Li-ion advice needed, gen x vs millennial.

[Abouna]

OK so I'm sitting here arguing with my 18 year old "youtube is the only reliable source for info since the guys who hang out on forums are too old to understand" to which I respond (even though I like youtube also and do find good info there) "I trust the old dudes on CPF for battery info, they are completely nuts about testing and have actual life experience". I'm now an "old guy" (52).

Anyway, we have a couple Wyze door locks that we like a lot but they seem to eat batteries and then they don't work so well. My older son wants to hard wire them since they are low voltage. I want to try Li-ion since they last longer.

The question is should we go standard or rechargeable and for both cases what brand?

 

[alpg88]

i'd hardwire it too.

does your 18 y.o. know that more than half of youtube videos are fake?

 

[Olumin]

does your 18 y.o. know that more than half of youtube videos are fake?

i thought YT was blocked in china

 

[Abouna]

i'd hardwire it too.

does your 18 y.o. know that more than half of youtube videos are fake?

Come on, hyperbole much? That's why he has the opinion he does. He also said I wouldn't get any help here...

 

[Olumin]

If you try to put 14500 li-ion batteries into that lock youre gonna fry it (4,2V vs 1,5). Unless youre talking about those 1,5v regulated 14500s. If you want rechargeable use NiMHs (like eneloops), if you want longer lasting use energizer lithium AAs.

 

[LEDphile]

First off, someone born in ~2004 is typically considered "Gen Z" and not a millenial.

Now, if hardwiring is an option, that will be the lowest maintenance option (and gives you the opportunity to add a "kill switch" pretty easily). The drawback to hardwiring is the effort required and the fact that the locks won't be powered if the electricity goes out.
If you stick with batteries, I'd go NiMH for rechargables and not Li-ion. Power density is about the same between a 14500 and a decent NiMH AA cell, but with an unregulated 14500 will fry things due to the voltage being too high and a regulated 14500 will give you no warning when it stops working due to needing a charge. There's also a chance, if the lock has a high draw during operation, that you'll get longer battery life out of NiMH than out of alkaline

 

[idleprocess]

Devices that take 3 series alkaline cells are prime candidates for swapping with a single - or 3 parallel - li-ion cell(s) since the voltage ranges line up (4.5V - 3.3V range for 3x alkaline, 4.2V - 3.6V li-ion). Looking at the first example I could find, looks like the lock uses 4 cells - almost certainly in series (6V - 4.4V) - so the voltage ranges will not align unless you go to the added complexity of a boost circuit.

Going to second the idea to use NiMH cells - they perform better than alkaline cells under higher draw. Although it's possible that the locks are not well designed and depend on higher voltages than alkaline cells supply for most of their discharge curve and NiMH might also disappoint.

 

[alpg88]

i thought YT was blocked in china

good for china, they do not want their residents to watch fake videos, lol

 

[alpg88]

Come on, hyperbole much?

not so sure,

YouTube users are running into fake and dangerous videos, study finds

New data from Pew Research Center highlights both the highs and lows of YouTube. The study -- which was based on a survey of 4,594 adults in the US conducted earlier this year -- found that people of all ages use YouTube for just about everything. It's especially a popular choice for figuring...

www.engadget.com

But in any case, if you want to forget about replacing or recharging cells, hardwire the lock.
Even if you replace 4 alkaline cells with 3 li ions, 14500, and a dc-dc voltage regulator, you are not getting much closer to your goal, a typical aa has around 3,75 watts hour, 1 x14500 li ion has 3.2 watts hour, substituting 4 aa for 3 li ions will not give you much more of energy available. you will still have to recharge them, (li ion need to be recharged either separately, or with balance charger, for long life and good battery health) so it is even more problems than just using alkaline AAs. another factor comes into play when the lock is hardwired, power failure, or line disconnect, ( if someone knocked the power adapter out of the outlet,) it will get lock none functional, and you locked out. You could get a 4xD holder, and use d cells instead, you will still have to replace them, but 4 times less often. or you can use even more cells and stretch replace time even longer.
i was in the same situation with my ring door cam, i used to recharge it every few weeks, sometimes i'd forget to do it in time. i hardwired it and never lost the feed since.

 

[Olumin]

not so sure,

YouTube users are running into fake and dangerous videos, study finds

New data from Pew Research Center highlights both the highs and lows of YouTube. The study -- which was based on a survey of 4,594 adults in the US conducted earlier this year -- found that people of all ages use YouTube for just about everything. It's especially a popular choice for figuring...

www.engadget.com

 

[turbodog]

Or, another option, would be to change brands of locks. I exclusively use battery powered deadbolts at my house (even on my outbuildings/sheds). Usually get 18 months on the most used locks at primary entrance doors. Outbuildings are lasting 3 years or so.

 

[dotCPF]

Hardwire it. Even if you did all the right things RE cells and batteries it could still theoretically eat them up because of bad electronics elsewhere in the device. Just make sure your power breaker is off to that portion of the house before starting work!

 

[turbodog]

OK so I'm sitting here arguing with my 18 year old "youtube is the only reliable source for info since the guys who hang out on forums are too old to understand" to which I respond (even though I like youtube also and do find good info there) "I trust the old dudes on CPF for battery info, they are completely nuts about testing and have actual life experience". I'm now an "old guy" (52).

Anyway, we have a couple Wyze door locks that we like a lot but they seem to eat batteries and then they don't work so well. My older son wants to hard wire them since they are low voltage. I want to try Li-ion since they last longer.

The question is should we go standard or rechargeable and for both cases what brand?

What number and type of batteries?

How often do they run down?

Or bite the bullet and spring for primary lithium AA cells (if they are that type).

Using rechargeable cells in a lock sounds like a 'bad' idea. With the steep voltage dropoff when they are run down... you will end up locked out.

 

[defloyd77]

Can't answer your question, but your 18 year old is Gen Z.

Not to go on an off subject, but us actual Millennials get a bad rep due to this huge misconception, although I prefer to identify as Gen Y.

 

[turbodog]

First off, someone born in ~2004 is typically considered "Gen Z" and not a millenial.

Now, if hardwiring is an option, that will be the lowest maintenance option (and gives you the opportunity to add a "kill switch" pretty easily). The drawback to hardwiring is the effort required and the fact that the locks won't be powered if the electricity goes out.
If you stick with batteries, I'd go NiMH for rechargables and not Li-ion. Power density is about the same between a 14500 and a decent NiMH AA cell, but with an unregulated 14500 will fry things due to the voltage being too high and a regulated 14500 will give you no warning when it stops working due to needing a charge. There's also a chance, if the lock has a high draw during operation, that you'll get longer battery life out of NiMH than out of alkaline

Re: hardwiring. You've got to tap into AC power, convert to DC, add a fuse, and run the wire through the door casing into the door while making sure it doesn't get pinched or fatigued and break.

Buy some lithium primary cells or get a new lock.