#LR44 BATTERY SERIES#

The test circuit is just a 1kOhm resistor load in series with the battery. Sony’s micro battery products page shows LR44 discharge test results using a 2.2kOhm resistor at 23degC. As both dates are beyond a year into the future, I don’t think this difference influenced the results. I bought both types within a one-week span at stores with high turnover, though the generic’s expiration date is more than a year beyond that of Maxell’s. However, like other leading makers Maxell probably either manufactures at their own facility, or sources from a trusted Chinese manufacturer where Maxell may even have some level of management authority or technical input. Maxell’s batteries are 2.5x the price of the generics, though both types are made in China. *The generic is imported by Moritoku Corporation of Tokyo. The battery maker name, initial voltage and other basic information are shown in the table below. The LR44 is a popular 1.5V alkaline “button” battery commonly used in calculators, watches, toys and other devices that draw very low current. The price of Chinese Brand 1 would need to be 73% of the Energizer price to be equal.You can buy very cheap batteries at the dollar store, but how’s the performance? I tested two pieces each of 1) generic and 2) leading brand LR44 batteries using commonly used discharge conditions. To calculate capacity (mAh), we take the current and multiply by the hours:Ĭhinese Brand 1: 1.5/6.8 x 500 = 110 mAh.Īs you can see, these generic batteries have less capacity when compared with the same cut off voltage. Current is calculated by dividing the voltage by the resistance.

Using a cut off voltage of 1.3V, we see Chinese brand 1 reaches it in 500 hours draining at 6800 ohms. But to compare equally, you must use the same cut off voltage which is the voltage the battery is considered fully discharged. Lists capacity at 150 mAh.Īt a glance of the numbers, it seems the cheaper Chinese brand batteries have more capacity than the brand name Energizer batteries. Lists capacity at 165 mAh.Įnergizer Brand.

Lists capacity at 158 mAh.Ĭhinese Brand 2. Often they will claim 150 to 165 mAh capacity, but is that really true? To find out, you need to take a closer look at their data sheet to compare apples to apples.Ĭhinese Brand 1. When shopping for an LR44 equivalent, you can compare battery capacity by looking at the milliampere (mAh) number. If you use a lot of LR44 batteries, then the following info can be useful. This is why devices that require a certain voltage to operate will seem to eat up alkaline batteries because at 50% capacity, the alkaline battery will not have enough voltage to operate the device. You can see silver oxide equivalent batteries maintain a higher voltage longer.

Some electronics which require a certain voltage to operate such as a digital caliper, will fare better with a silver oxide battery.Ĭompare the following voltage discharge graphs. If you are just using the battery for some toys, blinking lights, or a calculator, an alkaline might suit you better. The differences are the price, battery life, and voltage. Alkaline LR44 batteries are cheaper, but which one should you use?

But with the price of silver going up, they are getting more expensive all the time. So if you are buying from a big box retailer, you will only probably find 357 or 303 Energizer or Duracell batteries. These days, brand name batteries are mainly selling silver oxide equivalents.

#LR44 BATTERY HOW TO#

Prices can range among equivalent batteries and knowing how to compare specifications will make you better informed for choosing one. So now you know the equivalent names, but even though the size is the same, they may not be exactly alike. Generally, if it lists any alkaline name, then the batteries are alkaline and not silver oxide. Many generic packages will list both AG13 and 357 on the label, which are different battery chemistries. The most common silver oxide equivalents are: LR44 can be also be replaced with a silver oxide battery. The most common equivalent batteries are: This is a guide to the several equivalent LR44 batteries so you know which one to buy.

Lr44 battery