V Battery
Microbattery.com has an vast selection of 9V batteries, that can readily start up high current equipment with dynamic instantaneous power, and deliver a stable current for many hours.
There are many devices that utilize the 9V battery. Devices that accept the 9V battery include, but are not limited to, portable radios TV’s, motorized toys, clocks, electronic games, cellular telephones, electronic photo-flashes, and more. The most common non-commercial use of 9V batteries is in smoke detectors. Considering the ability of a smoke detector to save lives, it is important to ensure a high quality 9V battery be utilized. Microbattery only carries high quality 9V batteries from reputable manufacturers. When it is time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors try the Rayovac Ultra Pro 9V battery 6-pack !
For those considering changing out there smoke detector batteries, please consider: Although 9V rechargeable batteries are refered to as 9V batteries, they tend to offer a weaker output (voltage) of about 8.4V than non-rechargeable 9V batteries. This may cause issues in smoke detectors by causing false or innaccuarate alarms. As smoke detectors can save lives, the proper 9V battery should be utilized for this applications. Alkaline 9V batteries are best for smoke detectors, but primary lithium 9V batteries can be used as well. Carbon zinc batteries should be avoided as leakage from old carbon zinc 9V batteries can cause corrosion on smoke detector connections.
We have a wide range of brand selections to choose from for 9V alkaline battery, 9V rechargeable battery, and 9V lithium battery.
9V Battery Equivalents Are: 6LR61, 6AM6, Duracell MN1604, Rayovac A1604, Energier 522, Varta 4922, MX2400, 1604A, Radio Battery, Smoke Alarm, 9V Block, Krona, PP3.
For large wholesale and B2B orders please contact us directly at (305)-371-9200
Toshiba 9 V Heavy Duty SP/1, Box of 10 Batteries
Panasonic 9V Alkaline Plus Power Battery, 6AM-6PA/1B (1 Pack)
Rayovac Ultra Pro 9V Cell Batteries 6 pack
Technical Specifications Of The 9V Battery
9V Battery Nominal Voltage:
Capacity (9V Battery Alkaline) ≈
Capacity (9V Battery Carbon-Zinc) ≈
Capacity (9V Battery Lithium Primary) ≈
9V Battery Operating Temperature:
Alkaline, Lithium, Carbon-Zinc, NiCd, NiMH, Lithium-Ion
What is 9V Battery?
A 9V battery is an extremely common battery that has many uses and is produced in many different chemistries. 9V Batterys are rectangular in shape and with dimensions 17.5 x 48.5 x 26.5 mm. They are unique in that both the cathode and anode (positive negative terminals) are both located on the same face of the battery. 9v Battery characteristics and performance vary greatly depending on the chemistry, manufacturer, and rating. 9V batteries also offer both primary and secondary battery models (non-rechargeable rechargeable). The 9V battery is a versatile, long lasting battery design that has more applications than can be named.
What Battery Is Equivalent To 9V?
The 9V battery was originally a part of the EverReady Power Pack (PP) line. The most common 9V battery in this line, is referred to as the PP3 battery. This is the typical 9V battery you would use today. The alkaline variant of the 9V battery is also referred to as 6LR61 and 006P. Other industry names for the 9V battery can be Duracell MN1604, Rayovac A1604, Energizer 522, Varta 4922, MX2400, 1604A, Radio Battery, Smoke Alarm Battery, 9V Block, and Krona.
How Long Does a 9V Battery Last?
The typical shelf life (storage in good condition) of an alkaline 9V battery will typically be about 10 years. The service life of a 9V battery can depend on a variety of factors. Most importantly it is determined by the chemistry/quality of the battery and the load you are putting it under. Applications that require a mild energy use, using a high quality battery can see battery life of up to 5 years. demanding applications and adverse environmental conditions like heat and moisture can result in a shortening of battery service life.
How Many AMPS in a 9V Battery?
The amperage (AMPS) of a 9V battery will vary greatly depending chemistry, manufacturer, and rating of the battery. The 9V batteries with the highest AMPS will be those of lithium chemistry, while the lowest AMPS will typically be those of Carbon-Zinc or Ni-MH chemistries. Both groups of chemisties will have their advantages and disadvantages, for example, although the lithium 9V batteries are most powerful they also tend to be higher priced. The Carbon-Zinc although the weakest will typically be the cheapest option. The Ni-MH 9v battery has the advantage of being recharged. For your middle ground on performance and cost, your best bet is a 9V battery in alkaline chemistry.
How to Test a 9V Battery:
There are a multitude of battery testing devices on the market that will work with 9V batteries. Typically you can expect to connect a tester to the positive and negative ends of the battery, and then recieve a reading from your device. This reading is done by the tester sending a pulse through the battery. Testing your batteries should not normally drain them or shorten the overall life, if done correctly.
What Is The 9V Battery Used For?
The 9V battery is used in many different applications. 9 volt batteries can frequently be seen used in radios, smoke alarms, wall clocks, walkie-talkies, portable electronics, and much more. In the American prison system inmates have even been known to utilize the 9 volt battery to light cigarettes by adding a steel wool or wire to create an ultra hot contact point. This is not recommended as it can cause harm to you and your battery, but goes to show how many uses 9V batteries can have.
How to Dispose of 9V Batteries?
For great information on battery recycling locations, regulations, and methods please click here to be redirected to the Microbattery Battery Recycling Center
Where to Buy 9V batteries:
9V batteries are extremely common and popular. This means that a wide variety of manufacturers make these batteries and a wide variety of retailers sell the battery. It is important to keep in mind that not all 9V batteries are created equal and that not all retailers have the same dedication to quality. To avoid low quality or worse, counterfeit batteries, it is important to only purchase your batteries from a highly reputable retailer that sells only the highest quality of brands.
