After the collapse of the USSR, the production of household batteries was stopped in our country, but recently the Yeletsky plant, the logo of which is remembered by old-timers, again began to produce batteries. Now lithium.
For the first time I heard about these batteries last summer from the video review of Yaroslav Menshikov, the developer of the device Yarostanmash ASK2.5.10.8, with which I test batteries. But they were presented to him at the exhibition, and then they were not on sale.
And then a month ago I discovered that "Energy Lithium" batteries appeared on Ozone and Wildberries (for some reason they cost 600/690 rubles for 4 pieces on Ozone, and 415/477 rubles for Wildberries). Of course I bought them to test them. And at the same time I bought batteries "Auchan Lithium", "Energizer Ultimate Lithium", "GP Lithium" and "Varta Ultra Lithium "to compare Russian batteries with other lithium batteries available in sale.
Note that lithium batteries are much more expensive than alkaline ones, so they should not be used as usual - in watches, remotes, children's toys. Lithium batteries provide approximately one and a half times more energy than alkaline ones, but most importantly, they can work in cold weather and they are one and a half times lighter than alkaline ones. Therefore, the main applications of lithium batteries are where weight is important (for example, in aircraft), where guaranteed operation in frost (for example, in outdoor weather sensors), where increased battery capacity is important, even at the expense of higher price.
Interestingly, the expiration date on batteries Energia is written by hand with a ballpoint pen. This suggests that these batteries are still produced in very small quantities.
I tested the lithium batteries and compared them with the most capacious alkaline batteries "Photon X" and some of the cheapest "FLARX" batteries.
To test the capacity and load capacity, the batteries were discharged in two modes:
- discharge with a current of 100 mA to 0.7 V. The test shows what maximum energy the battery can give;
- discharge with equivalent resistance 3.9 Ohm to 0.9 V for AA and 5.1 Ohm to 0.9 V for AAA. This test shows how well the batteries are suitable for heavy loads (devices with motors).
Two copies of each type of battery were tested, tests were carried out in September 2021. The diagrams show the average capacity in mWh.
AA batteries. Blue bars - discharge with a current of 100 mA up to 0.7 V, red bars - a discharge with an equivalent resistance of 3.9 Ohm to 0.9 V.
AAA batteries. Blue bars - discharge with a current of 100 mA up to 0.7 V, red bars - a discharge with an equivalent resistance of 5.1 Ohm up to 0.9 V
Before drawing conclusions, I will give all the measurement results for both copies of each battery model. In the same table, there are also the prices of batteries.
In all tests, "Energizer Ultimate Lithium" came out on top, and these are not the most expensive lithium batteries. "Varta Ultra Lithium" and "GP Lithium" are more expensive and give less energy.
"Energy Lithium" lags behind the leader by 12% (AA) and 21% (AAA), but they are a little cheaper.
Alkaline batteries "Foton X" at low current discharge managed to outstrip lithium "Energy Lithium", but at high current lithium batteries are ahead.
During the discharge process, lithium batteries have a higher voltage and it decreases more smoothly than alkaline ones. Here, for example, are the graphs of the discharge with a current of 100 mA of AA batteries "Energizer Ultimate Lithium" (blue line), "Energy Lithium" (red), "Photon X" (green), "FLARX" (blue).
I am glad that the production of household batteries was revived in Russia (the production of batteries for military and special purposes, as far as I understand, did not stop). It is clear that it is hardly possible to compete in price with cheap Chinese alkaline batteries, but with lithium batteries. "Lithium AA Energy" is equivalent in capacity to GP and Varta lithium batteries and even gives a little more energy when discharged with high current. "Energy Lithium AAA" lags slightly behind foreign competitors, but also perfectly withstands high currents.
© 2021, Alexey Nadezhin
For ten years I have been writing every day about technology, discounts, places of interest and events. Read my blog on the site ammo1.ru, v LJ, Zen, Mirtesen, Telegram.
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