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)

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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.

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

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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.

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.