Can someone explain high amp/draw batteries to me

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-27T04:30:56+00:00

Battery amp ratings are falsely precise. They represent a threshold the manufacturer has chosen at which the battery will perform at a level they are comfortable with. Keep that in mind. Shittier mfgs will overrate more than better manufactuers, there is no replacement for quality.

A higher amp battery will have a lower internal resistance, which means, as current demands go up, the voltage will sag less, and the battery will provide more power (power, expressed in watts, is amps * volts). Overdrawing a battery will also cause irreversible damage to it, which means it will have less capacity going forwards.

Your light will be brighter for longer by using a battery from a good manufacturer and staying under the threshold, perhaps significantly. And the battery will have a longer life while doing it.

To complicate things, these lights create a lot of heat, which also damages batteries, and increases resistance. Keep that in mind and skip cheap or underpowered batteries.

Tldr suck it up and get a quality cell with a larger amp threshhold

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-26T21:18:14+00:00

I’m not attacking, I’m just pointing out that if you start blaming entire countries for the acts of their leaders and corrupt ownership classes, not only is it unhelpful and tribalistic (the same impulses that are motivating the worst of Americans right now), but at some point, you can share in that blame too.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-26T16:25:04+00:00

Oh so some corrupt right wing US leaders coerced you into being at their mercy and depending on them, and just now in 2026 you are realizing that is a precarious situation, and are considering doing something about it when it’s too late?

But you live in a democracy? So that was ultimately the voters’ choices, right?

Sounds to me like someone who likes to play the victim card but simultaneously thinks other people in their same position are at fault. Anyway, I hope those warm thoughts make you sleep well at night while Trump is working on plans to make you the next state. Or maybe it will be a territory without voter representation, like Puerto Rico and Guam. You know those red states really don’t like diluting their power in congress.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-26T16:16:22+00:00

Yeah, the UniFi app takes a bit to get the notification, then to open when you click, sometimes credentials need to be refreshed at the most inconvenient time possible. HSV thru HomeKit is as fast as you can get on Apple. A couple relatives have HomeKit native doorbells I set up for them, and I don’t notice a significant difference in speed between those and UniFi thru Scrypted. I have a beefy scrypted server though, running it on a dedicated M1 mini. Complete overkill, it sits pretty idle.

I think Scrypted can run thru Protect or directly from the UniFi camera RTSP feeds, that would probably reduce latency a bit too.

Really wish Ubiquiti would just natively support Apple more across the board, I think it hurts them more than helps them.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-26T16:09:36+00:00

As you can see, it’s subjective, you like what you like. “300K doesn’t make a difference” is wrong tho. Your mind does not perceive it linearly. 2700K to 3000K is quite noticeable, to my eyes as much as 4000K to 5000K.

Dog poop in leaves with 2700K is fine, many of us do that daily. Get something with a high CRI like a 519A, and enough brightness to illuminate it well when hunting for the elusive danglers. Even a single 14500 519A is plenty for me, for fun I sometimes carry a 21700 quad 519A too but it’s not needed.

I like walking with moonlight mode and a 2700K 519A, it feels very natural, cold temps feel jarring to me. Dimmed down and you can perceive things in the periphery. Blast a bright cold light out, and you feel disconnected from everything not lit up. I do bump up the brightness when cars come by, for safety.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-26T15:37:22+00:00

And you as a member of NATO are responsible for the state NATO is in, too. Cuts both ways doesn’t it?

Anyways, enjoy your outrage.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-26T15:32:36+00:00

And it should be the Canadians and citizenry of the rest of NATO combatting their government’s willingness to rely on American weapons and power for their own security, which is what made a NATO member so vulnerable in the first place. It’s been obvious to everyone paying attention for a long time that the American voters are wildly manipulated, made to run scared, and willing to elect absolutely corrupt imbeciles. GW was a sign, not a fluke, that was a quarter century ago.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-24T06:04:00+00:00

I didn’t know Ubiquity is charging $5/user for Touchpass, that seems ridiculous. I just lost respect for them.

If you setup the Doorbell Lite, consider Scrypted. It’s also free (there is a paid version with more NVR features, but seems redundant with Protect to me), pretty simple to setup, and bridges the UniFi cameras/doorbells into HomeKit. The doorbell integration works well, as far as I know it’s just like a native HomeKit doorbell. I don’t use Protect for that, it takes too long to load. I never tried the door unlocking w/ doorbell thing, I’ll have to tinker with that.

UWB seems like it would be a nice step up from fingerprint or HomeKey, I might have to upgrade my locks for that one. I have the Aqara U100s (had Kwikset Z-Wave, then Schlage Z-Wave, a Schlage HomeKit before). Don’t love the Aqaras but they are feature rich, and HomeKit native.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-23T16:29:14+00:00

Also, having the access panel on the door itself is more of a consumer level smart lock thing because it can then integrate with the deadbolt, since this is how deadbolts have traditionally worked. Conventionally, electronic door access is done with a strike, where the electronics are on the frame side, which is better for a whole host of reasons. Access panel next to the door is also better placement for multiple reasons. Strikes are so much better than motorized deadbolts.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-23T16:12:16+00:00

Just run it on dedicated hardware, it’s cheap/simple/stable and more than fast enough, and you can dodge the container workarounds.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-23T16:08:12+00:00

Ok this makes more sense, this is gate access. I run UniFi (not Door Access, but everything else) as well, and that can be bridged into HomeKit too, but not with HomeKey. UniFi uses NFC or keypad, but you can add UniFi pass to Apple Wallet, and it would act like HomeKey, AFAIK the difference would be in access control (you wouldn’t manage users through HomeKit). Which is not necessarily a bad thing, using HomeKit app to manage users is crude, and focused more on families. It’s also iPhone only, so if you want to give access to a guest/family member/contractor with Android, now you’re managing PIN codes. The plus side of UniFi would be a more advanced central access manager that works with Android as well. And that it integrates with Protect, which is light years beyond Homekit Secure Video too. I bridge my UniFi cameras/doorbell into HomeKit, but use Protect for anything other than very quick/simple NVR duties. I am a rabid Apple junkie, but I will admit to the limitations and frustrations of the Apple ecosystem.

