@yakkoTDI I’m getting a charge out of it.
(So’s my credit card.)

@coreyward I’ll gladly take a half charge over no charge any day

@coreyward @troy If only there were other devices that could be recharged.

@coreyward These appear like they were meant for the “emergency charger” market: the sort of thing you’d see for sale cheap at a truck stop or airport. (Back when public venues were still unsure about having public charging stations.) At least they’re rechargeable and not single use like some of the ones Meh tried to foist on us in the distant past. I would have actually bought this if I hadn’t already bought a giant power bank for my tablet last time I went on a road trip.

@coreyward @Wormwood Back in the good ol’ days you could buy “diet pills,” aka “speed” at truck stops. I remember seeing them at the counter wondering why are all these truckers on diets? Then I realized it was so they could drive for 20 hours (not allowed but back then they did it anyway — now everything is electronically tracked so harder to get away with, plus those pills are banned as OTC anyway). Which has nothing to do with this mini power thing that wouldn’t power anything for 20 hours.

@username like every IRK I get. They probably just have a big dumpster and I try to find individual recycle places for each item!

@username I found an unknown TrackR in my key pile. Still have to find how to recycle it.

@hammi99 It worked! Your order number is: sparse-mouthy-caption

/showme sparse mouthy caption

@agnesnutter that’s what it looks like!

@agnesnutter “Includes cables for USB-C, Lightning and Micro USB”

@DaveMan2048 The cable comes out on both ends, but technically “built in” once installed. It’s just you’re the one that built it! Each one comes with 3 cables with different connectors.

And I’m gonna go ahead and ninja edit that to “up to 80%”

How To Calculate Watt-Hours Of A Battery?
Easy 2-Step Math: Wh = (mAh / 1000) × V
TSA won’t do this for you as you stand around and watch as they trash your brand-new powerbank ripped from your carry-on.

@JohnQ118 to be fair it’s not the TSA’s fault the idiot battery manufacturers should have been selling batteries by the Wh, the actual measurement of stored energy, which is what matters for safety. It’s annoyingly stupid they sell them by mAh. (And I even know why they do… and no, it’s not a good reason.)

It’s like selling milk by the square foot.

@bobthenormal Is the reason “we get to write a bigger number if it’s in mAh” or is it something even dumber?

@bobthenormal Thx for the reminder. I need a cubic foot of milk.

@bobthenormal @JohnQ118 Are standard laptops OK? I just recently started flying again after 20 years. TSA has been OK with me so far. (My wife had a checked bag and you can’t put anything with a battery in it the checked bag, so we had to pull an iPad and some other stuff). This is why I’ve been driving for 20 years instead.

@JohnQ118
So what’s the voltage they will use for this or the sidedeal offering? 3.7v, 5v, 9v ?

@bobthenormal @JohnQ118 @pmarin

This is why I’ve been driving for 20 years instead.

It’s why I prefer Amtrak. Well, that and the fact that I love traveling on trains, especially overnight ones.

@JohnQ118
This means I can’t fly with my 4Ah 40v Ryobi battery packs but my 18v ones should be ok… (Took them when I went up to help my son finish off his basement rooms. Had to check the tools but carry the batteries.)

@pmarin
This standard is for removable (ie portable power bank, AV equipment etc.) batteries.
Laptops should be fine.

@bobthenormal @mehvid1

I need a cubic foot of milk.

8 gallons of milk is gonna make a lot of chowda.

@bobthenormal @ItalianScallion @JohnQ118
Gubernator:
/youtube terminator Plasma rifle in the 40 Watt range

@chienfou Yes, that’s what it means. The actual rule is the battery MUST have a manufacturers label in Wh (not mAh).
If they find 'em they’ll just take 'em from you. Do not argue.
You MAY get away with TWO of them: --Between 100 Wh and 160 Wh: Allowed in carry-on luggage with airline approval, limited to two spare batteries per person.
I think your 40V just might be right on the ragged edge of 160Wh.
But it’s entirely up to the TSA you interact with (hint: be nice to them)

@chienfou I doubt the TSA agent is smart enough to calculate that. They just look for the Manufacturers label in Wh (not mAh).
ChatGPT confirms; the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been increasingly confiscating power banks that lack a clearly visible watt-hour (Wh) label, even if the device only displays its capacity in milliamp-hours (mAh).
TSA regulations require that lithium-ion batteries, including those in power banks, must have a clearly marked capacity in watt-hours. This labeling is crucial because it allows security personnel to verify that the battery complies with safety limits:
–Under 100 Wh: Permitted in carry-on luggage without airline approval.
–Between 100 Wh and 160 Wh: Allowed in carry-on luggage with airline approval, limited to two spare batteries per person.
–Over 160 Wh: Prohibited from both carry-on and checked luggage.
If a power bank lacks a visible Wh label, TSA officers may not be able to determine its compliance with these regulations, leading to potential confiscation.
To Avoid Confiscation Choose power banks with clear labeling

@JohnQ118

I doubt the TSA agent is smart enough to calculate that.

