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Been doing some experimenting with portable power for my maker projects lately,and it's fascinating how much battery tech has changed. Seems like there's a trade-off between energy density, discharge rate, lifespan, and of course, cost. I'm working on a little portable soldering station, and I’m torn between Li-ion (maybe 18650s?) for high energy density, and LiFePO4 for perhaps longer lifespan and better safety.
Anyone else been down this rabbit hole, notably with things like mini-drills, portable CNCs, or similar devices? What batteries have you found to be the sweet spot for power, longevity, and not bursting into flames when you accidentally short something? I'm also curious about folks' experiences with different charging circuits and power management; it seems like robust protection is key, no matter what chemistry you're using.Considering the weight I'm looking to carry around for my project too,I might be over engineering things.