Nine-volt Battery - Technical Specifications

Technical Specifications

These batteries are commonly named 9-volt, and also colloquially named PP3, Radio battery, Square (sic) battery, and Japan "006P".

They all have a rectangular shape; the dimensions are height 48.5 mm, length 26.5 mm, width 17.5 mm (or 1.9"x1.0"x0.68"). Both terminals are at one end and their centres are 12.7 mm apart.

Inside an alkaline or carbon-zinc 9-volt battery there are six cells, either cylindrical or flat type, connected in series. Some brands use welded tabs internally to attach to the cells, others press foil strips against the ends of the cells.

Rechargeable nickel–cadmium (NiCd) and Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries have between six and eight 1.2 volt cells. Lithium versions use three 3.2 V cells - there is a rechargeable lithium polymer version. There is also a low self-discharge NiMH version.

Formerly, mercury batteries were made in this size. They had higher capacity than carbon-zinc types, a nominal voltage of 8.4 volts, and very stable voltage output. Once used in photographic and measuring instruments or long-life applications, they are now unavailable due to environmental restrictions.

References:

• ^1 IEC 60086-2011 pt2-§7.6.1.12
• ^2 ANSI C18.1M Part 1 and C18.3M Part 1
• ^3 Does not apply to most batteries of the type

Devices designed to use "9V" batteries are generally designed to work properly over the operating voltage range of a "9V" battery, from fully charged (typically up to 9.6 V) to nearly dead (typically 5.0 V).