Technical Reference

Battery Reference

IEC nomenclature, chemistry codes, shape designations, and cross-reference tables for understanding battery specifications.

Choosing the Right Battery Chemistry

Different battery chemistries suit different use cases. Compare their strengths, weaknesses, and ideal applications to find the right match.

NiMH (Low Self-Discharge)
The reliable all-rounder
Rechargeable
Pros
  • Holds charge when stored for months
  • Excellent long-term value
  • Versatile for regular-use devices
  • Hundreds of recharge cycles
Cons
  • Requires a charger (initial cost)
  • Not ideal for rarely-used devices
  • Slightly lower capacity than standard NiMH
Best for
Game controllers Wireless mice Camera flashes Flashlights Everyday devices
NiMH (Standard)
Maximum rechargeable capacity
Rechargeable
Pros
  • Highest capacity among rechargeables
  • Great for high-drain devices
  • Good cost-value balance over time
Cons
  • Self-discharges when idle
  • Requires a charger
  • Needs regular use to stay effective
Best for
Daily-use devices High-drain applications Constant use patterns
Alkaline
Convenient and widely available
Pros
  • Available everywhere, ready to use
  • Good for low-drain, occasional-use devices
  • No charger needed, low upfront cost
  • Long shelf life (5-10 years)
Cons
  • Not rechargeable (disposable)
  • Poor in high-drain devices
  • Expensive long-term for heavy users
Best for
Remote controls Clocks Smoke detectors Occasional-use devices
Lithium (Primary)
Extreme performance and shelf life
Pros
  • Longest shelf life (up to 20 years)
  • Excellent in extreme cold
  • Best for emergency/standby devices
  • Great for hard-to-reach devices
Cons
  • Expensive per unit
  • Not rechargeable
  • Overkill for everyday use
Best for
Emergency equipment Extreme cold Smoke detectors Outdoor sensors
Zinc-Carbon
Budget option for low-drain devices
Pros
  • Budget-friendly (lowest cost)
  • Adequate for very low-drain devices
  • Widely available
Cons
  • Lowest capacity and performance
  • Short lifespan
  • Poor for anything above low-drain
  • Environmental concerns (more waste)
Best for
TV remotes Wall clocks Basic flashlights Low-drain devices
Still unsure?

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Battery Code Decoder

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IEC Battery Nomenclature

What is IEC nomenclature?

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) defines a standardized naming system for primary (non-rechargeable) batteries. Battery designations like LR6, R6, HR6, or FR14505 encode information about the battery's chemistry, shape, and dimensions.

How to read the code:
  • First letter(s): Indicate the electrochemical system (chemistry)
  • Following letter: Indicates shape (R = cylindrical, F = flat, S = prismatic)
  • Numbers: Indicate dimensions or IEC size designation

First Letter - Electrochemical System

The first letter (or absence of a letter) indicates the battery's electrochemical system, defining the electrode materials and electrolyte type.

Code Negative Electrode Electrolyte Positive Electrode Nominal V Max OCV
(none) Zinc Ammonium chloride/Zinc chloride Manganese dioxide 1.5V 1.725V
A Zinc Ammonium chloride/Zinc chloride Oxygen 1.4V 1.55V
B Lithium Organic electrolyte Carbon monofluoride 3.0V 3.7V
C Lithium Organic electrolyte Manganese dioxide 3.0V 3.7V
E Lithium Non-aqueous inorganic electrolyte Thionyl chloride 3.6V 3.9V
F Lithium Organic electrolyte Iron disulfide 1.5V 1.83V
G Lithium Organic electrolyte Copper(II) oxide 1.5V 2.3V
L Zinc Alkali metal hydroxide Manganese dioxide 1.5V 1.65V
M
withdrawn 		Zinc Alkali metal hydroxide Mercuric oxide 1.35V -
N
withdrawn 		Zinc Alkali metal hydroxide Mercuric oxide/manganese dioxide 1.4V -
P Zinc Alkali metal hydroxide Oxygen 1.4V 1.68V
S Zinc Alkali metal hydroxide Silver oxide 1.55V 1.63V
Z Zinc Alkali metal hydroxide Manganese dioxide/nickel oxyhydroxide 1.5V 1.78V
Common Examples
LR6 - AA Alkaline

L = Alkaline (zinc/MnO2)
R = Round (cylindrical)
6 = Size code for AA

R6 - AA Zinc-Carbon

(none) = Zinc-carbon
R = Round (cylindrical)
6 = Size code for AA

FR6 - AA Lithium

F = Lithium (iron disulfide)
R = Round (cylindrical)
6 = Size code for AA

CR2032 - Coin Cell

C = Lithium (MnO2)
R = Round (cylindrical)
2032 = 20mm dia, 3.2mm thick

LR44 - Button Cell

L = Alkaline
R = Round (cylindrical)
44 = Size designation

SR44 - Button Cell

S = Silver oxide
R = Round (cylindrical)
44 = Size designation

Source: Wikipedia - Battery nomenclature

IEC Shape Codes

The letter following the chemistry code indicates the physical shape of the battery cell.

