FAQ

1. Rechargeable batteries will at some point stop working. If, for example, you are on a reportage with your camera (winder, flash), you could get a rather abrupt surprise. Alkaline batteries lose their voltage more slowly and stop working more gradually.
2. They are somewhat more expensive than alkaline batteries, also because you have to buy a charger.
3. Rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries contain 15% of the heavy metal cadmium, however, they can be recycled excellently.
4. NiCd has the disadvantage that you have to fully discharge them first before you can recharge them, otherwise a memory block will soon form and you will not be able to fill them up again. NiMH batteries do not experience this, so you can (re)charge them at any time.

Most of the time. Alkaline batteries only have a capacity of 1.5 volts at the beginning of use, but this soon drops and eventually it even falls below the level of a rechargeable battery. Rechargeable batteries, on the other hand, have a very stable voltage course.

These are the common abbreviations for the battery systems. These are the terms that are universally used and you can also find them in this product catalogue. A round battery (see table) is round and flat. A P is the designation for all batteries that are not round. Many chemical abbreviations may therefore be followed by an F (flat) or a P, in addition to an R.

 

B = Lithium carbon monofluoride (low drain)	BR
C = Lithium mangaan dioxide (high drain)	CR
E = Lithium thionyl chloride	ER
F = Lithium iron disulfide	FR
G = Lithium Copper oxide	GR
K = Cadmium	KR
L = Alkaline	LR
M = Mercury	MR
P = Oxygen	PR
S = Silver	SR

 

An LR battery is a round alkaline battery. So a flat alkaline battery would become an LF battery and so on.

They last extremely long because they can be recharged a thousand times. Although they are more expensive to buy than non-rechargeable alkaline batteries, if you use batteries regularly, the investment in the battery and charger will pay for itself very quickly. So you don’t have to keep going back for a new set of batteries.

 

Because rechargeable batteries last longer, the amount of alkaline batteries going into waste is reduced, which is better for the environment. Ask in advance whether your application is suitable for using rechargeable batteries.

You can compare the operation of a rechargeable battery with a battery of a car. When it’ s empty, it can be recharged and used again. With the best possible treatment, these batteries can be recharged up to thousands of times. Because of its constant power (1.2 Volts), a rechargeable battery has virtually the same power from start to finish. Then it stops quite suddenly and has to be loaded.

Alkaline batteries, lithium batteries and specialist batteries such as Air-alkaline and ZincAir-alkaline. Alkaline batteries are often affordable and ideal for applications where power consumption is generally low. Lithium batteries last up to 7 times longer and can provide higher peak power. For those interested, we have more information on the different types of non-rechargeable batteries.

The main factors for this are the chemistry of the battery, ambient temperature and energy consumption of the application.

 

Read more information here.

This is a type of battery invented in 1899 by Waldmar Jungner. Some characteristics:

 

• The battery is very robust and can be recharged quickly with little effort.
• Performs well at low temperatures

 

Click here for more details on nickel cadmium batteries.

A lithium iron phosphate battery is a battery type that features a chemistry that has been around since 1996. A number of characteristics are mentioned below:

 

• Lithium iron phosphate batteries can be charged rapidly up to 100%.
• Stores energy better than most other lead-acid batteries (100% instead of 85% with other lead-acid batteries)

 

Click here for more information on lithium iron phosphate batteries.

A distinctive system within the various primary battery types is air-alkaline. The battery uses oxygen (O2) from the air as its cathode. The oxygen is led through holes in the casing to the cathode where reduction (absorption of electrons) takes place on a carbon layer. Because the battery casing only has to house an anode, the energy density per weight is on average high, between 220-300 Wh/kg (compared to 99-123 Wh/kg for a silver-oxide battery).

 

An additional advantage of this battery is its relatively low cost and environmentally friendly character. These batteries have an infinite storage time until they are activated by exposing them to air. After activation, the shelf life is rather short due to high self-discharge. Another disadvantage: once activated, the chemical process of energy production cannot be stopped, but it can be slowed down.

 

Applications of air-alkaline batteries:

 

• Railway signal lighting
• Road signal lighting
• Buoyancy and signal lighting at sea
• Telecommunications
• Parking meters
• Fencing

No, not the normal alkaline batteries. Rechargeable alkaline batteries do exist, but they have major disadvantages:

 

• Firstly, you need a special charger, which is usually relatively expensive. Charging alkaline batteries in chargers intended for genuine nickel-hydride and nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries can be very dangerous (explosion risk).