Microbattery.com has been selling batteries online for over 25 Years and has one of the widest variety of batteries available, including all types of the 9V battery, from a variety of world-renowned manufacturers. For all your battery needs, please consider Microbattery.com and let them be your battery expert!
9V Battery Additional Resources:
For additional battery information and other technical data please visit the Microbattery.com: Battery University Knowledge Resource Center
Shop Popular Alkaline Batteries:
EBL 4-Bay 9 Volt Battery Charger for 9V Li-ion Ni-MH Ni-CD Batteries
WHAT ARE EBL’S SHIPPING OPTIONS?
Each order from EBL is shipped from the United States and will be delivered by standard shipping with an estimated delivery time of 7-14 business days.
When will my order be shipped?
We usually take 2 to 5 business days to schedule shipments, except for pre-sales items. A notification will be sent to the customer via email after shipment.
Which countries do you ship to?
We can ship to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Do you ship internationally on your website? Can you ship to my country?
Our website is still testing shipping products worldwide. Therefore, the shipping cost charged at checkout is an estimate and will be based on the actual postage cost incurred when the product is sent by courier (generally based on the weight and volume of the products).Please Note: We will refund the excess if the postage charged is more than the actual shipping charge. Meanwhile, if the postage charged is less than the actual shipping cost, we will also charge the customer for the additional shipping cost.
Domestic Shipping
Orders over 25
Orders under 25
Standard shipping charge of 5
Weight Between 1-4oz
Weight Between 5-15oz
Weight Between 16-25oz
Weight Between 26-49oz
Weight Between 50-80oz
Delivery areas within the U.S.
EBL official website supports delivery to most areas of the United States. We cannot deliver to the following areas:
- American Samoa
- Guam
- Marshall Islands
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Palau
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Armed Forces Americas
- Armed Forces Europe
- Armed Forces Pacific
Please note: Power stations and solar panels cannot be shipped to Hawaii, Puerto Rico or Alaska.
Thank you for your understanding.
International Shipping
We also offer international shipping to the following countries: Canada and Mexico.
And we can ship to other countries, but only for wholesale orders. Please contact us at support@eblofficial.com for more details.
As we are still testing shipping of EBL products to all parts of the world. Therefore, the shipping charges charged at checkout are an estimate and the actual shipping charges will be based on the actual postage costs incurred when the product is sent by the courier (generally based on the weight and volume of the product).
Please note
- Batteries cannot be shipped to other countries.
- If the postage charged is more than the actual postage cost, we will refund the excess. Also, if the postage charged is less than the actual shipping cost, we will charge the customer for the additional shipping cost.
Notes:
1) Standard Shipping is not available for P.O. Boxes and APO/FPO addresses.
2) After the order has been paid, the warehouse needs 2-5 business days to process your order. You will receive a notification once your order has been shipped.
3) If you place more than one order, you may get multiple deliveries. We’ll send you a shipping confirmation email for each order, so you’ll know exactly what to expect and when to expect it.
4) In most cases, the package will be delivered within the estimated time of arrival. However, the actual delivery date may be affected by weather conditions and other external factors. Please refer to the tracking information for the most accurate delivery date.
5) If there is any shipping issue with your package, you must contact Customer Support within 30 days of placing your order.
How would EBL Official ship my order?
USPS and UPS are our logistics partners to ship out EBL products. we will choose the carrier that we think works best for our customers.
How do I check the status of my order?
Once your order is picked up by the carrier at our warehouse, we will send you a shipment tracking update email with the estimated delivery date and tracking number. If you do not receive this email, please check your spam or junk mail folder or contact us by email at support@eblofficial.com.
I ordered more than one item. Will they all be delivered at the same time?
We try to make sure all your items reach you at the same time. Sometimes our products are not always sent together since different shipping options can be used,depending on the product. Once an item has been shipped,you will receive a shipment notification email.
Why is there no tracking update?
If your order is still under the estimated delivery time frame, kindly wait patiently. Once this process has been completed, you will see tracking updates.
If your order has not been updated for a long time and is overdue, you may contact the shipping courier or contact us for help.
Can I change the delivery address of my package after it has been shipped out?
Unfortunately, we cannot change the shipping address once the product is in transit.
What do I need to do when the product I received is different from the one I ordered?
Please provide some details about the issue and contact customer support at support@eblofficial.com.
Delivered but Not Received
If the tracking information shows that your package has been delivered, but you cannot find it, please wait two business days for it to arrive. In the meantime, we recommend that you check your home and ask your neighbors if they may have received it for you.2. If after that you still haven’t received it, please contact us via support@eblofficial.com and we will be happy to help you.
Welcome to EBL’s Warranty and Refund Policy page, where you can email us directly if you encounter any quality-related problems after purchasing EBL products. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience your purchase of EBL products may cause.
If your product is defective during the warranty period, please contact us by mail or via live chat and let us know what we can do to help you.
We will take care of all quality-related issues and offer a REPLACEMENT or FULL REFUND, including the return shipping costs.
Please note that this page is for products purchased through eblofficial.com. For products purchased through the EBL store on sites such as eBay and Amazon or from EBL’s authorized distributors, please contact them directly.
Warranty Period
All products purchased from EBL are guaranteed with a 12-month hassle-free warranty. In each case, the warranty period is measured starting on the date of purchase by the original consumer purchaser.
