Batteries
There are a bunch of different kinds of batteries. 8.4v, 9.6v, 7.4v, 9.9v, 11.1v. Which one should you use in your gun? Which one can your gun handle? What about the different types, NiCd, NiMH, LiPo, LiFe? That's what we're here for. We've been there, we've done the research, now it's time for answers about batteries.
Q: What size of battery should I use for my gun?
A: Just like you are thinking, if you use a big battery, you can risk damaging your gun prematurely. We suggest not using anything over an advertised 10v on your gun unless it's been upgraded to take a larger battery.
Large voltages can damage your trigger, even 9.6v NiMH batteries can do some damage. The amount of damage largely depends on the gun and how it performs. Semi auto does more damage than lots of full auto.
Now, what about if you want to use an 11.1v battery in your gun? Just be aware that it can cause problems. *can* is the key word there. Some people run 11.1vs in their stock guns for years without problems, and then some people will plug in an 11.1v and kill their gun within the first mag. We just want you to be aware of what might happen if you do run a powerful battery.
A: Just like you are thinking, if you use a big battery, you can risk damaging your gun prematurely. We suggest not using anything over an advertised 10v on your gun unless it's been upgraded to take a larger battery.
Large voltages can damage your trigger, even 9.6v NiMH batteries can do some damage. The amount of damage largely depends on the gun and how it performs. Semi auto does more damage than lots of full auto.
Now, what about if you want to use an 11.1v battery in your gun? Just be aware that it can cause problems. *can* is the key word there. Some people run 11.1vs in their stock guns for years without problems, and then some people will plug in an 11.1v and kill their gun within the first mag. We just want you to be aware of what might happen if you do run a powerful battery.
Q: What do the different types of batteries mean?
A: Oh boy, so many different kinds of batteries. NiMH, NiCd, LiPo, 7.4v, 11.1v. Well, to start with, the letters are the chemical makeup of the battery. We'll get to more on that in a bit. The numbers designate the voltage of the battery. You know what, let's just go ahead and dig in to the different kinds of batteries you can use.
A: Oh boy, so many different kinds of batteries. NiMH, NiCd, LiPo, 7.4v, 11.1v. Well, to start with, the letters are the chemical makeup of the battery. We'll get to more on that in a bit. The numbers designate the voltage of the battery. You know what, let's just go ahead and dig in to the different kinds of batteries you can use.
- NiCd - NiCd stands for Nickle Cadmium. This is a very, very old battery technology. Most of the time your stock China guns come with these kinds of batteries. They need to be fully discharged before recharging them so that they don't form what's called a memory. Basically, if you don't discharge them all the way before charging them back up, you'll lose that extra battery life.
- NiMH - Nickle Metal Hydride. These are a newer version of the NiCd batteries. They don't have as bad problems with memory as NiCd batteries do, but are very similar to them in every other way. These are pretty common for aftermarket batteries. These and NiCd batteries come in two common flavors, 8.4v and 9.6v. 8.4v is usually what you have with stock guns, while people upgrade to 9.6v fairly often. You can also get 10.8v and 12v, but we suggest upgrading your gun to handle those larger batteries before you start to use them.
- LiPo - Lithium Polymer. These batteries are what most of our electronics use these days. They are small, light weight, last longer, have better output, charge faster, and come in many more shapes than NiMH batteries. They don't have memory issues either. This is part of the reason why we only sell LiPo batteries at SQA. The only downfall of these batteries is that you cannot over discharge them without killing the battery. There are voltage meters you can purchase to warn you when the battery is getting low, or you can just listen to the performance of the gun. If you hear it starting to drop off, it's time to recharge the battery. These batteries come in two common flavors, 7.4v and 11.1v. 7.4v is perfectly safe for stock guns to use, but we suggest you do some research before using an 11.1v. These batteries also come in 14.8v, which some people use. Higher than that has little to no use in airsoft.
