There's a reason your Galaxy phone battery capacity isn't bigger

https://www.sammobile.com/news/reason-galaxy-phones-battery-capacity-isnt-bigger/

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/32467417

24 points · 13 comments · view on lemmy.world

13 Comments

Botzo@lemmy.world · 60 pts · 1y (13 replies)

Anti-clickbait title: the US federal regulation limiting cell phone battery capacity.

If you want to skip the click through: 20Wh maximum

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-173/subpart-E/section-173.185

xodoh74984@lemmy.world · 20 pts · 1y (3 replies)
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InnerScientist@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 1y (2 replies)

The Watt-hour (Wh) rating may not exceed 20 Wh for a lithium ion cell or 100 Wh for a lithium ion battery.

The difference between cells and batteries is that you have to have multiple lithium cells to make a battery.

Edit: this is around 25000 mAh

ms_lane@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y

I'm guessing a pouch cell counts as 'one cell' vs. a larger battery pack with multiple cylindrical cells.

It also explains why Apple does that weird thing with 4-5 batteries in a macbook...

pirat@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y

Does this mean the US doesn't have powerbanks with e.g. 30000 mAh capacity?

01189998819991197253@infosec.pub · 9 pts · 1y (5 replies)

What's the reasoning behind this? Less risk of explosion?

Botzo@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 1y (4 replies)

Effectively. Transportation safety with exemptions made for batteries under 20Wh.

01189998819991197253@infosec.pub · 4 pts · 1y (3 replies)

Ah ok. Makes sense, I suppose. But what about the Chinese brand phones with the larger batteries? Are they, then, illegal to fly with in the USA?

pycorax@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 1y (2 replies)

The page describes the regulations for manufacturers and dostributors. If you import it yourself or buy it elsewhere then it isn't illegal.

01189998819991197253@infosec.pub · 2 pts · 1y (1 reply)

Ah, thank you. I appreciate that. Yeah, sorry, I did try to read it all, but it was very, very long, and English isn't my mother tongue.

pycorax@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 1y

No worries, it is a pretty daunting document even as a native English speaker.

solrize@lemmy.ml · 5 pts · 1y (2 replies)
Botzo@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y (1 reply)

If you read the article or regulation, you'll note that there are some ways to get around this by dividing the battery into cells.

Also, that is a fucking hilarious "phone."

ollietheotter@pawb.social · 1 pts · 1y

phone specs are decently good enough for my needs these days that id be happy to just get something like this with low specs but a ridiculously massive battery capacity (as long as its as advertised, id look into it)

_AutumnMoon_@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 1y
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