Two-speed brushless drill/driver
26-07-2021, 13:26
A couple of months ago, I published a review of a drill/driver and mentioned that I had originally ordered it as a brushless model. But, as sometimes happens, "something went wrong," and I ended up with a model with a conventional motor. Some time later, I decided to try my luck again, and it looks like I got lucky. Inspection, teardown, a few tests, and conclusions.
Vapcell T20 21700 2000mAh 40A/60A batteries
24-07-2021, 12:30
Another set of little-known batteries with a high maximum continuous discharge current, this time in the 21700 size. Inspection, load test up to 40A, comparison, conclusions.
YS-U50SL power supply, 24 V 2.3 A
23-07-2021, 01:38
Another power supply someone sent me a link to, and one that I think could be interesting, especially for use in T12 soldering stations.
Vapcell INR18650 2000mAh 38A batteries: are they really the highest-current 18650 cells?
22-07-2021, 02:18
I decided to try some 18650 batteries rated for a maximum continuous current of 38A, just out of curiosity. As far as I know, these may be the highest-current batteries of this size, but it turned out to be a lot more interesting than that. Inspection, tests, intrigue, investigations, and conclusions.
Multicomponent Li-NMC 26800 Yuliang 3.7 V 7000 mAh batteries
20-07-2021, 14:48
Over the years, battery manufacturers have come up with an enormous number of different form factors, yet they still manage to surprise us with something new. It seems like only recently that 21700 and 20700 sizes "went mainstream," and things appeared to have settled down. But then I got my hands on some cells that are not only a different size—26800—but are also described as multicomponent. Well, let's test them, heat them up, freeze them, and see what they're all about.
UM-U120S power supply, 12 V 10 A
20-07-2021, 10:39
It's been quite a while since I last reviewed a power supply—one of those "feeders" that power all sorts of devices that need less than mains voltage but more than a battery can provide. So, at the suggestion of one of my regular readers, I ordered several models to test. Today I'll be looking at the first one.
Vapcell F14 batteries, 1400 mAh and 3 A in 18350 size
20-07-2021, 10:32
I've already reviewed Vapcell 18350 batteries, but those were relatively high-current cells, while these are designed with capacity in mind, so the current is limited to 3 A. Inspection, tests, conclusions.
Vapcell P30 batteries, 3000 mAh, with a discharge current of up to 20 A
16-07-2021, 23:40
A review of batteries that are pretty unremarkable: 3 Ah capacity and a 20 A current rating. But people have already asked me about them, so I decided to compare them with their closest competitors, the HG2 and VTC6.
Vapcell K54 batteries rated at 5400 mAh and up to 15 A
7-07-2021, 01:31
Another set of batteries in the 26650 size, which is gradually being phased out. Of course, this format will stick around for a while, since many devices still need it. Even so, the 21700 size, with comparable capacity and specs, has long been taking its place. Inspection, testing, and a comparison with the Vapcell G53.
LG INR18650-MJ1 batteries from Vapcell
25-06-2021, 12:13
You’re not imagining things: I reviewed these batteries almost two years ago. But back then they were from Nkon; today’s ones are from AliExpress. A look at the batteries, some tests, and of course a comparison with the previous ones.
Vapcell K15 18500 1500mAh 15A Batteries
23-06-2021, 00:16
Batteries in this size aren't particularly rare, but these caught my attention because they're rated for a continuous discharge current of 15 A. As usual: a look at the cells, tests, graphs, and conclusions.
Vapcell 14650 V11 1100mAh 6A batteries
19-06-2021, 18:26
I got my hands on another batch of batteries from Vapcell, and today I’ll be taking a look at batteries in the relatively uncommon 14650 form factor. As usual, the review covers the inspection, measurements, tests in different operating modes, and conclusions.
Tiny Encoder and Bringing an Old Mouse Back to Life
10-06-2021, 01:05
I think the vast majority of people reading this have used a computer mouse. Like any device, mice sometimes break, but sometimes you can give them a second life.
Protected Liitokala NCR18650B batteries with a claimed capacity of 3400 mAh
21-05-2021, 02:50
I ordered these batteries for a friend and borrowed a few for testing, so I decided to put together a short review in case it might be useful. These batteries come up in the comments quite often, after all.
HT-A2 thermal imager with a resolution of 320 × 240 pixels
18-05-2021, 12:05
About five years ago, I published a review of a thermal imager, and now it’s time to update it. I looked at various models, but in the end decided on the HT-A2 from Hti. I ordered one, received it, used it for a while, and decided to put together a short review.
Makita 18 V cordless drill/driver
16-05-2021, 10:36
The story behind this order is very simple: I spotted an interesting, inexpensive drill/driver and thought it might be worth a look. But, as sometimes happens, "something went wrong". Still, in reality, things turned out not so badly, but even so...
A brief test of a 66160-size LTO battery
13-05-2021, 12:33
One of my readers sent me this battery, and I’m very grateful to him for it. It’s not brand-new and has a few quirks, but as always, you can find out more in the review.
4S Capacitor Balancer and a Little About How It Works
11-05-2021, 10:23
This is my third review of an active balancer and my second review of a capacitor-based one, also known as a capacitive balancer. Last time, I focused more on how it performs, but said almost nothing about how it works. Today, I’ll make up for that omission.


