Code Shape Description Examples
R Round (cylindrical) Standard cylindrical cells like AA, AAA, C, D, and button/coin cells LR6, CR2032, SR44
F Flat Flat rectangular cells, typically thin prismatic designs 6F22 (9V battery)
S Square/Prismatic Square or rectangular prismatic cells Prismatic lithium cells
P Non-round General designation for non-cylindrical shapes Various prismatic formats

IEC Round Cell Size Designations

Understanding size codes:

For standard cylindrical cells, IEC uses numeric codes (like R6, R03) that don't directly indicate dimensions. For coin/button cells, the numbers encode the diameter and height (e.g., 2032 = 20mm diameter, 3.2mm height).

Standard Cylindrical Cell Sizes

IEC Code Common Name Diameter Height
R03 AAA 10.5 mm 44.5 mm
R6 AA 14.5 mm 50.5 mm
R14 C 26.2 mm 50.0 mm
R20 D 34.2 mm 61.5 mm
R1 N 12.0 mm 30.2 mm
R10 Sub-C 22.2 mm 42.9 mm
R22 A 17.0 mm 50.0 mm
R27 4/3 A 17.0 mm 67.0 mm
Coin cell size encoding:

For coin cells like CR2032, the 4-digit number encodes dimensions: first two digits = diameter in mm (20mm), last two digits = height in tenths of mm (3.2mm). Similarly, CR2016 is 20mm x 1.6mm, and CR2025 is 20mm x 2.5mm.

Common Battery Cross-Reference

The same battery size often has multiple designations depending on chemistry and standard used. This table helps identify equivalent batteries across different naming systems.

Cylindrical Cells

Common Name IEC Alkaline IEC Zinc-Carbon IEC Lithium IEC NiMH ANSI Dimensions Typical Capacity
AAA LR03 R03 FR03 HR03 24A 10.5 x 44.5 mm 1000-1200 mAh
AA LR6 R6 FR6 HR6 15A 14.5 x 50.5 mm 2000-3000 mAh
C LR14 R14 - HR14 14A 26.2 x 50.0 mm 6000-8000 mAh
D LR20 R20 - HR20 13A 34.2 x 61.5 mm 12000-18000 mAh
9V (PP3) 6LR61 6F22 - 6HR61 1604A 48.5 x 26.5 x 17.5 mm 500-600 mAh
N LR1 R1 - HR1 910A 12.0 x 30.2 mm 800-1000 mAh
AAAA LR8D425 - - - 25A 8.3 x 42.5 mm 500-600 mAh

Button and Coin Cells

Common Name Chemistry IEC Code Voltage Dimensions Typical Capacity
CR2032 Lithium CR2032 3.0V 20.0 x 3.2 mm 220-240 mAh
CR2025 Lithium CR2025 3.0V 20.0 x 2.5 mm 160-170 mAh
CR2016 Lithium CR2016 3.0V 20.0 x 1.6 mm 90 mAh
CR123A Lithium CR17345 3.0V 17.0 x 34.5 mm 1500 mAh
LR44 / AG13 Alkaline LR44 1.5V 11.6 x 5.4 mm 150 mAh
SR44 / 357 Silver Oxide SR44 1.55V 11.6 x 5.4 mm 175-200 mAh
LR41 / AG3 Alkaline LR41 1.5V 7.9 x 3.6 mm 32 mAh
SR626SW / 377 Silver Oxide SR626 1.55V 6.8 x 2.6 mm 28 mAh
Note on rechargeable equivalents:

The H prefix indicates rechargeable NiMH chemistry. For example, HR6 is a rechargeable NiMH AA cell, while LR6 is a non-rechargeable alkaline AA. Rechargeable cells typically have lower nominal voltage (1.2V for NiMH vs 1.5V for alkaline).