 

• Secondly, the voltage of an alkaline battery can quickly drop below a critical point, after which it cannot be recharged. The problem is that while using it, you do not know when this point has been reached. So you have to recharge quickly, which is a disadvantage if you want to use the device for a longer period of time.

 

• Thirdly, when you recharge alkaline batteries, you never get the full capacity back. Once the batteries have been used several times, the available energy quickly becomes less and less. In theory, you will be able to reload them a few dozen times at most. However, the net return is very small. Because of these disadvantages, it is better to buy actual rechargeable batteries. The only advantage in charging alkaline batteries is the higher initial voltage. But this voltage drops at a certain point even below that of real rechargeable batteries.

A lead-acid battery is the most commonly used type of battery. Lead-acid batteries have several advantages:

 

• They have a simple design
• Have a generally low price
• Are suitable for various applications such as telecommunications, data centres, railways, defence and security systems

 

Click here for more information on lead-acid batteries.

Alkaline batteries are the most commonly used type of batteries. There are a number of characteristics of this type:

 

• They have a low purchase price
• The alkaline batteries deliver a lot of energy even at low temperatures
• Alkaline batteries have a low self-discharge rate

 

Click here for more information on alkaline batteries.

These are a particular type of batteries that have a number of distinguishing features:

 

• Lithium is a good solution when high peak power is required.
• They last on average 7 times longer than alkaline batteries.
• Lithium works at temperatures of -20 to +40 degrees.

 

Lithium batteries are characterised by their extremely low self-discharge. The self-discharge per year is only 1% of the capacity. The voltage of this battery is exceptionally high. This information sheet lists a number of brands that produce lithium batteries and the various product variants that come with them. Lithium is a light metal with an exceptionally high capacity (3.86 Ah/gram). When lithium is mixed with other chemicals such as manganese or sulphur, the result is a battery with high energy, low weight, reduced self-discharge and the ability to perform under extreme conditions.

 

Applications of lithium batteries

 

Lithium is used in a wide range of applications, from mobile phones and microprocessors to large industrial workplaces such as in the oil and gas industry and in space.

 

Click here for more information on lithium batteries.

The most commonly used battery is the lead-acid battery. This is because of the simple construction of the battery and a generally low price. We provide more information on this battery type, as well as brand recommendations on our lead-acid battery page.

The most commonly used type of batteries are alkaline batteries. Providing a lot of energy is an important feature (also at low temperatures). They are often used for devices that consume less power for a long time. Click here for more details on alkaline batteries.

That depends on the type and intensity of use. In general, the large battery type 675 lasts about three weeks, while the smallest batteries (the 5 and 10) only last a few days.

The sizes of hearing batteries can be recognised by the sticker on the battery pack. Hearing batteries are usually packed in blisters of 6 pieces, as follows:

 

Application Battery Colour

5 red Mini devices in the ear canal

10 yellow Mini devices in the ear canal

13 orange Appliances behind the ear and in the auricle

312 Brown Devices in ear canal

675 blue Gears behind the ear

Nickel cadmium batteries and nickel metal hydride batteries have some interesting differences from each other:
– Nickel metal hydride batteries have up to twice the capacity of nickel cadmium batteries.
– Nickel cadmium batteries often suffer more from the ‘memory effect’ than nickel metal hydride batteries.
– Nickel-metal hydride batteries require less maintenance and care.

 

The nickel metal hydride battery can be considered an improvement on the nickel cadmium battery.

There are several differences between a lithium and an alkaline battery. The most important ones are summarised below:

• Lithium batteries generally last 7 times longer than alkaline batteries.
• Alkaline batteries are usually more affordable than lithium batteries
• Lithium batteries are often used for professional purposes, while the alkaline varieties are mainly used for consumer devices such as remote controls and radios.

 

For those interested, you can read more about alkaline batteries and lithium batteries on our website.

The negative pole is on the top and the positive pole on the slightly wider bottom. The plus side often shows the brand and type number; this side is almost always on top when inserting the battery.

There are various types of rechargeable batteries. They are usually built into the various devices. They are rarely available in shops, partly due to the low demand.

The maximum permissible temperatures for a battery are -55° and +125° Celsius. However, the best working environment for most cells is one where temperatures are between +10° and +35° Celsius.

It is only when you take the sticker off this battery that the air activates it. Oxygen penetrates the battery through holes. Because the activated material comes from outside, there is more room in the battery for capacity. This way, the lifetime is long and the discharge curve is flat. The air-alkaline battery works pretty much the same way.

