Size of AA rechargeables

captianworkbench · Nov 8, 2019

Hello gents. I haven't been around in quite a long time. I have been tinkering with lots of projects and have come upon an issue that I would like to present to the group's expertise.

Basically, I have something that was built ages ago that I am tinkering with. (not a flashlight..... shhhhhh.....) It will accept AA alkaline batteries just fine, but none of my SSD NiMH cells will fit.

So, the question is, who makes the skinniest AA rechargeables? ....preferably a SSD type of cell.

If all else fails, I guess I could find some NiCd cells, but they also might be a little fatter than the ones built when this dohicky was built.

Another option might be to get some AAA cells and wrap them to take up the proper diameter.

The AAA NiMH cells these days are almost the same capacity of the NiCd cells of 20+ years ago.

Thoughts? Comments? Arguments?

Thanks in advance.

-CWB

treek13 · Nov 8, 2019

It would probably help if you tell us which brand alkaline cells fit & which brand NiMH cells didn't so we have a starting point.

captianworkbench · Nov 8, 2019

Well, I have tried duracell and energizer alkalines. I have a variety of NiMH cells, none of which seem to fit without a bit of friction. The SSD cells I have tried (eneloops and tenergy centuras)are the worst.

But it does it really matter what I have tried? They are all larger than common alkaline cells, as we know, is typical of most rechargeables. The question still stands. Who makes the smallest diameter NiMH?

alpg88 · Nov 8, 2019

captianworkbench said:
Hello gents. I haven't been around in quite a long time. I have been tinkering with lots of projects and have come upon an issue that I would like to present to the group's expertise.

Basically, I have something that was built ages ago that I am tinkering with. (not a flashlight..... shhhhhh.....) It will accept AA alkaline batteries just fine, but none of my SSD NiMH cells will fit.

So, the question is, who makes the skinniest AA rechargeables? ....preferably a SSD type of cell.

If all else fails, I guess I could find some NiCd cells, but they also might be a little fatter than the ones built when this dohicky was built.

Another option might be to get some AAA cells and wrap them to take up the proper diameter.

The AAA NiMH cells these days are almost the same capacity of the NiCd cells of 20+ years ago.

Thoughts? Comments? Arguments?

Thanks in advance.

-CWB

i had same issue, fivemega AA holders, tenergy AA would barely fit, i had to ram them in there, it was even harder to pull out, but eneloops fit just fine, and fall out easy,
on paper they all have same size, 14mm diameter, 50mm length, but in real world, wrappers they use vary by thickness, in some devices it can be a tight fit. you have to experiment with different brands

TinderBox (UK) · Nov 8, 2019

I bought an Test Meter that takes 6xAA cells, I always use NiMh as i have had a bad experience with Alkaline battery`s leaking.

So i have a load of Tronic Lidl brand AA 2300mah but i could not get them to fit, They would just push out when i pressed on them, A couple of other brands would not fit either.

I tried Eneloops and they would only fit if i made sure the overlap of the wrapper was facing up or down as sideways made them just to wide to fit.

I needed to buy some more AA NiMh cells but Eneloops are not that cheap so i bought some Amazon brand ones great price and they fit great as long as i align the wrapper overlap.

This is not the first time i have had problems with nimh batterys being too tight, I bough an Fenix led lantern and i could not get many of my rechargeables to fit.

John.

john1230 · Nov 9, 2019

I would try and buy a set of Amazon basic AA batteries 2000Mah (LSD) and take the wrapper off of the battery and see if that will fit in your device. Or you can widen the battery compartment of your device if there's enough material left on it. Hope that helps.

TinderBox (UK) · Nov 10, 2019

These are the ones i bough from Amazon and i can just get them into my tight dmm as long as i keep the label overlap facing up or down, They seem to be very close to the size of Eneloops, But cheaper and capacity is very close if not higher than the rating.

fivemega · Nov 10, 2019

Is that possible to enlarge the battery barrel of device?
By doing this, you can use any rechargeable you want.

captianworkbench · Nov 11, 2019

Thank you all for the input. The device I am tinkering with is an old Radio Shack CB walkie talkie that requires 10-12 cells (alkaline vs rechargeable). If this was a flashlight I could definitely see opening up the bore of the light a few thousandths by one of several means but it might not be so easy on these radios. It might be possible by removing the back of the radio and sanding the channels that the batteries reside in by a little bit.

I will also investigate the Amazon cells. Does anyone who owns some of those cells also have a set of calipers that they can measure the diameter with?

Thanks

TinderBox (UK) · Nov 11, 2019

captianworkbench said:
Thank you all for the input. The device I am tinkering with is an old Radio Shack CB walkie talkie that requires 10-12 cells (alkaline vs rechargeable). If this was a flashlight I could definitely see opening up the bore of the light a few thousandths by one of several means but it might not be so easy on these radios. It might be possible by removing the back of the radio and sanding the channels that the batteries reside in by a little bit.

I will also investigate the Amazon cells. Does anyone who owns some of those cells also have a set of calipers that they can measure the diameter with?

Thanks

The Amazon brand 2000mAh white with the green band at the top i posted a photo above.

Vary between 14.15mm minimum to 14.26mm maximum as measure with my digital vernier calliper.

edit - Eneloops are so very close to the same size as the Amazon cells so close it`s not worth reporting.

John

iamlucky13 · Nov 11, 2019

HKJ measures cells when he tests them:
https://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/CommonAAcomparator.php

Standard Eneloops seem to consistently measure 14.1-14.2mm. Eneloop Pros seem to be 14.3mm. Eneloop Lites seem to be 14.1mm.

The various alkalines he has measured seem to mostly be 14.0 to 14.1mm

Size of AA rechargeables

captianworkbench

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treek13

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captianworkbench

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alpg88

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TinderBox (UK)

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john1230

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TinderBox (UK)

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fivemega

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captianworkbench

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TinderBox (UK)

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iamlucky13

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