Valid Proof of Purchase
A sales receipt from the consumer’s first purchase, or other reasonable proof, is required in order to confirm the start date of the warranty period. Please provide both of the following vouchers when processing warranty claims:

- Provided order number from eblofficial.com.
- The email or phone number or name used to place the order.
Limited to Original Consumer Buyer
The warranty on EBL’s product is limited to the original consumer purchaser and is not transferable to any subsequent owner.
Warranty excludes :
- Products without sufficient proof of purchase.
- Damage caused by misuse the faulty parts.(including static discharge).
- Improper installation.
- Damaged by yourself.
- Purchase the product by mistake.
- Neglect, accident or modification, which have been soldered or altered during assembly.
- Complimentary products.
How to claim warranty?
To obtain warranty service, please contact our customer service team at support@eblofficial.com.
Exchange
EBL will replace any EBL product that fails to operate within the applicable warranty period due to defect in workmanship or material. The replacement product assumes the remaining warranty period of the original product.
Refund
We offer a 30 day hassle-free money back guarantee on items purchased directly from eblofficial.com. ( We only provide prepaid return label for quality problem products. Other than that, customers need to pay for the return shipping fee. ) If for any reason you are not satisfied and would like to return an item, please let us know within 30 days.

Refunds can only be issued to the original payment method and cannot be issued to other cards or bank accounts. Refunds will be processed within 3-5 business days, and refunds generally take 10-15 business days to be returned to the original payment method.
Note: Once the package is shipped, any shipping costs paid at the time of the order, if applicable, are non-refundable.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted:
- Products with missing parts that do not affect normal use.
- Products that cannot be replaced and have quality problems in part.
Return shipping costs should be paid by the customer in the following situations:
- Purchase the product by mistake.
- Usage of product contrary to its stated instructions.
- Returning products without any proven defect.
- Removal of identification labels such as, but not limited to, the original label, patent, serial number, or trade dress.
- Damage caused by improper storage, abuse or user error.
- Neglect, accident or modification, which have been soldered or altered during assembly.
Late or Missing Refunds
If you haven’t received your refund, first check your bank account again. If payment was made by credit card, we will refund the money to your account once we receive the product. Please allow 10-15 business days for the credit to be applied to your credit card or original payment method.Then contact your credit card company, it may take some time for your refund to be officially posted. Next contact your bank. There is usually some processing time before the refund is credited. If you have done all of this and you still have not received your refund, please contact us at support@eblofficial.com.
How do I return an item?
- Get in touch with us and start the return process within 30 days of the original shipping date.
- Provide proof of purchase from eblofficial.com (either the email address, phone number used to register, or order number).
- The product should be returned in its original packaging, unused, and in the same condition as the item you received.
- Refunds will be processed within 3-5 business days after we confirm receipt of your returned items at our warehouse.
Review: Tenergy Centura Low Self-Discharge Rechargeable 9V Battery
Ever since I tested the first AA low self-discharge NiMH rechargeable battery, I’ve been waiting for someone to produce one in the 9V (PP3) size. It seems like everyone is producing the AA size, and some manufacturers are also making the smaller AAA, but no one has taken the trouble to make a 9V battery. Until now.
This lack of interest on the part of manufacturers in producing a 9V battery is probably due to the relatively few applications for this battery. Those of you over the age of about 35 may remember these referred to as “transistor radio batteries”, but improvements in technology have rendered them obsolete for that purpose. However, they are still used, and I have two devices that would benefit from a rechargeable 9V battery: an active-noise-reduction (ANR) aviation headset, and the remote control for my gas fireplace.
So, I was quite happy when I received an e-mail one day from Tenergy, asking if I’d like to review their new Centura line of line of low self-discharge AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V batteries. So far I’ve tested the AA and AAA sizes (included in my low self-discharge battery comparison), and the 9V size described here.
First Glance
The Tenergy Centura 9V battery is, of course, the same size and shape as any other 9V battery. Its rated capacity is 200mAh, which is about half the capacity of a disposable 9V alkaline battery, and slightly below average among rechargeable 9V NiMH batteries.
Like any NiMH (or NiCd) 9V battery, the Tenergy Centura doesn’t actually produce 9 Volts. This is because NiMH and NiCd batteries must be made up from individual NiMH or NiCd cells, each of which produces 1.2 Volts. Thus, the voltage of the entire battery must be a multiple of 1.2V.
A disposable alkaline 9V battery is made up of six 1.5V alkaline cells, giving a total of 9V. Many “9V” rechargeable batteries are similarly made of from six 1.2V NiMH cells, giving a total of only 7.2V. Some devices designed to operate from 9V batteries will not work with such a low voltage.
I was glad to find that Tenergy’s 9V battery produces 8.4V, meaning that it is made up from seven cells instead of only six. Of course, that means that each cell must be slightly smaller, thus giving the slightly lower than average capacity. However, the higher voltage means that in many applications, the usable capacity will be higher (that is, the capacity before the voltage drops too low to operate the device).
Test Results
I tested the Tenergy 9V batteries using my BattMan II computer controlled battery manager. Both charging and discharging were done at a current of 140 mA, which is the lowest available current setting. This is probably a higher current than the batteries are intended for, although not high enough to overheat and damage them, so it is a good test of their abilities.
As with my series of AA tests, the 9V batteries were tested in four stages:
- Fresh out of the package (i.e. how pre-charged they are).
- Immediately after being recharged.
- One week after being recharged.
- Seven weeks after being recharged.
At each stage, the capacity (in mAh), energy capacity (in mWh), average voltage under load (in V), and internal resistance (in Ω) were measured. The results reported below are the average of the two batteries tested (although they were very close in all respects).
