Standard battery nomenclature describes portable batteries that have physical dimensions and electrical characteristics interchangeable between manufacturers. The long history of disposable dry cells means that many different manufacturer-specific and national standards were used to designate sizes, long before international standards were reached.
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Technical standards for battery sizes and types are set by such as (IEC) and (ANSI). Popular sizes are still referred to by old standard or manufacturer designations, and some non-systematic designations have been included in current international standards due to wide use. The complete nomenclature for the battery will fully specify the size, chemistry, terminal arrangements and special characteristics of a battery. The same physically interchangeable cell size may have widely different characteristics; physical interchangeability is not the sole factor in substitution of batteries. National standards for dry cell batteries have been developed by,,, and others. Civilian, commercial, government and military standards all exist.
Two of the most prevalent standards currently in use are the IEC 60086 series and the ANSI C18.1 series. Both standards give dimensions, standard performance characteristics, and safety information. Modern standards contain both systematic names for cell types that give information on the composition and approximate size of the cells, as well as arbitrary numeric codes for cell size.
Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • History of the IEC standard [ ] The (IEC) was established in in 1906 and co-ordinates development of standards for a wide range of electrical products. The IEC maintains two committees, TC21 established in 1933 for rechargeable batteries, and TC35 established in 1948 for primary batteries, to develop standards. The current designation system was adopted in 1992. Battery types are designated with a letter/number sequence indicating number of cells, cell chemistry, cell shape, dimensions, and special characteristics. Certain cell designations from earlier revisions of the standard have been retained.
The first IEC standards for battery sizes were issued in 1957. Since 1992, IEC 60086 defines an alphanumeric coding system for batteries. British standard 397 for primary batteries was withdrawn and replaced by the IEC standard in 1996. History of the ANSI standard [ ]. This section needs additional citations for.
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( October 2013) () Standardization of batteries in the started in 1919, when the US published recommended test procedures and standard dimensions of cells. American standards were revised several times during the following decades, as new sizes of cells were introduced and new chemistry developed, including chloride, alkaline, mercury and rechargeable types. The first American Standards Association (predecessor to ) standard C18 appeared in 1928. It listed cell sizes using a letter code, roughly in order of size from smallest (A) to larger types. The only numerical designation was the 6-inch tall 'No. The 1934 edition of the C18 standard expanded the nomenclature system to include series and parallel arrays of cells.
In 1954, mercury batteries were included in the standard. The 1959 edition identified types suitable for use with. In 1967, took over responsibility for development from the.
The 12th edition of C18 began to be with the IEC standard. Rechargeable batteries were introduced in the C18 standard in 1984, and lithium types were standardized in 1991. In 1999 the ANSI standards were extensively revised and separate safety standards provided. The current edition of the ANSI standards designates sizes with an arbitrary number, with a prefix letter to designate shape, and with a suffix letter or letters to identify different chemistry, terminals, or other features. IEC battery nomenclature [ ] Three different make standards on batteries: TC21(), SC21(other ) and TC35(). Each group has published standards relating to the nomenclature of batteries - IEC 60095 for lead-acid, IEC 61951-1 and 61951-2 for and batteries, IEC 61960 for, and IEC 60086-1 for primary batteries.