Below are the 7 most recent journal entries recorded in sunvalley's Blurty:

Friday, July 18th, 2008
5:35 pm	Parking a PC Card on Your Laptop You have your laptop, and you have a PC Card that you want to use in your laptop. So how do the two connect? Locate on your laptop the spot where you can insert PC Cards. This spot may be an open hole on the side of the laptop, you may have a tiny "garage door" covering the hole, or you may find the hole hidden behind a removable panel. Some laptops sport a garage for two PC Cards, stacked one atop the other. Other laptops have room for only one PC Card. You insert PC Cards into the slot, "holy" end first. In fact, they fit in only one way. Push the card in all the way until it fully docks with the connectors deep down inside the laptop. To remove the card, locate the eject button along side the slot, right next to the door. Press the eject button all the way in, and the card pops out a little bit. You can then pinch the card between your thumb and forefinger, pulling it out the rest of the way. Each PC Card slot comes with its own eject button. These eject buttons appear alongside the spots where the Cards slide in. Be sure to read the instructions for your PC Card before inserting it into the slot for the first time. Some cards may require that you turn off the laptop before inserting the card. Note that some of the eject buttons pop out a ways from the laptop's case. Remember to push them back into the case when you're done with the PC Card. That way, the knob doesn't snag on anything and possibly break off. Shop for Notebook Adapter, Notebook Keyboard at sunvalleyus.com. You'll find low, discount prices on replacement Laptop Batteries, Laptop Keyboard. Our products are specifically designed for your laptop models. 120765-001(DC18.5V 3.8A) Dell Inspiron 6000(Dell Inspiron 6000 Series 6600mAh) PCMCIA CDROM(PCMCIA CDROM drive) Apple M8943LL/A(NEC 24V 2.65A AC Adapter) 02k7055(IBM R40 battery) pa3285u-1bas(4400mAh) F4812A(HP F4812A Battery) pa-1650-02(out of stock pa-1650-02) (Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 11th, 2008
1:51 pm	Recycling your Battery Over 75 million Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) batteries were sold in the US during the year 2000. Market predictions indicate that the demand of NiCd batteries will rise six percent per year until 2003. The demand for other chemistries such as Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) and Lithium Ion (Li ion) is increasing at a more rapid pace. Where will the mountains of batteries go when spent? The answer is recycling. The lead acid battery has led the way in recycling. The automotive industry should be given credit in organizing ways to dispose of old car batteries. In the USA, 98 percent of all lead acid batteries are recycled. Compared to aluminum cans (65 percent), newspaper (59 percent) and glass bottles (37 percent), lead acid batteries are reclaimed very efficiently, due in part to legislation. Only one in six households in North America recycle small rechargeable batteries. Homeowners have the lowest return ratios, but this should improve once more recycling repositories become available and better environmental awareness is emphasized. The NiCd battery is one of the more hazardous batteries in terms of disposal. If used in landfills, the cadmium will eventually dissolve itself and the toxic substance will seep into the water supply, causing serious health problems. Our oceans are already beginning to show traces of cadmium (along with aspirin, penicillin and antidepressants) but the source of the contamination is unknown. Under no circumstances can batteries be incinerated as this can cause them to explode. Although NiMH batteries are considered environmentally friendly, this chemistry is also being recycled. The main derivative is nickel, which is considered semi-toxic. NiMH also contains an electrolyte that, in large amounts, is hazardous to the environment. If no disposal service is available in an area, individual NiMH batteries can be discarded with other household wastes. If ten or more batteries are accumulated, the user should consider disposing the batteries in a secure waste landfill. Lithium (metal) batteries contain no toxic metals, however, there is the possibility of fire if metallic lithium is exposed to moisture while the cells are corroding. Most lithium batteries are non-rechargeable and are used by defense organizations. Cameras and other commercial products also use primary lithium batteries. For proper disposal, these batteries must be fully discharged in order to consume all metallic lithium content. Li ion batteries (rechargeable), on the other hand, do not contain metallic lithium and the disposal problem