- LiFe - Lithium Iron. These are similar to LiPo batteries, just slightly different stats. More or less just a different kind of battery. Some people like to use them, but they are mostly uncommon in the airsoft world. These are most commonly 9.9v.
Q: I want to know more about LiPos and batteries in general.
A: Alright, LiPo batteries. Lots of people warn that they are dangerous, this is old information. They are no more harmful than any other battery on the market. Just don't stab the battery, avoid shorts, and use a fuse and you will be fine. But, enough of the worry talk. Let's look at what the different numbers mean when you see them next to the battery.
7.4v 20c 2000mAh
Let's look at this battery. Believe it or not, these stats can apply to any battery type. Every battery has a voltage (v), a discharge rate (c), and a milliamp hour rate (mAh).
The voltage is self explanatory. This is how many volts the battery has. More volts makes your gun cycle faster.
The discharge rate is how fast the battery can put out power. Not everything has to do with voltage, you need amperage (or amps for short), as well. The discharge rate helps you figure out how many amps your gun can output. By itself, the number is useless, you also need the mAh rating to know how many amps a battery can put out. The equation is pretty simple. It's the discharge rate times the mAh divided by 1000. So, in this case, it would be 20 times 2000 divided by 1000, or 40 amps. Most lipos have 15c or higher, usually around 20 with it sometimes going as high as 65c or more. NiMH batteries usually have a 5-10c output, with the best of them putting out 15c. This is part of the reason why a 7.4v LiPo battery can out perform a 9.6v NiMH battery. Motors need amps to run, and if the motor doesn't have enough amps, it won't go as fast as it can go. LiPos generally have higher outputs, so they are able to power the system better.
Lastly, the mAh, or milliamp hours. This is how long the battery lasts. Higher the number, the longer it lasts. Simple as that. A 2000mAh battery will last longer than a 1000mAh battery. Now, how many shots does that mean? Well, that depends a lot on your gun. Genearlly, a 2000mah battery will last you all day. For example, the last time I used an 11.1v 15c 2000mah battery, it lasted me for approximately 10,000 shots before it needed to be replaced.
A: Alright, LiPo batteries. Lots of people warn that they are dangerous, this is old information. They are no more harmful than any other battery on the market. Just don't stab the battery, avoid shorts, and use a fuse and you will be fine. But, enough of the worry talk. Let's look at what the different numbers mean when you see them next to the battery.
7.4v 20c 2000mAh
Let's look at this battery. Believe it or not, these stats can apply to any battery type. Every battery has a voltage (v), a discharge rate (c), and a milliamp hour rate (mAh).
The voltage is self explanatory. This is how many volts the battery has. More volts makes your gun cycle faster.
The discharge rate is how fast the battery can put out power. Not everything has to do with voltage, you need amperage (or amps for short), as well. The discharge rate helps you figure out how many amps your gun can output. By itself, the number is useless, you also need the mAh rating to know how many amps a battery can put out. The equation is pretty simple. It's the discharge rate times the mAh divided by 1000. So, in this case, it would be 20 times 2000 divided by 1000, or 40 amps. Most lipos have 15c or higher, usually around 20 with it sometimes going as high as 65c or more. NiMH batteries usually have a 5-10c output, with the best of them putting out 15c. This is part of the reason why a 7.4v LiPo battery can out perform a 9.6v NiMH battery. Motors need amps to run, and if the motor doesn't have enough amps, it won't go as fast as it can go. LiPos generally have higher outputs, so they are able to power the system better.
Lastly, the mAh, or milliamp hours. This is how long the battery lasts. Higher the number, the longer it lasts. Simple as that. A 2000mAh battery will last longer than a 1000mAh battery. Now, how many shots does that mean? Well, that depends a lot on your gun. Genearlly, a 2000mah battery will last you all day. For example, the last time I used an 11.1v 15c 2000mah battery, it lasted me for approximately 10,000 shots before it needed to be replaced.