Battery dimensions

fhapgood

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Sep 4, 2004
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What's the relationship, if any, between battery dimensions and battery type (ie, lithium, etc.) in the US? is there one standard family of battery sizes that all battery types are built to? Alkaline batteries come in D, C, B, A, etc. Are their lithium counterparts for each of these sizes? Or do lithium batteries have their own family of sizes? Is there still a third family? What about rechargeables? Do they have their own sizes as well?
 

MoonRise

Enlightened
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Feb 9, 2004
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NJ
Size/dimensions and chemistry are two independent properties.

As an example, a NiCd, NiMH, carbon-zinc, alkaline, or lithium AA all have the same dimensions within tolerances. The diameter is supposed to be 13.5 mm to 14.5 mm.
 

idleprocess

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Feb 29, 2004
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decamped
This likely ins't the right forum for this question.

What's that joke about standards - standards are great - there are so many to choose from! A battery type becomes a "standard" only as soon as it's availale from multiple manufacturers, it seems...

The standards for cylindrical cells - especially in "consumer" sizes - are fairly well nailed-down. Cylindrical cells have a language all their own - often quoted as diameter x height such as CR2032 (20mm dia, 3.2mm height lithium primary).

I think you'll find that chemistry types tend to migrate to popular sizes. The "AA" seems to have attracted almost every chemistry in existence (alkaline, NiCd, NiMH, lithium primary, lithium-ion, lithium-polymer, etc).
 
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