does not exist. Most lithium systems contain toxic and flammable electrolyte, however. In 1994, the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) was founded to promote the recycling of rechargeable batteries in North America. RBRC is a non-profit organization that collects batteries from consumers and businesses and sends them to Inmetco and Toxco for recycling. Inmetco specializes in recycling NiCd, but also accepts NiMH and lead-based batteries. Toxco, focuses on lithium metal and Li ion system. Currently only intended to recycle NiCd batteries, RBRC will expand the program to include also NiMH, Li ion and SLA batteries. Programs to recycle spent batteries have been in place in Europe and Asia for many years. Sony and Sumitomo Metal in Japan have developed a technology to recycle cobalt and other precious metals from Li ion batteries. The rest of Asia is progressing at a slower rate. Some movements in recycling spent batteries are starting in Taiwan and China, but no significant infrastructure exists. Battery recycling plants require batteries to be sorted according to chemistries. Some sorting is done prior to the battery arriving at the recycling plants. NiCd, NiMH, Li ion and lead acid are often placed in designated boxes at the collection point. Sorting batteries must be done manually, an operation that adds to the cost of recycling. If a steady stream of sorted batteries were available at no charge, recycling would be feasible with little cost to the user. The logistics of collection, transportation and labor to sort the batteries make recycling expensive. The recycling process starts by removing the combustible material, such as plastics and insulation using a gas fired thermal oxidizer. Gases from the thermal oxidizer are sent to the plant’s scrubber where they are neutralized to remove pollutants. The process leaves the clean, naked cells, which contain valuable metal content. The cells are then chopped into small pieces, which are heated until the metal liquefies. Non-metallic substances are burned off; leaving a black slag on top that is removed with a slag arm. The different alloys settle according to their weights and are skimmed off like cream from raw milk. Cadmium is relatively light and vaporizes easily at high temperatures. In a process that appears like a pan boiling over, a fan blows the cadmium vapor into a large tube, which is cooled with water mist. This causes the vapors to condense. A 99.95 percent purity level of cadmium can be achieved using this method. Some recyclers do not separate the metals on site but pour the liquid metals directly into what the industry refers to as ‘pigs’ (65 pounds) or ‘hogs’ (2000 pounds). The pigs and hogs are then shipped to metal recovery plants. Here, the material is used to produce nickel, chromium and iron re-melt alloy for the manufacturing of stainless steel and other high end products. Current battery recycling methods requires a high amount of energy. It takes six to ten times the amount of energy to reclaim metals from recycled batteries than it would through other means. A new process is being explored, which may be more energy and cost effective. One method is dissolving the batteries with a reagent solution. The spent reagent is recycled without forming any atmospheric, liquid or solid wastes. Who pays for the recycling of batteries in bulk? Participating countries impose their own rules in making recycling feasible. In North America, some recycling plants bill on weight. The rates vary according to chemistry. Systems that yield high metal retrieval rates are priced lower than those that produce less valuable metals. The highest recycling fees apply to NiCd and Li ion batteries because the demand for cadmium is low and Li ion batteries contain little retrievable metal. The recycling cost of alkaline is 33 percent lower than that of NiCd and Li ion because the alkaline cell contains iron. The NiMH battery yields the best return. Recycling NiMH produces enough nickel to pay for the process. Not all countries base the cost of recycling on the battery chemistry; some put it on tonnage alone. The average cost of recycling batteries is $1,000 to $2,000US per ton. Europe hopes to achieve a cost per ton of $300US. Ideally, this would include transportation, however, moving the goods is expected to double the overall cost. For this reason, Europe is setting up several smaller processing locations in strategic geographic locations. laptop battery Significant subsidies are sill required from manufacturers, agencies and governments to support the battery recycling programs. These subsidies are in the form of a tax added to each manufactured cell. RBRC is financed by such a scheme. Dell Laptop Keyboard Toshiba Laptop Keyboard PA-6 372772-001 A10 keyboard 367759-001 (Comment on this)