Fresh From the Package
This test determines how the battery performs fresh from the package. One benefit of low self-discharge technology is that the manufacturer can pre-charge the battery, so that it has some usable capacity as soon as you buy it. This is probably the least important test result, because there are too many variables other than the ability of the battery to retain a charge. These include the conditions encountered during shipping, and the amount of time the battery has been on the shelf in the store. Nonetheless, it is interesting to know.
The 128mAh delivered is only about 64% of the rated capacity, but this is also typical for most AA low self-discharge batteries. To simplify pre-charging (by not requiring banks of “Smart” chargers), most manufacturers only pre-charge to about 70%.
Immediately after Recharging
Any rechargeable battery, whether low self-discharge or “regular”, will perform best immediately after it has been recharged. This is the condition under which manufacturers rate the battery’s capacity.
I was very surprised with these results for two reasons. First, the delivered capacity was almost exactly the same as the rated capacity, despite the fact that I was drawing much more current than the standard C/5 rate used when rating batteries (40mA for a 200mAh battery). Second, the average voltage under load was a very respectable 8.62V, meaning that equipment designed for a 9V battery should not have any issues with this battery. At a more reasonable 40mA discharge, you can expect the average voltage to be about 8.74V.
One Week after Recharging
The “one-week” test is the first one that gives some idea of the battery’s low self-discharge characteristics. Here are the results:
At first these results disappointed me a bit, since an 85% charge retention after only one week is worse than the seven-week retention of most of the AA batteries that I’ve tested. I suspected that most of this loss occured in the first few hours and that the ongoing rate of loss wouldn’t be this high.
Seven Weeks after Recharging
This is the real low self-discharge test. After seven weeks, many normal NiMH batteries have almost no usable capacity remaining. The 9V Centuras performed very well here:
Although they were down to 81% after seven weeks, they still retained 95% of the charge they had after one week. Thus my guess that the rate of loss would decrease was borne out.
Longer Term Predictions
Batteries lose charge approximately exponentially, meaning that over any fixed length period of time, the percentage loss is about the same. Given two data points, one can estimate the loss rate, and from that predict the capacity over longer time periods.
Based on the 1-week and 7-week results, this battery can be expected to provide about 135mA after six months of storage, and about 110mA after a year. Keep in mind that these figures are for the overly-high discharge rate I used, so results in real applications should be even better.
Charging
Tenergy produces several Smart chargers suitable for their 9V Centura battery. In theory, any Smart 9V NiMH charger will work, so long as it is not one of the super-fast (under an hour) ones. Do not use a dumb charger, as leaving the battery connected to it after charging has completed will damage the battery.
Applications
I mentioned the two applications that I personally have for these batteries, and that is how I intend to test them next.
My aviation headset (a low cost model converted to ANR with a retrofit kit) gives me about 15 hours of operation from a 9V alkaline battery. That works out to a couple of batteries per year. I would expect to get about half that time from the Tenergy 9V battery, but since it is rechargeable, there are no batteries to buy or throw out.
Our gas fireplace remote control is unusual in two ways: it is ultrasonic instead of infra-red, and it uses a 9V battery instead of the two AA or AAA batteries used by other remotes. It too uses a few batteries per year, so the Centuras should be a good choice there too.
One place I will not be using this battery is in our smoke detectors. Although I should replace the batteries once per year, I rarely remember to do so, meaning the rechargeable battery could actually run down before I get around to recharging it. Our smoke alarms are dual-powered (AC and DC), so they only drain the battery during a power failure, hence alkaline batteries with their long shelf life last for years at a time.
Where to Buy Them
Tenergy batteries are available in North America from Amazon.com:
Related Articles
If you’ve found this article useful, you may also be interested in:
Комментарии и мнения владельцев
Jon January 30, 2011 Thank you for the tests. I wouldn’t be surprised if you opened the case that you would find AAA batteries inside.
Stefan Vorkoetter January 30, 2011 I think you probably mean AAAA batteries, and that would be true if this battery were 7.2V, but it’s 8.4V, and there’s no way to fit seven AAAA batteries inside a 9V case.
Jon January 31, 2011 Good point Stefan, I didn’t take into account the voltage (and yes, I did miss an “A” ;-). I do know however that some 9 volt “transistor radio” batteries do contain AAAA batteries. http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-get-6-aaaa-batteries-from-9v-battery-267606/
Jesus- Matthew July 15, 2011 I disagree with your comment about smoke alarms. Until LSD NiMH came around, unwired smoke detectors were the only place neither alkaline nor rechargeables made sense. A (non-rechargable) lithium battery will typically last MANY YEARS in a smoke detector. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004W3ZE says: “The Ultralife 10 Year Smoke Detector Battery is the only 9V battery warranted to last 10 years. Alkaline batteries in smoke detectors have to be changed every year. With the Ultralife 10 Year Battery, state-of-the-art lithium technology keeps your life-saving detector energized for a full 10 years. You can forget all those “low-battery” alarms that always seem to sound in the middle of the night. “ if only used in an ionization-type smoke alarm! With dual-powered (AC and DC) smoke alarms, and LSD NiMH in the picture, I’m not sure which is best when. Would enjoy reading of your thoughts.
Gerry Boate October 14, 2011 Stephan, Wondering if I could use 9.6 or 8.4v NiMH for my Martin guitar electronics without shortening life of or damaging the electronics? It really goes through 9 volt disposables. Thanks for the great articles! Gerry
Kiriakos Triantafillou June 27, 2012 There is a PDF file about those batteries. With all the characteristics about discharge rates. One year storage at 20 Celsius = 60% retaining capacity. Three months at 40 Celsius = 60% retaining capacity. Greece summer 30C room temp = 6 months the most of 60% retaining capacity. This is just an estimation, but I got four of them and the truth will shine. Either way the presentation at the Tenergy web site about two years retaining capacity. is a true Fairy tale.
