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Thanks to one of my readers, I got my hands on some very interesting batteries. I should say right away, though, that these days the people most interested in them are precious-metal refiners. I think many radio amateurs know who they are.

These are the fourth Vapcell batteries I've received for review. They use the relatively uncommon 18500 form factor, but have a fairly high claimed capacity for their size, of course.

Today I'm reviewing Vapcell high-capacity 18650 batteries. I can say right away that there's nothing unusual about them, except that they aren't even listed on the Vapcell website.

Just before New Year, I ordered, received, and tested three different battery models. I don’t think I need to explain why I suddenly needed high-capacity batteries. Since people often asked me what their overall quality was like, I decided to put together a quick review of all three models.

Some time ago, one of my readers asked me to help modify an uninterruptible power supply from Meanwell. This company's power supplies are very good, as I've shown more than once, but this UPS managed to surprise me—and I wouldn't say pleasantly. More on that in the review.

Around the middle of December, I ordered several inverters. I also decided to order a couple from a different store than the one I usually use. Naturally, I read the reviews first, where buyers showed that yes, it really does produce a pure sine wave output. But things turned out not to be so simple.

While preparing a couple of upcoming reviews, I needed to assemble a battery pack. Since the cells are lithium-based, they usually need a protection board. I originally bought this one for other batteries, but it came in handy here too.

While I’m getting material ready for some other reviews, I decided to put together a short one. I remember getting carried away last time and saying I’d try to keep things a bit shorter, and today seems like just the right occasion :) In short, I’ll show you a pretty good cable for a soldering iron.

Back to the topic of off-grid power. Today I have some 32700 LiFePO4 batteries on my desk. Why “again”? Because this is already my fourth review of batteries in this size, and my second review of similar batteries from Vapcell.

A couple of months ago, I was browsing AliExpress and came across some interesting power bank cases. What caught my eye was how often I saw them, in all sorts of variations, yet they all shared the same style: a colored cartridge inside a transparent case. Anyway, I ordered one and it arrived.

These days, it’s not just how long you can run on a standalone power source that matters, but also how quickly you can recharge it. People often complain in the comments that their batteries—lead-acid or lithium—charge slowly, but don’t understand how to speed things up using “legitimate methods.” Today I’ll try to explain why this happens and what you can do about it.

It's been quite a while since I last wrote about Vapcell batteries, but I recently received a package from them with four samples. So today, here's part one: 21700 batteries rated at 5200mAh.

I never thought I'd have to write a post like this, but I wanted to warn you about the problems you may run into when using Meest-express.

I happened to get my hands on some batteries in the relatively uncommon 17650 form factor. I couldn't resist testing them, and as it turned out, I was right to do so.

Among hobbyists—and professionals, for that matter—so-called bench power supplies are very popular. Most are essentially universal adjustable voltage and current sources. Some offer extra features in addition to the usual controls, such as trigger-based overload protection, mode memory, or remote control from a PC or smartphone. But in any case, they’re still adjustable power supplies.

Today I'd like to talk about the characteristics of different types of batteries, focusing on their use in UPSs and, more generally, for long-term off-grid power. I'll try to explain the differences between the various battery types, what situations they're suited to, and some charging-related details.

A common question is which power supply to choose for powering an amplifier, LED lighting, an adjustable converter, and other equally useful devices. Choosing a power supply is an important task, so let's take a look at how they differ and how to choose “the one.”

Last time, we looked at relatively compact devices for storing electricity that can help you charge your phone, laptop, or tablet. But I can already hear the obvious question: what do you do when you need to power something more demanding, or something that requires AC? So yes, today I’ll talk about uninterruptible power supplies and the finer points of using them.