A warning about LifeP04 cells (before someone blows up their scanner)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Voyager

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2002
Messages
12,060
I see rechargeable LifeP04 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) AA cells are starting to show up at some stores. DO NOT use these in your scanner!

These cells are 3.2V and will not work (for long) in consumer scanners designed for 1.2V AA cells.
 

gewecke

Completely Banned for the Greater Good
Banned
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
7,452
Location
Illinois
I see rechargeable LifeP04 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) AA cells are starting to show up at some stores. DO NOT use these in your scanner!

These cells are 3.2V and will not work (for long) in consumer scanners designed for 1.2V AA cells.
Thanks for posting this! You'd think the industry would manufacture these in a different size Other than AA since they're obviously a higher voltage than the standard AA ! What company or brand are these Lipo4 batteries ?? Its not just scanners that would fail but all sorts of electronics! Voyager, WHERE did you see these so we can keep an eye out? I hope Walmart don't start selling these ! :( 73, n9zas
 
Last edited:

N4GIX

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 27, 2015
Messages
2,124
Location
Hot Springs, AR
Why, are they larger than standard AA's ? Still the public should be made aware that they are not standard AA's. 73, n9zas
When I was in school, I learned that four-fifths (4/5) was smaller than five-fifths (5/5)... :D

I know nothing about this "New Math"... :wink:
 

gewecke

Completely Banned for the Greater Good
Banned
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
7,452
Location
Illinois
When I was in school, I learned that four-fifths (4/5) was smaller than five-fifths (5/5)... :D

I know nothing about this "New Math"... :wink:
Well no ****, but at a glance someone still might buy them in error since they are still labeled AA ... Right? :roll: 73, n9zas
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
2,078
Location
So Far Away....
Well no ****, but at a glance someone still might buy them in error since they are still labeled AA ... Right? :roll: 73, n9zas

Yeah, But if you have a 300-600$ radio..You better do more than glance..Buyer Beware..and dont buy
no-name cells from China...

I got a a Lith-Ion battery for my laptop...was supposed to be a 6 cell,18650 size config..It never held the propper capacity/mAh..
I opened it and 2 of the cells were these...exact size and weight...dummies..4 batts and 2 dummies..
 

Attachments

  • 20160714_112040.jpg
    20160714_112040.jpg
    55.4 KB · Views: 737

bigcam406

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
1,183
Location
oshawa,ont,canada
LIFE batteriy technology is safer than LIPO (lithium polymer) batteries as lipos have a cell voltage of 3.7v,and if you discharge under 3.3 volts,they basically get hot and explode.you have to have a low voltage cutoff in order to save the aggravation. LIFE batteries are an improvement over regular NIHM batteries which only carry 1.2volts per cell.i have used all 3 types of these batteries in my RC boats and cars.why they would market the LIFE batteries as a AA is beyond me.someone wasnt thinking too clearly obviously.
 

gewecke

Completely Banned for the Greater Good
Banned
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
7,452
Location
Illinois
LIFE batteriy technology is safer than LIPO (lithium polymer) batteries as lipos have a cell voltage of 3.7v,and if you discharge under 3.3 volts,they basically get hot and explode.you have to have a low voltage cutoff in order to save the aggravation. LIFE batteries are an improvement over regular NIHM batteries which only carry 1.2volts per cell.i have used all 3 types of these batteries in my RC boats and cars.why they would market the LIFE batteries as a AA is beyond me.someone wasnt thinking too clearly obviously.
Very true. I've built two 36 volt packs and one 48 volt pack with matching cells so far for some guys who ride home brew E bikes for fun. One Lipo4 pack they had, started smoking while they were on the trails. :wink: 73, n9zas
 

a417

U+0000
Joined
Mar 14, 2004
Messages
4,650
There is no Global Battery Czar who told them they couldn't do it. It's buyer beware, their defense will be "the buyer should have researched it better" or the generic chinese equivalent of that statement, and they'll make more in sales than they will lose in defending damage claims against them, including what few returns actually make it that far. They're preying on the uneducated, and laughing all the way to the bank. If Amazon had a battery category for each type of cell out there...you'd go blind trying to navigate it, and you'd ultimately never find what you were looking for (probably)

But, when joe hillbilly wants a battery for his ra-deee-ya to make it talk louder, he knows he can just go and find something that looks like it - then buy it. More mAh's MOAR POWARRR. Yeah, they shouldn't be sold as "AA" com, the buyer should compare far more than they actually do...but people still buy it. It's an overgeneralization on the sellers end, but you can't have everyone watching everyone all the time.


...who watches the Watchmen?
 

gewecke

Completely Banned for the Greater Good
Banned
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
7,452
Location
Illinois
Yep, dumb consumers everywhere . Beware. :roll: 73, n9zas
 

Voyager

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2002
Messages
12,060
No, they're not labelled AA, so chill already.

Maybe you guts are talking about something different, but these certainly DO look like full size AA, and please tell me I'm seeing things and it doesn't really say simply AA on the package:

Westinghouse 4pc Rechargeable Battery Set - Walmart.com

While you're at it, you can tell me that it does state on the webpage:

"Four 600mAH AA lithium iron phosphate batteries"
and
"Clothing Size: AA" (nevermind the "clothing" part!)
and
"Size: AA"

Also tell me that looks physically shorter than a 5/5 AA size. I held a Eneloop cell up to the screen, and it covers the shown cell PERFECTLY.

I simply don't buy the line that these are not standard AA cells. I looked at the Amazon link, those cells are OBVIOUSLY different than the cells I posted the warning about. So, all you 4/5 guys look at the link I posted and tell me I'm wrong again.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top