Cstratta December 15, 2012 Will a 9v dc power supply operate a unit with a 7.2v dc power supply without damaging it. Say a stun gun with a rechargeable battery
larry starr September 09, 2013 I purchased the tn141 charger and four batteries, when the first battery went dead i put in a new one and tried to charge the dead one, it won’t take a charge, had it on the charger for five hours and it tests at.01 the new batteries test at 8.9. Do i have a bad charger? I purchased them from Amazon.com. Who should i contact to get this replaced? Thanks
gary b October 20, 2013 Perhaps you have a bad charger,mine goes from red to green and so far so good. I wonder how many charges they will last or is it good to replace after a year or so. I use mine in shure chordless mikes.
Wayne August 18, 2014 by your measurement, your 9v battery should contain 6 cells instead of 7 cells. 1.2v is nominal voltage. the freshly charged single AA/AAA is measured 1.4v-1.45v. 1.28v when partially discharged.
Stefan Vorkoetter August 18, 2014 Wayne, I made my measurements with 140mA load placed on the battery. A freshly charged NiMH cell will only read 1.4V with _no_ load. It will read close to 1.2V with a significant load (which 140mA is for such small cells). Also, those voltages I give are the _average_ over the entire discharge cycle, not just fresh off the charger. By the way, you can’t tell anything about the state of charge of a NiMH battery by measuring the no-load voltage.
Wayne August 20, 2014 Stefan, you are right. I just bought two battery for the test. Out of the package the open voltage is 9.0v which means 7 individual cells.
Emil May 02, 2016 Hi Stefan, I keep on having to replace the 9V battery on my FLUKE 87 DMM like 5 times a year. I am looking to buy 9V batteries that can be recharged. What Brand do you recommend? A charger recommendation would be great too.
Stefan Vorkoetter May 03, 2016 I’m currently using the Powerex Imedion 9.6V battery in most 9V battery applications. It would probably work well in your DMM.
Emil May 04, 2016 What Charger do you use for it? What do you think of the Powerex-MHR9V-230mAh-Rechargeable-Battery?
Stefan Vorkoetter May 05, 2016 I use my home-made Battman II charger. I have no experience with the MHR9V, so can’t really comment, other than to point out that it’s not a low-self-discharge type, which mean it will gradually run down over a few months even if you’re not using the DMM.
Richard Merriam January 26, 2018 If you own a Paklite,(many pilots do) have you found a rechargeable 9 volt battery that will securely connect to it? I’ve had problems with the Tenergy Centura, as well as others. The battery case is slightly longer than an alkaline so the terminals are lower to compensate for that.
Stefan Vorkoetter January 26, 2018 I don’t own one, but you could try a Powerex Imedion 9V battery (which are actually available in both 8.4V and 9.6V versions).
Buy Stefan a coffee! If you’ve found this article useful, consider leaving a donation to help support stefanv.com
Disclaimer: Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and reliability, the information on this web page is presented without warranty of any kind, and Stefan Vorkoetter assumes no liability for direct or consequential damages caused by its use. It is up to you, the reader, to determine the suitability of, and assume responsibility for, the use of this information. Links to Amazon.com merchandise are provided in association with Amazon.com. Links to eBay searches are provided in association with the eBay partner network.
Copyright: All materials on this web site, including the text, images, and mark-up, are Copyright © 2023 by Stefan Vorkoetter unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited. You may link to this site or pages within it, but you may not link directly to images on this site, and you may not copy any material from this site to another web site or other publication without express written permission. You may make copies for your own personal use.
Review: Tenergy Centura Low Self-Discharge Rechargeable 9V Battery
Ever since I tested the first AA low self-discharge NiMH rechargeable battery, I’ve been waiting for someone to produce one in the 9V (PP3) size. It seems like everyone is producing the AA size, and some manufacturers are also making the smaller AAA, but no one has taken the trouble to make a 9V battery. Until now.
This lack of interest on the part of manufacturers in producing a 9V battery is probably due to the relatively few applications for this battery. Those of you over the age of about 35 may remember these referred to as “transistor radio batteries”, but improvements in technology have rendered them obsolete for that purpose. However, they are still used, and I have two devices that would benefit from a rechargeable 9V battery: an active-noise-reduction (ANR) aviation headset, and the remote control for my gas fireplace.
So, I was quite happy when I received an e-mail one day from Tenergy, asking if I’d like to review their new Centura line of line of low self-discharge AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V batteries. So far I’ve tested the AA and AAA sizes (included in my low self-discharge battery comparison), and the 9V size described here.
First Glance
The Tenergy Centura 9V battery is, of course, the same size and shape as any other 9V battery. Its rated capacity is 200mAh, which is about half the capacity of a disposable 9V alkaline battery, and slightly below average among rechargeable 9V NiMH batteries.
Like any NiMH (or NiCd) 9V battery, the Tenergy Centura doesn’t actually produce 9 Volts. This is because NiMH and NiCd batteries must be made up from individual NiMH or NiCd cells, each of which produces 1.2 Volts. Thus, the voltage of the entire battery must be a multiple of 1.2V.
A disposable alkaline 9V battery is made up of six 1.5V alkaline cells, giving a total of 9V. Many “9V” rechargeable batteries are similarly made of from six 1.2V NiMH cells, giving a total of only 7.2V. Some devices designed to operate from 9V batteries will not work with such a low voltage.