Wednesday, May 21st, 2008
10:54 am	Laptop Keyboard Repair Laptops have become an integral part of our lives. However, the sad fact remains that all the laptops available in the market are not standardized. Each manufacturer has different sizes of laptops to offer and sometimes the size of the parts differ. This fact is not a problem, at least not until the laptop starts needing repairs or replacement parts. Since one laptop is quite different from the other, it is very difficult to repair them in the first place, or in case of a replacement, find a part for the specific type of laptop. Even a simple thing like a laptop keyboard, is different for different makes and models of laptops on the market. The main problem that arises due to rigorous usage of laptop keyboards is of damaged keys. Sometimes, the port that connects the keyboard to the laptop inside also gets damaged. If the damage is of the connecting cable inside the laptop, there is not much repair work required. Repair is surely possible if there is a problem with some of the keys. Every key in any keyboard has a spring like arrangement that allows the key to press the sensor below and show the typed words on the screen. Most of the problems with keyboards and their keys occur when it refuses to press the sensor below and the typed alphabet will not show on the screen. This can be rectified easily and does not need the help of a repair person. One can find an online guide and find out how to take the key out of its main body. Once you do that, you can see for your self what's wrong with the keyboard. If you find that it is damaged below, you can try and fix it on your own or if you are unable to do so, you can go in for a new key to put in its place. This is where the problem starts. It is not easy to find as small a spare part as a few damaged keys. However, the possibility of finding them increases in a used laptop store. Laptops that are damaged that they cannot be repaired are disassembled and their parts sold separately in the market. You are sure to find your keys there. If a keyboard is damaged beyond repair then one has to go in for the replacement of the keyboard which proves to be quite expensive. Another option is to use a new external keyboard with a USB or PS2 port and can use that keyboard for laptop computers. For more information on laptop battery please refer to sunvalley.Our Laptop Batteries are specifically designed for your laptop models. click the hot HP laptop battery part no. below: PCGA-BP1N PCGA-BP71 PCGA-BP2NX PCGA-BP4V PA3107U-1BAS PA2487UR PA2487U (Comment on this)
Thursday, May 15th, 2008
3:34 pm	What's the best battery? Battery novices often brag about miracle batteries that offer very high energy densities, deliver 1000 charge/discharge cycles and are paper-thin. These attributes are indeed achievable but not on one and the same battery pack. A certain battery may be designed for small size and long runtime but has a limited cycle life. Another pack may be built for durability and is big and bulky. A third may have high energy density and long durability but is made for a special application and is too expensive for the average consumer. A lithium-based battery can be designed for maximum energy density but its safety would be compromised. Battery manufacturers are aware of customer needs and offer packs that best suit the application. The mobile phone industry is a good example of this clever adaptation. Here, small size and high energy density reign in favor of longevity. Short service life is not an issue because a device is often replaced before the battery is worn out. Below is a summary of the strength and limitations of today's popular battery systems. Although energy density is paramount, other important attributes are service life, load characteristics, maintenance requirements, self-discharge costs and safety. Nickel-cadmium is the first rechargeable battery in small format and forms a standard against which other chemistries are commonly compared. The trend is towards lithium-based systems. Nickel-cadmium - mature but has moderate energy density. Nickel-cadmium is used where long life, high discharge rate and extended temperature range is important. Main applications are two-way radios, biomedical equipment and power tools. Nickel-cadmium contains toxic metals. Nickel-metal-hydride - has a higher energy density compared to nickel-cadmium at the expense of reduced cycle life. There are no toxic metals. Applications include mobile phones and laptop computers. NiMH is viewed as steppingstone to lithium-based systems. Lead-acid - most economical for larger power applications where weight is of little concern. Lead-acid is