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D Cell battery current

I have a Duracell D battery that has a voltage of 1.5V. I am curious on how much current I can expect to draw from this batter. Wikipedia shows that for a standard D cell alkaline battery the capacity is

20500 (mAh). Does this mean that each battery should be able to provide 20 A h?

My system draws about 1A so it should run for 20 hours? Unfortunately the battery doesn't seem to be giving me back that much current and I was hoping if someone could explain what is going on. In fact when I first power up my system there is a surger of current drawn and the D cells don't seem to handle that well.

How can I figure how much current the D cell battery is rated to provided? I don't see anything on the packaging.

If I need more current with the same batteries what should I do? Line them up in parallel? Will this double the current?

Thanks for your thoughts.

-Henk

Reply to
Dutchman
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Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida
Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

"Dutchman"

** Only if discharged over a long period - like 100 hours.

Plus you call 0.9 volts the end.

** See the maker's data:

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Be lucky to make 3 hours.

** See the maker's data:

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** Use a NiCd or NiMH rechargeable.

A D size one of of them will give you 1 amp for 5 hours or more.

.......... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

Huh?

Total energy storage of NiCd or NiMH is much less than primary batteries. Although higher current, time to discharge is much shorter.

Lithium D's provide best energy density with high current.

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Reply to
Don Lancaster

** Utter bollocks.

Go look up the data instead of citing fallacies.

Recent AA NiMH cells have more capacity than AA alkalines.

Sanyo NiMH D cells are rated up to 8.5 AH with a 10 amp discharge and 7 AH at 40 amp discharge.

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....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

The ma-hr rating is taken at a current that is 1/10th of the rating. You cold measure the short circuit current 'real quick' with a small resistance. You caould also time how long it takes to discharge thru a

1 ohm R for example.
Reply to
BobG

Thanks for the great info guys!!! :)

Reply to
Dutchman

Google the 'Peukerts effect' it applies to lead acid batteries, and in some cases can be applied to others. The limiting factor for discharge current is internal resistance.

Cheers

Reply to
Martin Riddle

How about you bother to check the datasheet that presented previously. The alkalines were comming in at over 20 Ah.

--
 JosephKK
 Gegen dummheit kampfen die Gotter Selbst, vergebens.  
  --Schiller
Reply to
joseph2k

"joseph2k = Criminal Pile of Stinking SHIT "

** Try ACTUALLY reading the FUCKING thing !!!!!!!!!!

YOU vile slimy pile of autistic, psychotic

KIDDIE ROOTING EXCREMENT.

....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

The "capacity" is totally dependent upon the load current and the voltage at which your system determine the battery to be "dead" at. So the capacity of a cell is *not* the same at different load currents. Look at the data and graphs for an Alkaline D cell:

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For a *constant current* of 1A, an Energizer D cell will last just over 7 hours to 0.8V. If your device only works down to 1V per cell, then that drops to 3 hours life.

Dave.

Reply to
David L. Jones

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