Lithium batteries last a very long - up to ten years - even when they are hardly used at all. The self-discharge per year is only 1% of the capacity.

They can deliver high currents as the initial voltage level is 1.5 Volts. However, after a while, the voltage drops relatively fast. That is why these batteries are less suitable and reliable for cameras and measuring equipment.

The voltage of this system is high and remains constant for quite a long time. The time must always be reliable.

There are several systems. The properties are tailored to the most important applications.

Silver oxide (watches, cameras): High constant voltage, self-discharge less than 5% per year.

Alkaline (electrical appliances): Supplies large currents, voltage drops during use, self-discharge less than 3% per year.

Lithium (cameras and electronic devices): Self-discharge less than 1% per year, not suitable for heavy loads.

Zinc air (hearing aids): High capacity, self-discharge 3% per year (if not activated).

Mercury oxide (electrical appliances, hearing aids and cameras): Supplies large currents, self-discharge 2% per year, environmentally unfriendly 15% mercury.

Mercury-containing batteries have not been manufactured since 1998 and have not been supplied by factories since 1999. A replacement zinc air battery is available for a small number of these batteries.

There are many applications. The most important are watches, cameras and hearing aids. In addition, calculators, games and car alarms are major consumers.

A button cell is a round battery whose diameter is usually greater than its height. Sometimes they are extremely small and then they look like a button or a coin. That is why they are also called button cells.

For all products that contain a battery (or are loose), a disposal fee must be paid to Stibat. This is in line with international laws and regulations (environment). This also applies to devices that are supplied with batteries (e.g. torches).
Commercially used batteries can be collected by a licensed collection company. Commercially used batteries can be collected by a licensed collection company.

Yes. In this declaration, Elfa confirms that its assembly workshop is RoHS compliant. For the sake of completeness, we state here that the RoHS guidelines do not apply to batteries.

RoHS stands for Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances. In February 2003, the European RoHS directive came into existence. It concerns the use of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB and PBDE. Lead-free soldering is an important part of this guideline. For the complete EU guideline, please click here.

The capacity and lifetime of a battery depends on its current, expressed in thousandths of Amps, or milli-Amps (mA) multiplied by the number of hours (the h of "hours") it can provide power.

Certain (chemical) systems can handle energy flows more easily than other systems. In addition to the voltage (volts), the internal resistance (Ohms) of the battery is also important. Battery types with low internal resistance are Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Hydride, Alkaline, Lithium Photo and Mercury Oxide respectively. Lithium, zinc air, silver oxide and zinc carbon have a higher internal resistance

A battery is a cell that can give off electrical energy through internal chemical reactions. The cell consists of a plus and a minus pole that are separated by a layer of electrolyte. The negative pole is brought into contact with the positive pole through the device in which the battery is placed and thereby emits electricity.

Yes. The higher the capacity, the longer the battery life. The capacity is expressed in Ampere hours (Ah) or milli-Ampere hours. (mAh). You can usually read how high the capacity of the battery is on the battery itself and on the packaging. For the application equipment, more capacity means more operating time. It is therefore not harmful to use stronger batteries, but it is harmful to use voltages other than those indicated.

NiMH batteries are known to have a high capacity, measured in the number of (charge) cycles of the battery. For NiMH batteries, this is typically between 700 – 1000 cycles.

If the NiMH battery is repeatedly deeply discharged, performance starts to decline after 200 to 300 cycles. On average, NiMH batteries have a lifespan of about 2 to 3 years.

Stibat stands for Batteries Foundation. This is the organisation that coordinates the collection activities for empty batteries in the Netherlands. They develop activities in various areas to inform everyone about the how and why of the collection of used batteries. And this is done on a non-profit basis. Since 1995 there has been a legal regulation stating that used batteries must be collected and recycled by or on behalf of producers and importers of batteries. Stibat has taken over this task. A so-called disposal fee must be paid per battery. Elfa is a member of Stibat and charges you the relevant disposal contribution for each battery.

 

Stibat arranges the collection of batteries. Empty batteries do not belong in the bin. It may contain substances that are harmful to the environment, such as the heavy metals mercury, lead and cadmium. They harm the environment when disposed in the household waste. That’s why it is a good thing that more people return empty batteries. Separate from other waste. Not only the well-known penlite batteries can be returned, but also coin cells and the batteries in, for example, mobile telephones, photo and film cameras and cordless tools. Rechargeable batteries may last longer than single-use batteries, but at some point they also cease to function properly and must be disposed of responsibly. Handing in empty batteries separately not only saves the environment, but the metals of the battery are recycled for reuse (think nickel, steel and zinc). New products are made from this, such as zinc gutters, crash barriers, but also new batteries. From 25 million kilos of recycled batteries, 13 million kilos of usable metals were recovered over a period of 12 years! That is a significant saving on our mineral resources.

