and that there's no future in something that:

a) Doesn't work as claimed
and
b) Is easy to measure, even for ordinary people

[Galenbo]

Probably figured out that there's no profit in the initial production run and that there's no future in something that:

a) Doesn't work as claimed
and
b) Is easy to measure, even for ordinary people

c) is 'burned', because subject to controversy on social media and tech channels.

The first public event for such products should be the items being in the store.
Promo videos should be ready, but released only that same day, so debunking can only take effect after a good month of sales.

[5ky]

November is creeping up fast, and still not a peep out of batteriser...

[Kean]

Strangely their press releases seemed to still be going out after the campaign.

---- WARNING BS FOLLOWS ----
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/independent-test-shows-garmin-gps-with-batteriser-sleeve-ran-nearly-six-times-longer-under-the-same-test-condition-300159304.html
http://www.consumerelectronicsnet.com/article/Independent-Test-Shows-Garmin-GPS-with-Batteriser-Sleeve-ran-nearly-six-times-longer-under-the-same-test-condition-4115282