BB1 battery charging?

[Gavin W]

I'm wondering why the BB1 doesn't recharge 4 * NiMH batteries. I'm thinking of adding charging hardware to mine, using the existing USBC power supply and a dedicated boost charger/converter squeezed into the BB1. The existing software (ADC voltage measurement) would be OK to show the battery state during use/discharge but not when USBC external power connected, ie charging (with my added hardware). Would Brennan like me (let me?!) to develop software support for the charging scheme? Do you use Git?
Longer term, have you thought about a different battery compartment which could hold two or three protected (say) 14250 or 18650 lithium cells and charge them from USBC? Much easier to use than constantly swapping NiMHs for external recharge; much longer runtime; and third-party protected cells bought by the end user would remove any liability Brennan would have for LiPo's - albeit very rarely - bursting into flames (I'm guessing that risk is what has put you off built-in recharging up to now?)...

Best regards
Gavin.

[Clan]

The first thing I noticed was the poor 3 hour battery life from 2.6 a/h  rechargeable AA cells . It is no longer a primarily Portable device ... I was charging the cells 3 times a day 

If the BB1  were just 10mm thicker it could have housed a 16 a/h usb power bank  which would keep it going for 48 hours ..  the BB1 draws around 300 ma ... volume level makes very little difference ..

The powerbank in my picture is 6 a/h lasting 14 hours which is fine .

[Gavin W]

Hi Clan,

That's quite a nice setup. Is the power pack fixed to the back of the BB1? I would have used self-adhesive Velcro strips for that, so you can remove the pack fairly easily. It does spoil the nice lines of the Brennan though, hence my suggestion of cylindrical Li cells and built-in charging.

My post was really intended as an 'improvement suggestion' for Brennan designers, and I'm wondering why they haven't seen it / replied to it...?

Best regards
Gavin.

[Brennan Support]

Hi Gavin

Paul brings a lot of posts to my attention and while I register the feedback/suggestions/ideas my workload doesn't permit me to answer except from time to time.

Design decisions are trade offs - if there was no trade-off there would be no decision to be made.

There are two important factors in favour of the replaceable rechargeable approach that you didn't mention.

1) I wasn't happy with battery products that became useless because the internal battery would no longer hold a charge. It is a kind of built in obsolescence,

2) If you travel by air very much you will know that you may not put such battery powered kit in the hold - you are obliged to carry anything with batteries in hand luggage. I personally end up carrying around 15kg of hand luggage (don't tell them) because of the laptops, tablets, power banks, cameras, lenses, kindle. Its far better for me to be able to put four AA's in my rucsac than the entire BB1.

Martin

[Brennan Support]

Hi Clan

Nice idea - I'll pack a short USB C lead - my power bank has an old fashioned micro USB lead

Martin

[Ronnie Mackay]

Yes only got my bb1 recently Was very impressed Until I used it on batteries around 3 hours on Brand new 1200ma Rechargables Also if I turn the volume up full it goes blank and restarts

As you say a bigger case for a power pack or larger batteries

Really disappointed in the battery life.

[Daniel Taylor]

Ronnie,

That is disappointing.  If I had a BB1, I would use rechargeables with a 2500 ma rating.  Should get approx. twice as much time out of them.  That's what I use for other devices.

I've read - and seen pictures - here in the forum of how a few folks have attached a power pack with Velcro to the back of their BB1.  Seems like a good idea.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Ronnie,

Like some others have reported on this forum, I went for the power pack and Velcro with a short USB-C lead option.  The result is superb! I purchased a 2 pack of 8000 mAH battery units which gives me about 24 hours of use from each one, so I have one pack charging while the other pack is in use.  I got the power packs from Best Buy while I am in USA, costing USD25.00 for the pair; a good bargain.

I am a heavy user of the BB1, day and night.  I suffer from serious tinnitus, following a bad skiing accident 18 years ago, so at night I use the Internet radio with earbuds (so that my better half isn't disturbed) and listen to Radio4 or Radio4Extra at low volume.  The spoken words distract me from the riot of constant noise inside my head, so I can get to sleep. I also travel a lot, so the BB1 is a great solution for me. Until I got the BB1, I used an FM/DAB portable radio, which was OK for some of the time, but this was mainly limited to use in the UK.  Now I can access the desired channels almost anywhere, I just check with the hotel that they have Wifi service.

This setup is also great on long flights.  I have a Bluetooth headphones set, which means that there are no 'trailing wires' problems, another plius point.

Regards,

Peter

For AA rechargeables, I have seen 2800 mAH ones advertised which would give you another hour or so longer than the 2500mAH batteries.

[Ronnie Mackay]

Just ordered 2500Ma Duracells £10 will see how they perform.

[Clan]

Let is know ..  I have 2.6 ah Varta  rechargable AA batteries , just over 3 hours on internet radio .....

[Ronnie Mackay]

Well, I got the Duracell 2500 Ma Batteries But hell are they a tight fit. Just managed to get them in They are definitely larger than any other batteries I have tried Thought they were all made to one standard.

Trying Them out will see how long they last

[Ronnie Mackay]

Well so far very good on the 2500mm Duracells Thats if i can get them back out Will measure them when i find my micrometer Ran them all day sunday  From about 9 am to about 8 Pm had radio off for about 30 or 40 mins that day Been using BB1 about 1 hour today showing about 4.40 volts at Volumn 20 Max Mostly listening to talk rather than music So maybe that helps them last But so far excellent.