C Battery Features, Types, Uses, & Chemistry

C battery is called an R14 battery, and it is a single-cell, cylinder-shaped battery. C battery is used for medium-drain applications such as toys, flashlights, and other devices. These batteries come with high capacity as compared to AA batteries. These batteries come with different chemistries, but devices that use C cells get 1.2-1.5 V based on the manufacturer. In this post, we will cover features and details for C batteries and other types. So let’s get started with what a C battery is.

Introduction to C Battery

• The C battery, also called a C cell, is a standard-size dry battery that is used for different devices. The dimensions for the battery are 50 mm long and 26.2 mm in diameter.
• The size of these batteries is larger as compared to AAA batteries but smaller in size than D batteries.
• C batteries, also called R14 or LR14 batteries, come in a cylinder shape and moderate size, helping to use them between D batteries and small AA or AAA batteries.
• Their size makes them useful for different applications, such as providing higher energy storage than small batteries.
• Letter C does not define battery chemistry but explains battery size and features. The C battery is made with the use of different chemistries such as alkaline, zinc carbon, and NiMH.

C Battery Dimensions and Weight

• The C battery dimensions are 50 mm in length and 26.2 mm in diameter. Alkaline C comes with a weight of 71 grams and a rechargeable NiMH cell of about 64 grams.
• The voltage and capacity of the C battery are based on chemistry and discharge conditions.
• The voltage of 1.5V for an alkaline C battery comes with an 8000mAh capacity, and a rechargeable NiMH C battery has a capacity of 6000mAh.
• Zinc carbon C battery comes with 3800 mAh.

Types of C Batteries

Primary C Battery

• The primary battery is a non-rechargeable battery that is discarded after one-time use. These batteries are used in portable devices for low-current drains and as part of alarm and communication circuits. The primary cell comes with high energy density as compared to rechargeable secondary cells. There are different types of primary C batteries listed here.

Alkaline battery

• An alkaline battery is a primary battery that provides DC from an electrochemical reaction between zinc and manganese dioxide with the use of an alkaline electrolyte.
• The alkaline battery comes with alkaline electrolytes of potassium hydroxide rather than acidic ammonium chloride (NH_₄Cl) or zinc chloride (ZnCl_₂) electrolytes that are used for zinc–carbon batteries.

Lithium metal battery.

• Lithium primary cells are batteries that come with a metallic lithium anode. They come with the lowest self-discharge rate because they come with a longer working life of about ten years. The temperature conditions are about 70 degrees.
• The use of an iron disulfide cathode has a battery voltage of 1.5 volts.

Zinc-carbon battery

• A zinc carbon battery, also called a Leclanché cell, is a conventional general-purpose dry cell. Zinc carbon batteries are the first batteries made for the technology of the wet Leclanché cell. The battery comes with DC for the electrochemical reaction between zinc and manganese dioxide with the use of electrolytes.
• It produces 1.5 volts between the zinc anode and is made in a cylinder shape of the battery cell and the carbon rod covering the cathode that gets current from the manganese dioxide electrode.

Secondary C Battery

• Secondary batteries are rechargeable batteries, and these batteries get charged through DC in the reverse direction of the discharge current. Rechargeable batteries are high cost and part of high drain applications and can be reused. Different types of secondary C batteries are.

NiMH battery.

• The nickel metal hydride battery, NiMH, is a secondary battery that has a positive electrode of nickel hydroxide and a negative electrode made of metallic hydride.
• The NiMH battery was first used in 1989 and used as a power supply for portable personal computers.
• The NiMH battery is used in electric hybrid vehicles and is used as a ten percent market of rechargeable batteries.

NiCd battery

• Nickel-cadmium battery is a secondary battery that employs a nickel oxide hydroxide cathode and metallic cadmium anode. The Ni-Cd stands for the chemical symbols of nickel and cadmium. The battery comes with a low inner impedance that provides higher power features and lower energy storage capacity than other battery types. It comes with a longer working life and features for fast recharging and can be affected by voltage depression or memory effect.

Features of C Batteries

Cell Voltage

• The voltage of the battery is produced through the potential difference of materials that come with positive and negative electrodes as a result of an electrochemical reaction. The alkaline battery comes with 1.5 volts, and the open circuit voltage for the NiMH C battery is 1.2V.

Cut-off Voltage

• The battery capacity for NiCd or NiMH battery cut-off voltage is 1 volt per cell and 0.9 volts cut-off voltage for alkaline cells.

Capacity

• The coulometric capacity is amp hours when the battery is discharged at a certain discharge current from 100% SOC to the cut-off voltage. The normal alkaline or NiMH C battery has a capacity of 6000 mAh (NiMH) to 8000 mAh (alkaline).

C-rate of Battery

• C rate defines how fast the battery is discharged or charged based on maximum capacity. The unit is h⁻¹. For getting a good capacity rate, alkaline and lead-acid batteries have a 20-hour discharge.

Weight

• The battery weight has an effect on portability and interaction with the device. C batteries are high in weight as compared to other AA or AAA batteries since they are larger in size and have a high capacity.
• The alkaline C battery weight is 65 grams, and the rechargeable NiMH C battery is low weight in the range of 70 to 75 grams.
• The high weight is used for balancing devices such as flashlights, and weight distribution affects devices working.

Size and shape

• C battery comes in standard size and is easy to use on different devices. They are 50 mm in length and 26 mm in diameter and cylinder shape and fit in different devices for medium-sized power sources.
• The compact and high-power C battery helps to store more energy as compared to small sizes such as AA or AAA batteries.

Is a C battery rechargeable?

• C batteries come in rechargeable types like NiMH chemistry. These rechargeable C batteries are best for devices that are frequently used since they can be recharged many times and save time and cost.
• But they come with lower initial voltage than non-rechargeable batteries and longer shelf life.

How long does a C battery last?

• The working life of a C battery is based on different factors such as battery chemistry and uses. An alkaline C battery can work for ten years if stored properly and has ten hours of continuous use for medium-drain uses such as flashlights.
• The rechargeable NiMH C battery has a short use time of about 6 to 8 hours for a single charge and can be recharged many times for longer use.

Are C batteries the same as AA and AAA?

• The C, AA, and AAA batteries come with the same cylindrical shape and differ in capacity, size, and uses.
• C batteries are a larger size and have more power than AA or AAA batteries and are best for devices where high energy is needed.
• AA and AAA batteries are used for small and low-drain devices like remote controls and clocks, and C batteries are used for high-drain devices such as flashlights, toys, and radios.
• We can’t use these batteries as replacements since they have different sizes.