the preferred choice for hospital equipment, wheelchairs, emergency lighting and UPS systems. Lead acid is inexpensive and rugged. It serves a unique niche that would be hard to replace with other systems. Lithium-ion - fastest growing battery system; offers high-energy density and low weight. Protection circuit are needed to limit voltage and current for safety reasons. Applications include notebook computers and cell phones. High current versions are available for power tools and medical devices. Table 1 summarizes the characteristics of the common batteries. The figures are based on average ratings at time of publication. Lithium-ion is divided into three versions: The traditional cobalt that is commonly used in cell phones, cameras and laptops; the manganese (spinel) that power high-end power tools and the new phosphate that competes head-on with spinel. Lithium-ion polymer is not listed as a separate system. Its unique construction performs in a same way to cobalt-based lithium-ion. Table 1: Characteristics of commonly used rechargeable batteries. 1) Internal resistance of a battery pack varies with mAh rating, wiring and number of cells. Protection circuit of lithium-ion adds about 100mW. 2) Based on 18650 cell size. Cell size and design determines internal resistance. Larger cells can have an impedance of <15mOhms, 3) Cycle life is based on battery receiving regular maintenance. Failing to apply periodic full discharge cycles may reduce the cycle life by a factor of three. 4) Cycle life is based on the depth of discharge. Shallow discharges provide more cycles than deep discharges. 5) The self-discharge is highest immediately after charge, and then tapers off. The capacity loss of nickel-cadmium is 10% in the first 24h, then declines to about 10% every 30 days thereafter. High temperature increases self-discharge. 6) Internal protection circuits typically consume 3% of the stored energy per month. 7) The traditional nominal voltage is 1.25V; 1.2V is more commonly used to harmonize with lithium-ion (3 in series = 3.6V). 8) Lithium-ion is often rated higher than the nominal 3.6V. Based on average voltage under load. 9) Capable of high current pulses; needs time to recuperate. 10) Applies to discharge only; charge temperature range is more confined. Delivers lower capacity at lower temperatures. 11) Maintenance may be in the form of 'equalizing' or 'topping' charge to prevent sulphation. In subsequent columns I will describe the strength and limitation of each chemistry in more detail. We will examine charging techniques and explore methods to get the most of these batteries. (Comment on this)
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Friday, May 9th, 2008
5:24 pm	The nickel-based battery, its dominance and the future In this section we evaluate the strengths and limitations of various battery chemistries, beginning with the nickel. Each battery system offers unique advantages but none provides a fully satisfactory solution. With the increased selection of battery chemistries available today, better choices can be made to address specific battery needs. A careful evaluation of each battery's attribute is important. Because of similarities, both nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride are covered in this paper. The nickel-cadmium battery Swedish Waldmar Jungner invented the nickel-cadmium battery in 1899. At that time, the materials were expensive compared to other battery types available and its use was limited to special applications. In 1932, the active materials were deposited inside a porous nickel-plated electrode and in 1947 research began on a sealed nickel-cadmium battery. Rather than venting, the internal gases generated during charge were recombined. These advances led to the modern sealed nickel-cadmium battery, which is in use today. Nickel-cadmium prefers fast charge to slow charge and pulse charge to DC charge. It is a strong and silent worker; hard labor poses little problem. In fact, nickel-cadmium is the only battery type that performs well under rigorous working conditions. All other chemistries prefer a shallow discharge and moderate load currents. Nickel-cadmium does not like to be pampered by sitting in chargers for days and being used only occasionally for brief periods. A periodic full discharge is so important that, if omitted, large crystals will form on the cell plates (also referred to as memory) and the nickel-cadmium will gradually lose its performance. Among rechargeable batteries, nickel-cadmium remains a popular choice for two-way radios, emergency medical equipment and power tools. There is shift towards batteries with higher energy densities and less toxic metals but alternative chemistries cannot always match the