Information About Batteries

Batteries come in lots of different types and sizes ranging from the early lead-acid batteries to the most recent types such as Lithium Ion Polymer. The different types of battery that are available all have advantages and disadvantages which need to be borne in mind when choosing a battery for a particular application.

• Common Battery Sizes


• Nicd Battery Memory Effects

Battery Types

Batteries fall into two main types, disposable (often called primary cells) which cannot be recharged and must be disposed of when they are run down, and rechargeable (often called secondary cells) which can be used many times.

Battery Ratings and what they mean

A battery has two ratings, volts (V) and amp-hours (Ah). Note that smaller batteries are usually rated in milliamp-hours (mAh) rather than amp-hours (Ah). The voltage rating of a replacement battery needs to match the voltage rating of the original battery or the equipment may be damaged. However, the amp-hour rating does not need to match the battery you are replacing. The higher the amp-hour rating, the longer the battery will be able to supply energy before needing to be recharged or replaced. This means that for example, in your digital camera, you can safely replace 1300mAh batteries with 2100mAh batteries.