Batteries: Difference between revisions

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===Safety===
===Safety===
[[File:Warning03.png|30px|left]]
[[File:Warning03.png|30px|left]]
::Old batteries often leak, causing corrosions of the battery contacts, so preventing new batteries from working.
::*Old batteries often leak, causing corrosions of the battery contacts, so preventing new batteries from working.
::Lithium batteries can catch fire and burn violently if over-charged, shorted, punctured, or physically damaged in any way.
::*Lithium batteries can catch fire and burn violently if over-charged, shorted, punctured, or physically damaged in any way.


==How batteries work==
==How batteries work==
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==Non-rechargeable (primary) batteries==
==Non-rechargeable (primary) batteries==
===Zinc chloride===
{| class="wikitable"
 
|Type
===Alkaline===
|Advantages
 
|Disadvantages
===Silver and Mercury===
|Comments
 
|-
===Lithium===
|Zinc Chloride
|
*Cheap.
*Available in standard shapes and sizes.
|
*Short life and slow death.
|
Alkaline batteries are preferred in almost all applications.
|-
|Alkaline
|
*Good life at a reasonable cost.
*Available in standard shapes and sizes, and also as button cells as cheap alternatives to silver and mercury.
|
|This is the most economic general purpose type.
|-
|Silver and Mercury
|
*Long life
|
*Relatively expensive
*Can only deliver a small current
|
Normally only available as button cells for watches and calculators.
|-
|Lithium
|
*Very long shelf and service lives.
|
*Relatively expensive.
|
Mainly used in smoke alarms and cameras.
|}


==Rechargeable (secondary) batteries==
==Rechargeable (secondary) batteries==

Revision as of 16:18, 5 April 2017

All you need to know about batteries.

Summary

There are various types of battery based on different chemistries. To get the best out of them and to avoid problems you need a basic understanding of their advantages and disadvantages, as well as a little about purchasing, maintaining and disposing of them.

Safety

Warning03.png
  • Old batteries often leak, causing corrosions of the battery contacts, so preventing new batteries from working.
  • Lithium batteries can catch fire and burn violently if over-charged, shorted, punctured, or physically damaged in any way.

How batteries work

(You can skip this section if you like, though a little more knowledge than you actually need is always helpful.)

Non-rechargeable (primary) batteries

Type Advantages Disadvantages Comments
Zinc Chloride
  • Cheap.
  • Available in standard shapes and sizes.
  • Short life and slow death.

Alkaline batteries are preferred in almost all applications.

Alkaline
  • Good life at a reasonable cost.
  • Available in standard shapes and sizes, and also as button cells as cheap alternatives to silver and mercury.
This is the most economic general purpose type.
Silver and Mercury
  • Long life
  • Relatively expensive
  • Can only deliver a small current

Normally only available as button cells for watches and calculators.

Lithium
  • Very long shelf and service lives.
  • Relatively expensive.

Mainly used in smoke alarms and cameras.

Rechargeable (secondary) batteries

Lead Acid

Nickel Cadmium

Nickel Metal Hydride

Lithium

External links

  • Battery University