superior durability and low cost of nickel-cadmium. Here is a summary of the advantages and limitations of nickel-cadmium batteries. Advantages Fast and simple charge, even after prolonged storage. High number of charge/discharge cycles - if properly maintained, nickel-cadmium provides over 1000 charge/discharge cycles. Good load performance - nickel-cadmium allows recharging at low temperatures. Long shelf life - five-year storage is possible. Some priming prior to use will be required. Simple storage and transportation - most airfreight companies accept nickel-cadmium without special conditions. Good low temperature performance. Forgiving if abused - nickel-cadmium is one of the most rugged rechargeable batteries. Economically priced - nickel-cadmium is lowest in terms of cost per cycle. Available in a wide range of sizes and performance options - most nickel-cadmium cells are cylindrical. Limitations Relatively low energy density. Memory effect - nickel-cadmium must periodically be exercised (discharge/charge) to prevent memory. Environmentally unfriendly - nickel-cadmium contains toxic metals. Some countries restrict its use. Relatively high self-discharge - needs recharging after storage The nickel-metal-hydride battery Research on the nickel-metal-hydride system started in the 1970s as a means of storing hydrogen for the nickel hydrogen battery. Today, nickel hydrogen is used mainly for satellite applications. nickel hydrogen batteries are bulky, require high-pressure steel canisters and cost thousands of dollars per cell. In the early experimental days of nickel-metal hydride, the metal hydride alloys were unstable in the cell environment and the desired performance characteristics could not be achieved. As a result, the development of nickel-metal hydride slowed down. New hydride alloys were developed in the 1980s that were stable enough for use in a cell. Since then, nickel-metal hydride has steadily improved. The success of nickel-metal hydride has been driven by high energy density and the use of environmentally friendly metals. The modern nickel-metal hydride offers up to 40% higher energy density compared to the standard nickel-cadmium. There is potential for yet higher capacities, but not without some negative side effects. Nickel-metal hydride is less durable than nickel-cadmium. Cycling under heavy load and storage at high temperature reduces the service life. nickel-metal hydride suffers from high self-discharge, which is higher than that of nickel-cadmium. Nickel-metal hydride has been replacing nickel-cadmium in markets such as wireless communications and mobile computing. Experts agree that nickel-metal hydride has greatly improved over the years, but limitations remain. Most shortcomings are native to the nickel-based technology and are shared with nickel-cadmium. It is widely accepted that nickel-metal hydride is an interim step to lithium-based battery technology. Here is a summary of the advantages and limitations of nickel-metal hydride batteries. Advantages 30-40% higher capacity than standard nickel-cadmium. Nickel-metal-hydride has potential for yet higher energy densities. Less prone to memory than nickel-cadmium - fewer exercise cycles are required. Simple storage and transportation - transport is not subject to regulatory control. Environmentally friendly - contains only mild toxins; profitable for recycling. Limitations Limited service life - the performance starts to deteriorate after 200-300 cycles if repeatedly deeply cycled. Relatively short storage of three years. Cool temperature and a partial charge slows aging. Limited discharge current - although nickel-metal-hydride is capable of delivering high discharge currents, heavy load reduces the battery's cycle life. More complex charge algorithm needed - nickel-metal-hydride generates more heat during charge and requires slightly longer charge times than nickel-cadmium. Trickle charge settings are critical because the battery cannot absorb overcharge. High self-discharge - typically 50% higher than nickel-cadmium. Performance degrades if stored at elevated temperatures - nickel-metal-hydride should be stored in a cool place at 40% state-of-charge. High maintenance - nickel-metal hydride requires regular full discharge to prevent crystalline formation. nickel-cadmium should be exercised once a month, nickel-metal-hydride once in every 3 months. Shop for < a href="http://www.sunvalleyus.com/ToshibaBattery/">Toshiba Laptop Battery at sunvalleyus.com. You'll find low, disount prices on replacement Toshiba Laptop Batteries. 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5:22 pm	laptop battery High Quality Laptop Battery, Laptop AC Adapter, Laptop Keyboard, Cheap Laptop Batteries (Comment on this)