Light and Smart Battery ?

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Most automotive batteries weigh around 40 pounds or more, Ohm battery is just 6 pounds.

Its lifespan at about 7 years is about twice that of a lead-acid battery (3-4 years).

Ohm’s built-in circuitry monitors the supercapacitor’s potential output; if it’s ever about to reach the point that it’ll no longer be able to start your car, it’ll just turn itself off. Your lights will fade out and the radio will go quiet — but once you turn the key, everything will spring right back to life, no jump start required.

Cost is about $200 compares with $100-150 for regular battery.

http://techcrunch.com/2015/08/12/ohm-is-a-smarter-lighter-car-battery-that-works-with-your-existing-car/?ncid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29
 
So it's a super capacitor? Not very exciting, but interesting all the same. The issue with these is that power density can be very ugh but energy density is typically lacking. So there won't be real, practical "reserve capacity". This is a good option for start-stop systems though as an alternate to keep some load off the starter battery.
 
I'd personally stay away from super high tech batteries until that technology is a little more standard and proven. The Panasonic lead acid battery in my car is 10 years old in September and still working perfectly.
 
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Originally Posted By: cashmoney
I'd personally stay away from super high tech batteries until that technology is a little more standard and proven. The Panasonic lead acid battery in my car is 10 years old in September and still working perfectly.


/\/\/\ This. Consider the problems with hi tech batteries that Boeing has had, in their new aircraft design. I will use AGM or conventional, until the tech matures. The cutting edge can be a dangerous place.
 
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Originally Posted By: cashmoney
I'd personally stay away from super high tech batteries until that technology is a little more standard and proven. The Panasonic lead acid battery in my car is 10 years old in September and still working perfectly.


/\/\/\ This. Consider the problems with hi tech batteries that Boeing has had, in their new aircraft design. I will use AGM or conventional, until the tech matures. The cutting edge can be a dangerous place.


First of all, this is a supercapacitor. It uses high surface area carbon on both electrodes with some organic electrolyte. Supercaps have been used extensively in various applications, including hybrid vehicles.

The Boeing issue was using a really hot cathode with some operational modes that facilitated internal issues. At some point the NTSB report will come out and youll be able to know more.
 
Originally Posted By: oldhp
It'll do this when car is running? At night would be fun.
+1 Or in the middle of a RR grade crossing?
 
Looks like a too-small lithium iron battery propped up with a super capacitor for boosted peak current output. Seems like a reasonable way to make cheaper lithium based starter batteries, but still seems like there's a lot that can go wrong. I'd rather skip the capacitor for a larger capacity battery that can handle the starting current inherently (and get some more reserve capacity out of it).

Why cars don't have more intelligence built in to prevent dead batteries is beyond me.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Originally Posted By: cashmoney
I'd personally stay away from super high tech batteries until that technology is a little more standard and proven. The Panasonic lead acid battery in my car is 10 years old in September and still working perfectly.


/\/\/\ This. Consider the problems with hi tech batteries that Boeing has had, in their new aircraft design. I will use AGM or conventional, until the tech matures. The cutting edge can be a dangerous place.


First of all, this is a supercapacitor. It uses high surface area carbon on both electrodes with some organic electrolyte. Supercaps have been used extensively in various applications, including hybrid vehicles.

The Boeing issue was using a really hot cathode with some operational modes that facilitated internal issues. At some point the NTSB report will come out and youll be able to know more.


To clarify my position, I did not say it was the same technology......I said that NEW technology is suspect, until it matures. I have never been an early adopter. I dislike being a beta tester. When tech matures, it becomes more reliable, and for a cheap (Born out of wedlock) person like me, less expensive.
 
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Originally Posted By: oldhp
It'll do this when car is running? At night would be fun.


Why would it do that when the alternator is running?
They're talking about running the audio and lights with the car not running.

My Forester had a hard start problem when new that was eventually fixed with a software change. I wonder if the long repeated cranks I had to do at times would have been an issue with a supercap and a little battery backup?
 
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Originally Posted By: cashmoney
I'd personally stay away from super high tech batteries until that technology is a little more standard and proven. The Panasonic lead acid battery in my car is 10 years old in September and still working perfectly.


/\/\/\ This. Consider the problems with hi tech batteries that Boeing has had, in their new aircraft design. I will use AGM or conventional, until the tech matures. The cutting edge can be a dangerous place.


First of all, this is a supercapacitor. It uses high surface area carbon on both electrodes with some organic electrolyte. Supercaps have been used extensively in various applications, including hybrid vehicles.

The Boeing issue was using a really hot cathode with some operational modes that facilitated internal issues. At some point the NTSB report will come out and youll be able to know more.


To clarify my position, I did not say it was the same technology......I said that NEW technology is suspect, until it matures. I have never been an early adopter. I dislike being a beta tester. When tech matures, it becomes more reliable, and for a cheap (Born out of wedlock) person like me, less expensive.


That's fine. My concern is technical correctness when comparing to safety events of Li-ion batteries because the chemistry is totally different.

And capacitors are a well proven technology, even if not this specific one...
 
The 2 main advantages of this new battery is light and smart.

Light weight is critical for some performance cars, some S2000 owners bought odyssey battery and other light weight battery to reduce their car weight for tracking. Similar for Ferrari and Lambo.

Some drivers forget to turn off their headlights on cloudy days when they came to work, they had to get a jump or buy replacement. This battery may eliminate that problem for a little more money. But expected life of around 6-7 years is about twice standard battery.

If this battery can lasted that long in Arizona and Texas and Florida ... It worth the extra cost of $80-100.
 
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Interested in learning more? Ohm is currently in private beta testing, with around a dozen units out in the wild. They plan to roll out crowdfunding campaign in the next month or so.


Not ready for prime time.
 
Batteries do die quicker in FL/TX/NM etc, but I have to agree that lead acid batteries average better than 3-4 years for most of us.

I have 3 wildly different vehicles, but all my lead acid batteries last 5 years like clockwork, replacing them when they get low but not quite dead.
 
I like lightweight. Where can I buy it? Will my car charge it up properly or we need a little add-on circuit?
 
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