C battery

See also: Battery C

For the battery used to power vacuum tubes in early electronic devices, see C battery (vacuum tube).

The C battery (C size battery or R14 battery) is a standard size of dry cell battery typically used in medium-drain applications such as toys, flashlights, and musical instruments.

Two C-size batteries

As of 2007, C batteries accounted for 4% of alkaline primary battery sales in the United States. In Switzerland as of 2008, C batteries totalled 5.4% of primary battery sales and 3.4% of secondary (rechargeable) battery sales.^[1][2]

Properties

D, C, AA, AAA, AAAA & 9-volt batteries

A C battery measures 50 mm (1.97 in) length and 26.2 mm (1.03 in) diameter.^[3]

The voltage and capacity of a C-size battery depends on the battery chemistry and discharge conditions. The nominal voltage is 1.5V. Alkaline C batteries have a storage capacity up to 8000 mAh while rechargeable NiMH C batteries can hold up to 6000 mAh. Zinc-carbon C batteries usually hold up to 3800 mAh. Compared to the AAA and AA batteries, C-batteries' storage capacities are significantly higher.^[4]

Standardisation

Like the D battery, the C battery size has been standardized since the 1920s.^[5] The AA, AAA, and N sizes have been in common use since the 1950s.^[6] It is descended from the old No. 1 dry cell battery for flashlights which was of a similar size, originally the zinc casing was formed around a broom handle.

The C battery is called "14" in current ANSI standards of battery nomenclature, and in IEC standards is designated "R14".

Other common names

• U11 (In Britain until the 1980s)
• MN1400
• MX1400
• Baby
• Bébielem (Hungary)
• Type 343 (Soviet Union/Russia)
• BA-42 (US Military Spec World War II–1980s)
• UM 2 (JIS)
• No. 2 (China)
• 6135-99-199-4779 (NSN) (carbon-zinc)
• 6135-99-117-3212 (NSN) (alkaline)
• HP-11
• Mezza torcia (Italy)
• Pila Mediana (Argentina)
• Pilha média (Brazil)
• Orta Pil / Orta boy pil (Turkey)
• Pin Trung (Vietnam)

See also

• Battery holder
• List of battery sizes