 

Click here for more information.

NEN stands for National Standardisation Institute. Those who participate in standardization share their knowledge in order to benefit from it together with others. Standardisation strives for efficient, safe, healthy and sustainable products and processes. Several interests are united in a smart way. NEN is the national standardization institute in the Netherlands. They work on economic growth and well-being in a European (CEN, CENELEC and ETSI) and worldwide (ISO, IEC and ITU) context. As the Dutch centre of standardization, NEN helps companies and other organisations to make clear and applicable agreements with each other.

 

Click here for the website of NEN.

Formats are given a name and can also have a code. The names are more or less the same in all countries, although other terms are often used in common parlance. The codes are different everywhere, e.g. the international IEC code and the American code. Also each brand often uses its own codes. It is therefore often difficult to recognize the codes on packaging. The IEC code is the most common. The battery types are identified by the letters in the IEC code. Alkaline, for example, is called LR.

 

IEC-code	VS-code	Name	Popularly	Dimensions (mm) (diam x height)*
LR3	AAA	Micro	Pencil	10,5×44,5
LR6	AA	Mignon	Penlite	14,5×50,5
LR14	C	Baby	English bar	26,2×50
LR20	D	Mono	Large rod, mono	34,5×61,5
6LR61	E	9 Volt	E-block	26,5×17,5×48
3LR12	–	Normal	4,5Volt	26x22x67

 

* there can sometimes be some tolerance differences in this.

Of course, Elfa has the sodium-ion battery in its range. Visit our saltwater batteries page for more information.

NiMH-batteries (Nickel Metal Hydride batteries) are a type of rechargeable battery that is widely used in different kinds of electronic devices. They are an improved version of the NiCd-batteries (Nickel Cadmium batteries), because they contain fewer heavy metals, making them more environmentally friendly. They also can store more energy and are less susceptible to a memory effect. This makes them very easy to maintain.

In most cases, NiMH-batteries (Nickel Metal Hydride batteries) and lithium-ion batteries aren’t interchangeable. They have different shapes, sizes and voltages most of the time. Sometimes a device can accept both, but this will most likely be mentioned on the product or in the manual.

NiMH and NiCd-batteries are both ideal for high-demanding devices. Since the import of NiCd-batteries has been banned in 2006, NiMH-batteries stand as a great alternative to NiCd. Typically, they have the same nominal voltage of 1.2 volts per cell, making them interchangeable in most cases.

 

An advantage of NiMH-batteries is that they generally have a higher energy density compared to NiCd-batteries. This makes NiMH-batteries last longer in some cases compared to their NiCd-counterpart.

 

NiCd and NiMH-batteries have different charging characteristics. NiMH batteries are more sensitive to overcharging. That’s why we recommend using only a designated NiMH charger to charge NiMH-batteries.

The sodium-ion battery works on a very simple principle: a plastic crate is filled in two compartments. A sodium-ion battery contains a salt and a freshwater reservoir. On contact, an electric current is created. When the battery charges, the fresh and salt water are separated again. The battery also contains manganese oxide and carbon-titanium phosphate.

 

A sodium-ion battery is low-maintenance, environmentally friendly and lends itself well to domestic use. The saltwater battery has a service life of up to 20 years.

It can be possible in some instances to revive an old NiMH-battery at your own risk, but the success rate may vary depending on the current condition of the battery. If there is any physical damage like corrosion, bulging or leaks, it may not be safe to revive it.

 

Sometimes charging the battery can help. When the NiMH battery has been discharged for a long time and is completely empty, it might enter a deep discharge state. In some cases, cycling the battery might be the answer, by fully charging and discharging several times.

 

Some NiMH battery chargers, also known as a smart charger, come with a reconditioning or trickle charge feature. This applies a low current to the battery for a longer period, which can revive batteries that have been deeply discharged.

 

An empty NiMH-battery will have a low voltage. You can verify this by using a voltmeter. If the battery has 0V, it cannot be charged in a with a smart charger.

 

However, a NiMH-battery can be revived by using cables and another fully charged one. Connect one of the cables from positive of the fully charged battery to the positive of the empty battery. Keep them connected for three seconds and then disconnect them.

 

With the voltmeter you can see if the empty battery has now some voltage in it. Now you can put it in a smart charger again and it will start charging.

