The AA battery is the most widely used battery in the world and is found in hundreds of thousands of devices. IEC codes for AA batteries include the popular LR6 alkaline batteries for AA batteries and HR6 batteries for NiMH rechargeable batteries. The normal voltage for these batteries is 1.5 V, while rechargeable batteries typically provide 1.2 V. Newer AA lithium batteries offer much greater capacity for a slightly higher price. Introduced in 1907, the size of the AA battery was standardized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in 1947, but it had been used in flashlights and electrical novelties for some time before it was officially standardized. ANSI and IEC battery nomenclature gives several designations for cells of this size, depending on cell characteristics and chemistry. Each AA battery has a length of 51mm and a diameter of 14mm. The formats in which the AA battery is available are: alkaline batteries, saline batteries, long-life lithium batteries and rechargeable batteries of different capacities. AA alkaline batteries have a shelf life of approximately 6 years, while AA lithium equivalents last up to 9 years before use. AA rechargeable batteries are now available in NiMH with capacities up to 2850 mAh and are also available in new 'pre-charged' technology which allows you to use them straight from the package.
