this post was submitted on 21 Aug 2024
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Mildly Interesting

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[–] [email protected] 82 points 3 months ago (4 children)

I know it's proper usage of the word accumulators, but I've basically never heard anyone refer to them that way.

Are you a part of the Borg by any chance, OP? πŸ™‚

[–] [email protected] 41 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Sorry, English is not my mothertongue. How would you reformulate the title in proper English?

[–] [email protected] 82 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Small cylinder batteries are just called "batteries" in English. If you mean the type that you can charge, we call those "rechargeable batteries". People will infer that you mean the cylinders even though usb batteries are also rechargeable (I'd call that an "internal battery").

I like the sound of accumulator more though. In English that word is usually reserved for hydraulics or electrical engineers

[–] [email protected] 35 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 months ago (1 children)

They might not even be disposable batteries, they could be rechargeable batteries.

Generally people just say the size of the battery like "AAs". Or if you're weird the type like "alkaline batteries" or "nimh"

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

I was trying to ask a Spanish speaker if their cell phone battery store had D batteries. It was very confusing. They ended up calling someone (I assume their boss) who spoke English for me to ask.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 months ago

I think this is awesome, don't change your verbiage, it was just interesting. Thank you for sharing! I got some cultural experience today.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

And what is your mothertongue?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Is it, though? Accumulators are rechargeable by definition. Disposable batteries are, well, disposable.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago

I don't know that accumulators have to be rechargeable, just an object that collects (even if only at its initial charge) and stores energy.

It's just not a term I hear often, and I thought it was interesting. I like also hearing about how other countries use the term, it's enlightening. I didn't realize that it is the primary term to refer to a battery in several countries.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago

Not to hold it against them, but they are European judging by the wall sockets.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 months ago (1 children)

We've had one like that, you could even plug it into a computer and access it as a usb flash drive and change the sounds

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Wait, this exact one? Cause we have it and that could be interesting

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Not that toy, but the box looked much the same

[–] [email protected] 17 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Unless the batteries are easily user replaceable, this is just planned obsolescence to get you to buy another when the batteries die.

If it includes an easy to replace battery? Then you've bought from a good company who gives a damn about both environment and consumers.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 months ago (2 children)

If it's not a phone where size matters it's almost always some generic battery that you could replace with another that's not even the same size. They might have different connectors on it, but usually it's just a positive and negative lead that somehow connects.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

True, but literally the vast majority of people don't know enough about batteries to do that. Which is what makes it anti-consumer and anti-environmentally conscious.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Many gadgets are smaller than an 18650 (the oversized thumb sized cell), which is about the only standard lithium size I've ever seen be replaceable. There's hardwired rectangles everywhere, not just phones

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I've seen cheap solar powered garden lights which used AA sized rechargeable batteries literally yesterday. A friend asked me to take a look why they stopped working, and I was astonished that it was a standard size, not the classic box with the thinnest possible red and black cables as usually in cheap plastic stuff like that.

My solar powered keyboard uses ML2032 coin cell rechargeable battery. They are rare, but exists.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

You're right and I forgot about those. Those sit in a different mental file under "solar lights that ship with the worst possible NiMH cells in a product that's as waterproof as a sock". I was thinking more of rechargeable on-demand use items like flashlights, power banks, wireless phone/computer peripherals, etc. It's also a fair point that sometimes items that take aa/aaa cells will also have an onboard NiMH charger circuit and run off USB power if needed: a few mice/keyboards come to mind along with controllers. I haven't paid much attention to that since I have a healthy stock of those rechargeables and got a few wall chargers that can do individual charging.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)
[–] p0wer 6 points 3 months ago

the placement is crazy tho

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I hope it’s not lithium ion. Seems like that would be overkill for a stuffed animal.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Lithium batteries are very compact and competitive price wise. Not overkill in the slightest.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

They often get thrown in the garbage instead of being recycled. They can catch fire when punctured. Not something I would want near a small child when a NiMH would do just as well.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

NiMH or regular akaline batteries can also catch fire when they get thrown in the trash.

Also they make lithium ion AAs too.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Lithium AA (like Duracell and Energizer) you buy at the drug store aren’t the same as lithium ion rechargeable batteries you find in computers and automobiles.

β€œWhen alkaline, NiMH and even lithium AA batteries rupture, the force and heat of the explosion isn’t anywhere near that of, say, an explosive li-ion failure”

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/content/discovery/ideas-and-advice/aa-batteries-guide

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Ya, but unless your 3-year-olds other toys included an icepick and a mallet, I think it's safe enough assuming you're also comfortable with them riding in a car on public roads. (Source: I have two boys age 3 and 5 who are not dead yet)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

oooff no excuse to turn it off then?