NiMH batteries (Nickel Metal Hydride batteries) are more sensitive to overcharging, compared to NiCd batteries. Overcharging NiMH batteries can lead to several issues, like reduced performance and lifespan. In more severe cases, the battery can expand and leak.

 

You can prevent overcharging by using the proper charger. Most manufacturers of NiMH batteries (Nickel Metal Hydride batteries) recommend a certain charger for their batteries. You can also pay attention to the charging time and make sure avoid high temperatures while charging.

NiMH batteries, short for Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, are largely immune to the ‘memory effect,’ making them low-maintenance and needing little special attention. They are also environmentally friendly, lacking heavy metals in their composition.

Most NiMH-batteries (Nickel Metal Hydride batteries) will lose their charge over a peroid of time when they aren’t being used. At regular room temperature, they will lose about 1% of their charge per day. That means that they will generally retain 70% of their charge after 30 days.

It is possible to store charged NiMH-batteries (Nickel Metal Hydride batteries), but they will lose their charge over a period of time. At regular room temperature, they will lose about 1% of their charge per day. That means that they will generally retain 70% of their charge after 30 days.

The charging time for NiMH-batteries (Nickel Metal Hydride batteries) can differ depending on factors like the capacity of the battery and the charger’s charging rate. We recommend referring to the specific charging instructions provided by the manufacturer of the batteries and the charger to ensure safe and efficient charging.

The lifespan of a NiMH-battery (Nickel Metal Hydride) can vary depending on several factors. In terms of charge cycles, low-capacity AA-batteries of to 2000 mAh can be charged up to 1000 times. Higher capacity batteries, like 2500 mAh batteries can only be charged for about 500 times.

The time that it takes for a NiMH-battery to charge may vary on factors like the capacity of the battery and the charger’s charging rate. We recommend referring to the specific charging instructions provided by the manufacturer of both your charger and batteries.

NiMH-batteries (Nickel Metal Hydride batteries) have certain drawbacks when compared to lithium-ion batteries. One drawback is the need for NiMH-batteries to be discharged once every two months. Li-ion batteries have several advantages over NiMH batteries. They demand no maintenance, suffer from no memory effect, undergo less self-discharge, and are marginally more compact due to their superior energy density. It’s worth mentioning that Li-ion batteries are more susceptible to heat.

A sodium-ion battery (also known as a saltwater battery) is a unique electrochemical energy storage system, based on saltwater electrolyte. Fundamentally, a saltwater battery comprises salt and a freshwater reservoir. During its operation, the salt- and freshwater are segregated, prompting the migration of sodium-ions from one side to the other. This ion flow generates an electric current, suitable for powering various devices. A saltwater battery offers low-maintenance, eco-friendliness, and versatility for diverse applications. It boasts a lifespan of up to 20 years.

Yes. Unlike most batteries, sodium-ion batteries aren’t made from heavy metals. This makes them easier to recycle. As a result, they also give less impact on the environment.

Sodium-ion batteries are made of a safe electrolyte: saltwater. The batteries are completely sealed and require no maintenance. They are self-balancing and therefore require no compensating charge or battery management system (BMS).

Sodium-ion batteries are seen as a potential replacement for lithium-ion batteries in the future. This is because of the abundance of sodium resources and environmental impact. However, the larger size of sodium ions makes for a challenge. Lithium-ion is therefore still the preferred choice for situations where minimal size and weight are needed. The larger size of sodium-ion batteries make them limited in applications like laptops and smartphones.

NiMH batteries have several advantages. They have a higher energy density than NiCad batteries, are not prone to memory effect and contain fewer harmful metals, making them more environmentally friendly.

To charge NiMH batteries correctly, it is essential to use a charger specifically designed for NiMH batteries to avoid over- or undercharging. In addition, it is recommended to charge slowly to avoid overheating and damage.

Yes, NiMH batteries can be fast-charged, but this can shorten their lifespan. It is better to opt for slow charging to preserve capacity and lifespan.

NiMH batteries are best stored in a cool, dry environment and preferably partially charged. This minimises self-discharge and extends their life.

NiMH batteries have a higher self-discharge rate than some other battery types, meaning they lose their charge even when not in use. This can be reduced by storing them correctly and using them regularly.

NiMH batteries can be considered to be an environmentally friendly battery because they contain fewer toxic metals than NiCad batteries. However, it is important to recycle them properly.

No, it is important to use a charger specifically designed for NiMH batteries to prevent damage and prolong their life.