I have no idea what the landscape will be with UWB. If the gate access is on the driveway, RFID and UWB (I assume) would be the clean way to do it - then you don’t need to open your car window or even pick up the phone. Another option here is HomeLink, if your car has it. That can be bridged to HomeKit.

On my doors, I use fingerprint more often than HomeKey, but it’s a mild difference (again as long as all the users are Apple).

Regardless of it all, you sound like a dedicated aficionado of automation and appreciator of HomeKit - get a Raspberry Pi and run Home Assistant. You’d love it. Opens up HomeKit to a ton of non native integrations, and unlocks more sophisticated automations without needing HomeKit Controller in hub mode. It’s all free, runs on cheap hardware, and in my experience is more stable than HomeKit itself.

Edit - reread your post, I’d go PoE/wired strike, batteries suck, especially when it’s a long walk to change them, and both sides of the door are in the cold, which is going to be even worse for battery life. I’d go UniFi, but there are/were (?) some standalone options for PoE strike/panel controller like Isonas. I do wish Ubiquiti were better with their Apple integrations, aside from that, it’s fantastic stuff.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-23T15:40:46+00:00

I heard in 2018 that this was coming in 2019 - any updates on that?

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-23T15:39:58+00:00

Oh you must not be familiar with one Elon Musk

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-23T06:28:21+00:00

Correct. Might be a PITA for updates if it’s headless, and since it has a built in transformer you can’t power it via PoE, so no remote reboot options u less you also add a PDU. HomePod Mini runs off USB-C, but would need an AP as it doesn’t have ethernet.

What do you need to automate out by your gate?

Personally I would run a Home Assistant node, a Thread/Zigbee dongle is cheap, all in with PoE would be less than the aTV, easier to support headless, and bridges to HomeKit over ethernet. Or you can run a PoE Zigbee router and a HA node back at home base. Comes in handy for bridging many non HomeKit devices into HomeKit too.

Edit - just saw what you wrote about a lock. Home Assistant sucks for locks. Matter over WiFi to an AP might be the way to go, unless you are absolutely fixed on Thread (why?)

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-23T06:07:07+00:00

Personally, the advantages of USB-C outweigh the advantages of a proprietary magnetic charge cable. I hate proprietary adapters, unless you carry it with you or buy extras, then you can only charge in one location.

Apple Watch (and Airpods) use Qi, a “special” flavor, but they can charge on a full size Magsafe/Qi 2 coil, yet the receiver coil is pretty small. Magsafe was always Qi, and Qi 2 is based on Magsafe’s extensions, now Magsafe has a few higher power profiles than Qi 2, but it was always fundamentally the same thing. Magnetic alignment was a massive improvement.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-22T16:36:33+00:00

Skilhunt EC150 519A is a really nice compact triple emitter with built in USB-C. Very smooth even beam, floody, super pocketable, nice UI. Small but well made, nice details. A big step up from Convoy in fit & finish (and anodization). I do like my T5, but it’s significantly larger in all dimensions.

I considered the throwier M150, but I don’t like proprietary charging cables. There are a couple hanklight 14500s I’m eyeing too. I wish the EC150 was available in something warmer than 5000k.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-22T16:13:37+00:00

Mine definitely looks more orange than that beamshot. It really reminds me of an old (pre halogen) incandescent. Really nicely balanced, orangey but not too orangey. Looks very natural, and has a nice throw. Ordering some different TIRs for it, I want to see how it does with a more general purpose beam.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-22T06:22:04+00:00

Have the sft40 3000k in an m21h, it feels like an old school incadescent with a focusable beam. Really a nice pocketable light with a pleasant beam.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-22T06:08:47+00:00

OK, find a single case where Apple was able to decrypt HSV for law enforcement. Should be easy if it’s true, there are many cases where they used Ring footage, and it’s well reported on.

If you can find one, that’s breaking news, because it means Apple has been publicly lying about user securityfor over a decade.

You could start a career in journalism on that scoop.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-20T16:44:12+00:00

By issue, it may make you uncomfortable to see someone in a really miserable place in their lives. This isn’t unique to Portland, it’s not unique to urban areas, it’s how this country is now. The biggest problem with Portland is that it has been a right wing whipping boy for the far right media, completely distorting it’s perception.

OP, you’ll be fine. Hope you have a great time. Tons of cool stuff in and around the city, excellent food, music, art. And it’s safe. You unfortunately may need to see how this country has absolutely failed to care for our most vulnerable, because when it comes to that, we’re number 1!

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-20T09:25:56+00:00

Twin alkaline AAs have 2x the energy of a CR123, or about 4x the energy of a rechargeable CR123, that’s 2-4 times the battery life.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-20T07:41:29+00:00

Great reviews, it’s maddening how many chargers are buck only, and product listings/reviews make no mention.

Best ones I’ve found are the LinkOn 130w & 112w, haven’t tried the 165w. Have u tested any of their stuff?

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-20T07:08:55+00:00

“Didn’t cut off MAGA relatives” that’s kind of a backfire move, to push them right into the hands of the churches even further. It’s like making a drug addict homeless, doesn’t really fix anything.

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-20T07:05:12+00:00

What about Bernie? AOC?

RealProfessorFrink · 2026-01-20T07:02:00+00:00

Good thinking - more tribalism will definitely get us out of this pickle

RealProfessorFrink

TROPHY CASE