I was glad to find that Tenergy’s 9V battery produces 8.4V, meaning that it is made up from seven cells instead of only six. Of course, that means that each cell must be slightly smaller, thus giving the slightly lower than average capacity. However, the higher voltage means that in many applications, the usable capacity will be higher (that is, the capacity before the voltage drops too low to operate the device).
Test Results
I tested the Tenergy 9V batteries using my BattMan II computer controlled battery manager. Both charging and discharging were done at a current of 140 mA, which is the lowest available current setting. This is probably a higher current than the batteries are intended for, although not high enough to overheat and damage them, so it is a good test of their abilities.

As with my series of AA tests, the 9V batteries were tested in four stages:
- Fresh out of the package (i.e. how pre-charged they are).
- Immediately after being recharged.
- One week after being recharged.
- Seven weeks after being recharged.
At each stage, the capacity (in mAh), energy capacity (in mWh), average voltage under load (in V), and internal resistance (in Ω) were measured. The results reported below are the average of the two batteries tested (although they were very close in all respects).
Fresh From the Package
This test determines how the battery performs fresh from the package. One benefit of low self-discharge technology is that the manufacturer can pre-charge the battery, so that it has some usable capacity as soon as you buy it. This is probably the least important test result, because there are too many variables other than the ability of the battery to retain a charge. These include the conditions encountered during shipping, and the amount of time the battery has been on the shelf in the store. Nonetheless, it is interesting to know.
The 128mAh delivered is only about 64% of the rated capacity, but this is also typical for most AA low self-discharge batteries. To simplify pre-charging (by not requiring banks of “Smart” chargers), most manufacturers only pre-charge to about 70%.
Immediately after Recharging
Any rechargeable battery, whether low self-discharge or “regular”, will perform best immediately after it has been recharged. This is the condition under which manufacturers rate the battery’s capacity.
I was very surprised with these results for two reasons. First, the delivered capacity was almost exactly the same as the rated capacity, despite the fact that I was drawing much more current than the standard C/5 rate used when rating batteries (40mA for a 200mAh battery). Second, the average voltage under load was a very respectable 8.62V, meaning that equipment designed for a 9V battery should not have any issues with this battery. At a more reasonable 40mA discharge, you can expect the average voltage to be about 8.74V.
One Week after Recharging
The “one-week” test is the first one that gives some idea of the battery’s low self-discharge characteristics. Here are the results:
At first these results disappointed me a bit, since an 85% charge retention after only one week is worse than the seven-week retention of most of the AA batteries that I’ve tested. I suspected that most of this loss occured in the first few hours and that the ongoing rate of loss wouldn’t be this high.
Seven Weeks after Recharging
This is the real low self-discharge test. After seven weeks, many normal NiMH batteries have almost no usable capacity remaining. The 9V Centuras performed very well here:
Although they were down to 81% after seven weeks, they still retained 95% of the charge they had after one week. Thus my guess that the rate of loss would decrease was borne out.
Longer Term Predictions
Batteries lose charge approximately exponentially, meaning that over any fixed length period of time, the percentage loss is about the same. Given two data points, one can estimate the loss rate, and from that predict the capacity over longer time periods.
Based on the 1-week and 7-week results, this battery can be expected to provide about 135mA after six months of storage, and about 110mA after a year. Keep in mind that these figures are for the overly-high discharge rate I used, so results in real applications should be even better.
Charging
Tenergy produces several Smart chargers suitable for their 9V Centura battery. In theory, any Smart 9V NiMH charger will work, so long as it is not one of the super-fast (under an hour) ones. Do not use a dumb charger, as leaving the battery connected to it after charging has completed will damage the battery.
Applications
I mentioned the two applications that I personally have for these batteries, and that is how I intend to test them next.
My aviation headset (a low cost model converted to ANR with a retrofit kit) gives me about 15 hours of operation from a 9V alkaline battery. That works out to a couple of batteries per year. I would expect to get about half that time from the Tenergy 9V battery, but since it is rechargeable, there are no batteries to buy or throw out.
Our gas fireplace remote control is unusual in two ways: it is ultrasonic instead of infra-red, and it uses a 9V battery instead of the two AA or AAA batteries used by other remotes. It too uses a few batteries per year, so the Centuras should be a good choice there too.
One place I will not be using this battery is in our smoke detectors. Although I should replace the batteries once per year, I rarely remember to do so, meaning the rechargeable battery could actually run down before I get around to recharging it. Our smoke alarms are dual-powered (AC and DC), so they only drain the battery during a power failure, hence alkaline batteries with their long shelf life last for years at a time.
Where to Buy Them
Tenergy batteries are available in North America from Amazon.com:
Related Articles
If you’ve found this article useful, you may also be interested in:
Комментарии и мнения владельцев
Jon January 30, 2011 Thank you for the tests. I wouldn’t be surprised if you opened the case that you would find AAA batteries inside.
Stefan Vorkoetter January 30, 2011 I think you probably mean AAAA batteries, and that would be true if this battery were 7.2V, but it’s 8.4V, and there’s no way to fit seven AAAA batteries inside a 9V case.