I doubt they have enough time to calculate it. I, for one, don’t want them doing that math for every bank that comes thru…

@chienfou To calculate watt-hours (Wh), we need to use the voltage at the battery cell level, not the output voltage (which is typically 5V for USB output).

Most power banks use 3.7V lithium-ion cells, and the mAh rating is based on the internal battery, not the 5V output. (That’s what ChatGPT said)

@chienfou Yeah they just want to look at the manufacturers label.

@JohnQ118
One side benefit is that maybe the labels will become easier to read. Between the 0.6 font and the use of dark gray translucent ink on a black case as well as ink that wears off easily, most of mine are a bitch to read.

@JohnQ118
…and (if my algebra doesn’t fail me) makes about 27,000 mAh the upper TSA approved limit.

@TimW why does “blistering” seem to mean likely to be on fire soon?

@pmarin @TimW While we’re at it — and no, this is not related — does the username TimW mean “Titanium milliwatt”? I have no idea what sort of unit that would be, but it sounds absolutely awesome!

@TimW @xobzoo
I think it’s Tera and that mean a shitload of Watts.

EDIT I worked at a company that made equipment needing 220V 400A or so. Later ones needed 400V 3-phase, water cooling. It was fun. Glad I retired.

@TimW @xobzoo Also if you really want to see blistering watts, check out this. I was there as an intern in the 1980s. It was the coolest and most expensive-looking thing I’ve ever seen.

/image National ignition facility laser bank 1985

@TimW @xobzoo Note: not from a movie. I didn’t work on the project but did computer software support. That picture, hard to believe, is real.

@pmarin @TimW As fun as “terawatt” would be, I’m not sure what to do with the im in the middle.

Do we turn it into “I'm in the middle of a terawatt?”

@DrunkCat Does life without them feel like you’re sinking in the ocean? Maybe you should put some real effort into winning them back.

@DrunkCat @yakkoTDI you could buy an abandoned Staten Island ferry for a good price

@DrunkCat @pmarin @yakkoTDI

House boat!

@yakkoTDI k

@DrunkCat @yakkoTDI
Please respond in the form of a /showme

@pmarin I Star highlight when a laugh emoji would be more on target. You are funny!

@milstarr know what you mean, but goats got to support the herd.

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@DVDBZN I guess the bot is not OK with our bodies. So squishy.
Maybe it will like this?
/image room of server racks

@DVDBZN My dream basement!

@pmarin
Hope you have a good AC unit…

@davehr2d2 Today’s movie clip interlude
The only winning move is not to play

@chienfou That’s why they’re here on Meh.

@ItalianScallion
Ya think?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

@lichen
Or daisy chain all 4?

@chienfou I was thinking batteries for small solar projects. Powering a esp-32 and sensors.

These are not pass through capable as advertised.

@mediocrebot I couldn’t have said it better myself. Abmouiurity FTW!

@mediocrebot @shahnm It looks like it might be a combination of {ambiguous/ambidextrous} with {security/obscurity}.

I’m not sure which of those pairings fits the best, but I’m kinda liking “ambiguous security”.

(or maybe it’s “Rambo UI Security” with the “R” and “Sec” removed)

@xobzoo Wasn’t it great back when the Simpsons was actually funny? sigh

@heartny Mine also have two out of four bulging the front panel off. Not sure how long these sat on a shelf, but judging by them all being dead flat, probably pretty long.

@heartny mine dont even fucking work! What garbage, i want my $ back, not even worth 5 bucks these things, im pissed

@heartny Mine are all swollen just a tiny bit. Just enough that I’m not sure if they’re unsafe to use or if that’s just how they’re held together with panels glued into both sides of a li-po sack. I might charge them and see if they get worse.

@heartny @raive i noticed this problem as well