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| Zinc-carbon batteries
| Alkaline manganese batteries
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A review:
| Battery type
| Advantages
| Disadvantages
|
|---|
| Zinc-carbon 'regular-duty'
| Least expensive
| Lowest energy density*
|
| Widely available
| Sloping discharge curve**
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|
| Poor high-current performance
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| Poor low-temperature performance
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| Zinc-chloride 'heavy-duty'
| Less expensive than alkaline.
| Low energy density*
|
| Better than zinc-carbon at high current and low temperature
| Sloping discharge curve**
|
| Last 25-50% longer than zinc-carbon
|
|
| Alkaline manganese 'alkaline'
| Moderate cost
| Sloping discharge curve**
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| Moderate energy density*
|
|
| Better than zinc chloride at high current and low temperature
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| Widely available
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|
| Last ~8 times longer than zinc-carbon
|
|
| Lithium oxyhalide 'lithium'
| Highest energy density
| Expensive
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| Light weight
|
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| Horizontal discharge curve**
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| Excellent temperature performance
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| Very long shelf life
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*Energy density is a measure of how much energy can be extracted from a battery per unit of battery weight or volume. Energy density should be as high as possible.
**Discharge curve shows how the battery voltage drops as the battery ages with use. The ideal shape is a horizontal line
Summary:
- Forget zinc-carbon and zinc-chloride batteries!
- If your control system drives a motor, you must use alkaline or lithium batteries
- If a constant supply voltage is needed, use a lithium battery
