# Specs on 6v spring terminal lantern batteries?



## ks_physicist (Feb 20, 2006)

Does anyone know the amp-hour capacity and/or internal resistance for typical heavy duty lantern batteries? 

How about for alkaline 6v lantern batteries?


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## bfg9000 (Feb 20, 2006)

All the alkaline ones I've opened up recently have four D-cells inside and a spacer to take up the unused space. There are some tests of D-cells in Silverfox's Alkaline Battery Shootout: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/64660


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## Lynx_Arc (Feb 21, 2006)

I recall the alkaline versions having 4 *F* cells of something like 28000mah (probably at 25ma output) I would guess the heavy duty version to have 4 *D* cells giving you perhaps 12000mah at the same 25ma. As for the internal resistance... probably poor compared to alkaline which is poor compared to lithium and nicad/nimh. I have a pair of 4D to lantern battery adapters which IMO is cheaper way to go.


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## danielo_d (Feb 21, 2006)

IIRC, there was a post stating that Duracell 6 Volt Batteries had 4 D cell batteries in them. And Energizer had 4 F Cell batteries.

Also, wayback when [2004 I think], Energizer stated that their Lantern Battery Capacity was *[26000 mAh]* which was the same as their F cell but at different Voltage, of course. Hmmmmm.

Wait a minute...

Here's  the Energizer Alkaline Group.

Here's the pdf for the F Cell Specs

*Hope this helps.*


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## big beam (Feb 21, 2006)

The only 6v that I know of that has f cells in it is eveready #529.All others use d cells.


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## bfg9000 (Feb 21, 2006)

Hmm, the last Energizer #529 I opened (in 2005) had D cells in it, along with a styrofoam block on the bottom. Anyone willing to crack open a newer one?


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## andrewwynn (Feb 21, 2006)

It is sad that 6V bat's often use D cells not F cells inside.. that is just plain fraud in my book.

When the cells are connected in series, the MAH (26,000) will stay the same but the voltage adds up.. if you connect them in parallel the MAH adds up and the voltage stays the same. 

They certainly aren't going to 'go back' to F cells once they stop using them.. i bet they just made D cells high enough capacity to make people fooled into thinking they were still getting the bang of Fs.. that's a really sad note of greed-run business. 

-awr


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## big beam (Feb 23, 2006)

You should be able to tell by the balance of the battery.If it's top heavy it has d's in it.If it's balance is in the middle it has f's.I think the spacer is in the bottom.


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## andrewwynn (Feb 23, 2006)

pretty simple answer


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## paulr (Feb 23, 2006)

Duracell doesn't appear to make an F cell: http://duracell.com/oem/productdata/default.asp

Their 6 volt lantern battery is spec'd as weighing 21.6 ounces while their D cell is 4.9 ounces. That makes the 6 volt battery weigh about the same as four D cells plus the external casing. http://duracell.com/oem/primary/alkaline/alkaline_manganese_prod.asp

Energizer seems to have the regular alkaline D cell (E95, 20500 mAH, 148 grams) and alkaline 6V battery (#528, 26000 mAH, 885 grams) which sounds like it has F cells inside. The industrial version of their alkaline lantern battery is EN529, 20500 mAH, 665 grams, which sounds like four D's are inside. Their consumer zinc-carbon D cells are 89 grams, 8000 mAH while the lantern versions are 600 grams, 10500 or 11000 mAH, again sounds like F cells. They don't have direct url's to the data sheets but you can get to them by clicking links from energizer.com.


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## HarryN (Feb 23, 2006)

On a related topic - how about a nominal 6 volt battery, with some beef

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/108649


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## big beam (Feb 26, 2006)

I use 6v lead acid batts in my big beam lights.They make them as replacements for regular 6v lantern batterys.These are 5ah batterys but again rated at 250ma IIRC.I use PAR 36 8W halogen for about 100 mins of run time.So as you can see 1.25 amps @ 100 mins.is about 2ah.But the lights are bright for the full 100 mins.After that they drop to 6v(they [email protected] 6.5v fully charged).One more thing SLA batterys must be stored fully charged.This is a bit of a pain(every 30 days or so)but they're always READY TO GO.


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## Skibane (Mar 1, 2006)

Funny this topic should come up - Over the past week, I've been converting several of the Dorcy/Ozark Trail lanterns that Wal-Mart sells for $3.50 (including battery) to operate on a single white 20 mA LED. The idea is to have a cheap, reliable light that will run for several hundred hours, at some sacrafice in brightness over the original Krypton bulb.

Right now, I'm using a dropping resistor to limit the LED current, but eventually will be installing a LP2951 regulator instead. As part of the modifications, the lantern battery is glued in place for maximum drop-resistance, and all connections are soldered. The pushbutton switch in these lanterns has a very solid feel, and should last a while.



big beam said:


> You should be able to tell by the balance of the battery.If it's top heavy it has d's in it.If it's balance is in the middle it has f's.I think the spacer is in the bottom.



The Dorcy Mastercell 4R25 "Heavy Duty" battery that is included with these lanterns has a center of gravity approximately 1/3rd of the way up from the bottom. However, I've drilled a peek-hole in both the top and bottom of one of these batteries, and both ends appear to be completely filled with cells. This particular battery sells for under 2 bucks at Dollar General stores, but since Wal-Mart throws in a brand-new flashlight for just a buck and a half more...


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## Handlobraesing (Nov 9, 2006)

bfg9000 said:


> Hmm, the last Energizer #529 I opened (in 2005) had D cells in it, along with a styrofoam block on the bottom. Anyone willing to crack open a newer one?



Weight should be a good indicator. If it weighs less than 800g, it's probably not made of F cells. 

I checked them out. 

Energizer INDUSTRIAL EN529 is indeed 4 x D (665g) 
The Energizer RETAIL 528 is 4 x F. *(885g) *

Rayovac doesn't list the internalconfig and I can only find their datasheet in the industrial section, but I'm fairly certain theirs is a 4 x D as well. 

Rayovac (620g)
http://app.rayovac.com/cm/groups/public/documents/marketing_spec/003207.pdf

Duracell MN908 (612g)
http://www.duracell.com/oem/Pdf/others/ATB-full.pdf


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## pedalinbob (Nov 11, 2006)

Rayovac has a model 808, I believe, and it is very heavy. I think it is 4 F cells, but can't find info online.


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## bones_708 (Dec 21, 2007)

http://www.rayovacindustrial.com/assets/pdf/marketing_data_sheets/808.pdf


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