Jon January 31, 2011 Good point Stefan, I didn’t take into account the voltage (and yes, I did miss an “A” ;-). I do know however that some 9 volt “transistor radio” batteries do contain AAAA batteries. http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-get-6-aaaa-batteries-from-9v-battery-267606/
Jesus- Matthew July 15, 2011 I disagree with your comment about smoke alarms. Until LSD NiMH came around, unwired smoke detectors were the only place neither alkaline nor rechargeables made sense. A (non-rechargable) lithium battery will typically last MANY YEARS in a smoke detector. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004W3ZE says: “The Ultralife 10 Year Smoke Detector Battery is the only 9V battery warranted to last 10 years. Alkaline batteries in smoke detectors have to be changed every year. With the Ultralife 10 Year Battery, state-of-the-art lithium technology keeps your life-saving detector energized for a full 10 years. You can forget all those “low-battery” alarms that always seem to sound in the middle of the night. “ if only used in an ionization-type smoke alarm! With dual-powered (AC and DC) smoke alarms, and LSD NiMH in the picture, I’m not sure which is best when. Would enjoy reading of your thoughts.
Gerry Boate October 14, 2011 Stephan, Wondering if I could use 9.6 or 8.4v NiMH for my Martin guitar electronics without shortening life of or damaging the electronics? It really goes through 9 volt disposables. Thanks for the great articles! Gerry
Kiriakos Triantafillou June 27, 2012 There is a PDF file about those batteries. With all the characteristics about discharge rates. One year storage at 20 Celsius = 60% retaining capacity. Three months at 40 Celsius = 60% retaining capacity. Greece summer 30C room temp = 6 months the most of 60% retaining capacity. This is just an estimation, but I got four of them and the truth will shine. Either way the presentation at the Tenergy web site about two years retaining capacity. is a true Fairy tale.
Cstratta December 15, 2012 Will a 9v dc power supply operate a unit with a 7.2v dc power supply without damaging it. Say a stun gun with a rechargeable battery
larry starr September 09, 2013 I purchased the tn141 charger and four batteries, when the first battery went dead i put in a new one and tried to charge the dead one, it won’t take a charge, had it on the charger for five hours and it tests at.01 the new batteries test at 8.9. Do i have a bad charger? I purchased them from Amazon.com. Who should i contact to get this replaced? Thanks
gary b October 20, 2013 Perhaps you have a bad charger,mine goes from red to green and so far so good. I wonder how many charges they will last or is it good to replace after a year or so. I use mine in shure chordless mikes.
Wayne August 18, 2014 by your measurement, your 9v battery should contain 6 cells instead of 7 cells. 1.2v is nominal voltage. the freshly charged single AA/AAA is measured 1.4v-1.45v. 1.28v when partially discharged.
Stefan Vorkoetter August 18, 2014 Wayne, I made my measurements with 140mA load placed on the battery. A freshly charged NiMH cell will only read 1.4V with _no_ load. It will read close to 1.2V with a significant load (which 140mA is for such small cells). Also, those voltages I give are the _average_ over the entire discharge cycle, not just fresh off the charger. By the way, you can’t tell anything about the state of charge of a NiMH battery by measuring the no-load voltage.
Wayne August 20, 2014 Stefan, you are right. I just bought two battery for the test. Out of the package the open voltage is 9.0v which means 7 individual cells.
Emil May 02, 2016 Hi Stefan, I keep on having to replace the 9V battery on my FLUKE 87 DMM like 5 times a year. I am looking to buy 9V batteries that can be recharged. What Brand do you recommend? A charger recommendation would be great too.
Stefan Vorkoetter May 03, 2016 I’m currently using the Powerex Imedion 9.6V battery in most 9V battery applications. It would probably work well in your DMM.
Emil May 04, 2016 What Charger do you use for it? What do you think of the Powerex-MHR9V-230mAh-Rechargeable-Battery?
Stefan Vorkoetter May 05, 2016 I use my home-made Battman II charger. I have no experience with the MHR9V, so can’t really comment, other than to point out that it’s not a low-self-discharge type, which mean it will gradually run down over a few months even if you’re not using the DMM.
Richard Merriam January 26, 2018 If you own a Paklite,(many pilots do) have you found a rechargeable 9 volt battery that will securely connect to it? I’ve had problems with the Tenergy Centura, as well as others. The battery case is slightly longer than an alkaline so the terminals are lower to compensate for that.
Stefan Vorkoetter January 26, 2018 I don’t own one, but you could try a Powerex Imedion 9V battery (which are actually available in both 8.4V and 9.6V versions).
Buy Stefan a coffee! If you’ve found this article useful, consider leaving a donation to help support stefanv.com
Disclaimer: Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and reliability, the information on this web page is presented without warranty of any kind, and Stefan Vorkoetter assumes no liability for direct or consequential damages caused by its use. It is up to you, the reader, to determine the suitability of, and assume responsibility for, the use of this information. Links to Amazon.com merchandise are provided in association with Amazon.com. Links to eBay searches are provided in association with the eBay partner network.
Copyright: All materials on this web site, including the text, images, and mark-up, are Copyright © 2023 by Stefan Vorkoetter unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited. You may link to this site or pages within it, but you may not link directly to images on this site, and you may not copy any material from this site to another web site or other publication without express written permission. You may make copies for your own personal use.
What Is A 9-Volt Battery Used For? (Types, Cost Usages)
There are few battery types that are as easily recognizable as a 9-volt battery, occasionally abbreviated as a “9V battery.” These batteries can be found in grocery stores, hardware stores, and more.
Despite how common they are, most people can’t name what products use these batteries. It’s time to learn about the products that use these batteries, what type of 9V batteries are out there, and why you should have a small supply on hand.
What devices use a 9-Volt battery?
There are a ton of 9-volt battery uses that make them a remarkably popular pick. Originally, this battery type was used for transistor radios. The most commonly-cited devices known for using 9Vs include smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, walkie-talkies, and electronic toys.
If you love to create geeky stuff, you might also know that a 9-Volt battery is used in lots of different hobbies. They are fairly popular in robotics, portable speakers, and similar usages.
