We want a battery case!

Framework Laptop 13
80

According to upower -d on Fedora 39, my 2021 55Whr battery only holds an 88% charge- I hope I can replace it with a 60Whr battery and put the old battery into a battery case too!

Device: /org/freedesktop/UPower/devices/battery_BAT1
  native-path:          BAT1
  vendor:               
  serial:               wo
  power supply:         yes
  updated:              Thu 14 Dec 2023 02:00:13 PM MST (8 seconds ago)
  has history:          yes
  has statistics:       yes
  battery
    present:             yes
    rechargeable:        yes
    state:               discharging
    warning-level:       low
    energy:              5.4208 Wh
    energy-empty:        0 Wh
    energy-full:         48.9412 Wh
    energy-full-design:  55.0088 Wh
    energy-rate:         11.8272 W
    voltage:             14.344 V
    charge-cycles:       3
    time to empty:       27.5 minutes
    percentage:          11%
    capacity:            88.9698%
    icon-name:          'battery-caution-symbolic'
  History (charge):
    1702587523	11.000	discharging
  History (rate):
    1702587613	11.827	discharging
    1702587583	11.719	discharging
    1702587553	13.182	discharging
    1702587523	17.186	discharging
1 Like
81

it is now Feb 2024 and I feel the same

2 Likes
82

Hoping this concept becomes reality! I wonder if there are any legal or safety issues with designing the enclosure? I’m sure they’ve got enough on their plates with the 16 so maybe it’ll come with the next generation parts

1 Like
83

I’m happy with my 55Wh battery in my 11th gen machine.

But if I want to upgrade or have to upgrade due to low capacity I would only do so if i can reuse the battery in a powerbank case.

84

I have now started working on a battery case, with a dual-role USB-C port with 45W bidirectional power and a USB-A port with 5V at BC1.2.

14 Likes
85

Sir you have my immediate attention.
I would gladly pay for a working version when you’ve gotten the kinks ironed out, or even just a kit.

I literally just opened an alternate thread asking for the framework team to publish the demo unit’s schematics:

My old battery is sitting in my junk drawer with all my adapters and card readers taunting me right now. It’s maddening.

86

Cool! I thought you said a daul usbc/usba port wasn’t possible?

87

I think that was in reference to an expansion card with a USB-C and USB-A port, not a case for the battery.

I’d be interested in this, especially if it had a physical power switch rather than some sort of automatic sensing of power draw coupled with a power button. Low current draw devices don’t always play well with such battery packs, unfortunately.

88

Thank you for picking up the slack. Keep on rockin mate

89

My current plan is to offer a fully assembled product, with 2 adapter cables to allow connection to both Framework 16 and 13 batteries as they are identical in terms of their communication interface, along with the compatible screw bosses for either. Do people think that a clear top would be cool?

I’ll certainly have some way to turn the system off on the final product.

2 Likes
90

It would certainly be nice to show off the reuse aspect. But I’d suggest translucent rather than truly glass clear. Since I believe, clear requires more brittle plastics to be used.

2 Likes
91

I don’t care how it looks, I just want a way to reuse my battery without starting an electrical fire. I am not an electrical engineer by any means, lol.

I’d looked briefly into making my own but quickly realized that I was so out of my depth that the fish were glowing. And I personally enjoy not having my batteries explode on me.

Even if you don’t get to where you can sell a full product, telling people what kind of circuit protection or socket to use would be a godsend for idiots like me.

2 Likes
92

Components that I want to see reuse / extended use cases:

  1. External battery bank.
  2. External display.
  3. USB hub for the other expansion cards that we have (some of us have more than 4 or 6 for our laptops). i.e. Now, even a USB hub can be modular.
  4. Wireless keyboard, so the same layout and tactility can be had even when we’re on other computers (similar to the Bluetooh ThinkPad keyboard).
2 Likes
93

2 of the 4 listed I am working on!

6 Likes
94

Nice! Working on for personal use, or as a purchasable DIY project?

I’m thinking, you can even bundle 1 and 4 together, since you need power for keyboard anyway. Make the keyboard into a powerbank too.

95

Purchasable as always.

8 Likes
96

Just finished up on my rev1 prototype, I will order the PCBA shortly.

13 Likes
97

Let me know how it goes! I promise I’ll be one of the first people in line to order.

I also had the (possibly stupid) idea of using the powerbank circuitry to power an lcd controller board for a spare fw13 display using an internal usb-c cable.

Then you’d (theoretically) have an external display that doesn’t need to rely on drawing power from the laptop, and can connect with a single usb-c cable.

Though, I am not at all sure if this is even feasible, so take the idea with a grain of salt.

1 Like
98

I’ll probably have 2 ports on my controller board, with only 1 needed at all times and the other 1 as a spare power input.

99

Fair.
Thought was integrating the battery case into a housing for the LCD panel so you have essentially a power bank and portable monitor combo device.

That way I wouldn’t need a second cable for power if I say, used an expansion card with a usbc port on the LCD controller to connect via HDMI or full sized displayport

1 Like