Battery sizes: AAA, AA,... A?

My wife asks–and I don’t want to look like a total dumbass by not knowing something, so I stealth off and log in here–why we don’t have “A” size batteries?

Good question, I reply. We’ve got AAA and AA… then skip to C and D. So what happened to “A”? And for that matter: where are the “B” sized batteries?

I think at one time (in the early days of radio), when homes with electricity were rare, radios used A size batteries, there may have been other sizes as well that were phased out of use. by the way i have always thought that AAA bateries exist just to cost more that is they don’t last as long and cost more when it is very slightly physically smaller, it looks like things could be designed to have space for AA easily and they are much cheaper/more plentiful, but maybe thats just me.

And ‘b’ cells are inside the 6V lantern battery (you have to open it up to see them). They just became unpopular for other things.

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_005b.html

The master speaks.

B Cells exist in Europe, and A Cells are used for memory protection devices. Looks like this.

Thanks, all! I am now going to pass on this information as though “I just remembered” it…
…not that she’ll buy that, but, you know, it’s worth a shot.

Again: Gracias!

Can anyone tell me why those little lithium camera batteries are so damned expensive? - I bought a CR2 today for my Ixus and it cost me £7.25 - for a tiny little thing the size of a peanut.

Is it that they are actually difficult/expensive to manufacture. oir is it just that the manufacturers realise they have the punters but the balls and can charge whatever they like?

What about those square 9V batteries? What classification do they fall under?

9V batteries (PP3) are true batterries - most of the others are actually ‘cells’. If you open up a PP3, you’ll find six AAAA size 9yes it is a real size) cells inside, wired together in series.

(I don’t recommend doing this)

A little from column A and a little from column B Mangetout. Cells like that are a little more expensive but price can vary wildly depending on where you buy. I use CR123 batteries in a few items and I can pay $6 for them in a department or camera shop or $1.25 from a company that makes tactical flashlights that use them.

Say, has anyone else seen AAAA (4A) batteries? A friend told me he’s seen them and I thought I saw them in best buy once but neglected to buy a pack for evidence.

Yes, you can buy them in packs of 2 at RadioShack, Padeye. $2.99/2 IIRC.

I have seen AAAA batts, I think their used for camerias. I didn’t know 9v uses them, it appears to be too small, and I assumed the cells in a 9v are rectangular which AAAA is not.

No, there really are 6 x 1.5 V AAAA cells in a 9 V battery. I’ve disassembled several of them, and they’re all made that way.

OK if your sure.

It would seem that companies such as duracell and energizer would come up with a rectangular cell over the tubeler AAAA cell to increase energy density (and give longer run time) why do they stich with putting tubes into a rectangular case?

Actually I just had to see for myself, just took out my leatherman and pealed open a duracell (it opened like a canned ham). And there are 6 AAAA cells (I assumed they would be stacked horozontal and hence not fit, but they are vertically stacked.

That’s not half as bad as the underhandedness of rechargeable NiCd maufacturers. Consumer Reports did an investigation of D-sized cells and found that evey brand they tested, excpet RadiShack, was a C-size cell in a D-size package. The RS D-cell was a the only true D. Whodathunkit?

IIRC the radioshack Hi-Cap D cell (High Capacity) was a true D, their standard D was a C (or even an AA).

http://www.mdsbattery.co.uk/shop/productprofile.asp?ProductGroupID=836

RadioShack AAAAs. The price went up.