With that said, there are three modern moments where a 9-volt battery is often the standard:
- Smoke alarms – One of the most common reasons for people to buy a 9-volt battery is to power a smoke alarm or a security system. Security sensors generally use this as the go-to.
- Handheld devices – While phones are obviously not going to be 9-volt-powered, there are tons of small handheld devices that rely on them. Data recorders, monitors with LCD displays, and boomboxes are some of the more common ones to cite.
- Medical devices – Surprise! A lot of medical instruments and patient monitors use a humble 9-Volt to power them. Even surgical lighting devices use them!
It’s true. 9-volt batteries came so far from being the simple “radio battery” that people used to think about.
The best way to figure out if you need 9V batteries is to open up the compartment and see if there is a note saying you need them…or if there is already a 9V battery in the device’s casing.

Different types of 9-volt batteries
9-volt batteries aren’t a “one size fits all” type of battery. There are different types that you should be aware of. Here’s what you need to be aware of in terms of the different types of 9-volts out there.
Battery shape
When most people think of 9-volt batteries, they tend to think of PP3 batteries. These are square batteries that have terminals on both sides. What people don’t realize is that these are NOT the only type of 9-volt batteries out there.
There are other battery packs that are round, more that are box-like, and some that are even similar to AA batteries. This is why you need to specify the battery’s code when you’re buying them.
Most devices will give come with a paper explaining the specific type of 9-volt battery code you need if it’s not the “transistor radio” type.
Alkaline batteries vs lithium batteries
Yes, there are different chemistries of 9-volt batteries. Alkaline 9-volt batteries are the “old school” type that are typically seen in disposable versions of these batteries. They tend to be lower in capacity with 550 mAh being typical outside of the PP3 battery style.
Lately, lithium-ion 9-Volt batteries have become the more popular option. These often have higher capacity ratings, which means that they can last longer. It’s not uncommon for lithium batteries to carry a capacity of 620 for rechargeables and over 1000 mAh for disposables.
Rechargeable vs disposable
Along with the actual chemical makeup of the battery, you also can choose a different type of build. There are rechargeable 9-volt batters and disposable ones.
Rechargeable ones tend to have lower capacities, but can be used repeatedly. Disposable 9-Volt batteries have a higher capacity, but can only be used once. This means that they are good if you have a device that only needs to be used for a single day. If you have a security system that uses 9V, disposable ones will help keep you safer for longer.
Due to the differences in their build and materials, there are often price discrepancies between the two. It’s up to you to decide which battery style is right for you. Most people generally find reusable ones to be the better option.
How much do 9-volt batteries cost?
This can vary from retailer to retailer, brand to brand, and even model to model. With that said, 9-volt batteries are definitely some of the more affordable batteries that you can buy.
Upscale rechargeable 9V batteries can cost as much as 15, but you can usually buy a multi-pack of batteries for anywhere from 8 to 12. This means that a typical battery will have a single-battery cost ranging from 3 to 5.
Tips and tricks for 9-volt battery usage
Now that you know a little bit more about the places that they are used and the different types you can choose from, it’s time to discuss the big issue that most people tend to assume they know everything about: usage.
As it turns out, batteries aren’t always as simple as “plug and play.” If you want to get the most out of your batteries, you’ll keep an eye out for these important tips below:
- Be careful where you buy your batteries from. 9-volt batteries are available from a wide variety of retailers and a wide variety of manufacturers. In recent years, there have been several manufacturers producing low quality and counterfeit batteries. Don’t buy these! They can mess up electronics!
- Always check your rechargeable 9-volt batteries for damage before you charge them. Even though they are rechargeable, you still can end up with battery acid leaks because of wear and tear. If you notice gunk on the terminals, get fresh batteries.
- Read up on the battery capacity of the 9-volts you want to buy. Two different manufacturers can make batteries of similar builds and totally different capacities. If you want to get the most long-lasting batteries, it’s good to find out which manufacturers make the highest capacity batteries.
- Most appliances have their manuals online. Do you have an appliance that requires a battery that doesn’t quite look like a typical 9-volt? Don’t guess it. Check the appliance name online to find its manual, then go shopping for the right battery model you need.
- Learn the maximum use times of rechargeable batteries. NiMH batteries are capable of lasting four hours of continuous use, while a rechargeable lithium battery can last for as long as 7.5 hours. That tidbit of knowledge can prove very useful if you have camping gear that requires a 9V.
- Smoke alarms powered by 9V batteries need to have batteries changed every six months. That’s a good rule of thumb that your firefighter company would like you to know.
- Stock up, but know when to toss them out. Unused 9V batteries have a long shelf life, but that doesn’t means that they are “immortal” on the shelf. Your typical 9-volt battery will last about five years if they are unused and kept in a safe place.
- Keep your batteries in a cool, dry place. This may seem like common sense, but people often end up with dead batteries because they made the mistake of leaving them in their car. Excessive heat can cause your batteries to explode or die prematurely.
- Keep them out of reach of children or pets. than one doctor bill has been attributed to something along the lines of kids who wanted to snack ona battery. The same can be said for pets.
In conclusion
Even though the 9V battery was invented over 70 years ago, it remains a popular choice for devices of all types. That’s a testament to this battery’s staying power. However, not all 9V batteries look the same, nor can they always be used in the same devices.
If you need a 9V battery that doesn’t look like the PP3 “transistor radio’ type, you may need to look up the battery’s code before you go shopping. Aside from that, keeping a keen eye on battery quality and capacity can help you make the most of your 9V shopping time.
With a little research, you would be surprised at how long those batteries can last. Perhaps that’s the 9V’s true staying power.