Battery cell question, A vs. AA size

Groombug · January 18th, 2006, 16:23

As the title states, I'm wondering about the size difference between A and AA size battery cells.

More specifically, I'm looking to get more juice into my APEX crane stock (the non sub-C cell one) and I'm looking at the marginal difference between A and AA cell size. Will an A cell crane style battery fit in my APEX crane stock? The current (packaged) battery pack is AA sized.

I am not worried about heads or wiring, I simply want to know if the two booms (i.e. the three-cell legs) will fit in the small compartments originally designed for AA cells.

kymoz · January 18th, 2006, 16:27

The A size cells are:
Diameter: 17.0mm
height: 50.0mm

Compared to the AA size cells:
Diameter: 14.5mm
Height: 50.0mm

As you noticed, they are only larger, not longer.

Kymoz

Groombug · January 18th, 2006, 16:29

That's my concern. The APEX crane stock has a closer dimensional size to the real Crane stocks... so the battery tube area is smaller than say, a PRIME stock. I'm wondering if the cells will be too fat (diameter) to stick in there.

Thanks for the fat reply though.

kymoz · January 18th, 2006, 16:35

Oh, and talking about batteries, let's trade some info:

I am currently doing a custom battery pack for my AUG with A cells. The only thing I have to do now is to install the mini connector. The only problem is that I don't know which way to place it. The positive (+) wire must be put int the square or round hole of the connector?
This is crucial, because if I invert the polarity, the motor will trun backwards and my mechbox will explode.

Thanks!
Kymoz

kymoz · January 18th, 2006, 16:37

Suggestion: maybe you can try to wrap some AA cells in paper untill they are 17mm large, then try to fit them in your stock. That should give you a good idea of how A cells will fit.

Groombug · January 18th, 2006, 16:41

LOL, I know even less about batteries than you do. I usually buy my battery packs pre-made and in the usual configurations. Thank God I don't have an AUG, it would never make it out of stock form.

I will try the paper-wrap method. I just realized that on top of the cells themselves being fatter, I also have to account for the shrink-wrapping.

kymoz · January 18th, 2006, 16:48

Shrink Wrapping is pretty expensive. I did mine with "electric tape" (the black tape), and is holds my battery very tight. It might not look as professional, but you'll have 15$ more in your pockets.

And if you are doing your pack yourself, be 100% sure of plugging it the good way. If your motor is inverted, the piston will be pushed by the gears towards the cylinder head (which it is already touching), so you can say "byebye gearbox".

Kymoz

mouse · January 18th, 2006, 20:15

Quick way i did it when i took my box apart to upgrade it was by not connecting the motor and seeing which way it turned. It didnt rotate the other way when i connected it first (with the wrong polarity) it just got warm in a hurry so i disconnected it and the rest is history. If you dont know which way it should be turning use an orignal pack you have connected with a plug already and test it. I have faith you can do it! hope that was helpfull and made an once of sence

Peace!

WingZER0 · January 18th, 2006, 23:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by kymoz

Shrink Wrapping is pretty expensive. I did mine with "electric tape" (the black tape), and is holds my battery very tight. It might not look as professional, but you'll have 15$ more in your pockets.

And if you are doing your pack yourself, be 100% sure of plugging it the good way. If your motor is inverted, the piston will be pushed by the gears towards the cylinder head (which it is already touching), so you can say "byebye gearbox".

Kymoz

I found the shrink wrap to be the cheapest part of the whole battery actually... $1.19 per foot, not the biggest stuff but for the normal configurations it works great...

kymoz · January 18th, 2006, 23:53

1,19$ per foot? If I could get it for that price, I'd have use Heatshring tubing for my battery. But the price here is 5$ for 1' or 15$ for 4'. So my 2$/120' of electric tape does the job perfectly!

Kymoz

Gryphon · January 19th, 2006, 02:49

Bear in mind that AA is a common consumer sized battery, and nearly every cell you find in this size will not be an industrial grade one. While you can find Duracell NiMH 2500 mAh AAs at Wal-Mart, the IR and discharge rate will be much higher than an industrial A cell and will give poorer performance.

kymoz · January 20th, 2006, 12:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by mouse

If you dont know which way it should be turning use an orignal pack you have connected with a plug already and test it. I have faith you can do it! hope that was helpfull and made an once of sence

It does make more than an once of sence.... but for somebody who has another battery to test!!!

The Battery pack I just made is the only one I have in the house, so I can't compare. I just need to know "+ goes in the square plug" or the opposite.

Kymoz

JohnnyDo · January 20th, 2006, 22:14

mini plug: red goes to round
large plug: red goes to square

kymoz · January 21st, 2006, 07:48

Good to know they are inverted... Only thing is that my battery has two black wires. So I still don't know which way to solder it.

BTW, Groombug, has the paper wraping technique worked?

Kymoz

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January 18th, 2006, 16:23	#1
Groombug Trader rating Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	Battery cell question, A vs. AA size As the title states, I'm wondering about the size difference between A and AA size battery cells. More specifically, I'm looking to get more juice into my APEX crane stock (the non sub-C cell one) and I'm looking at the marginal difference between A and AA cell size. Will an A cell crane style battery fit in my APEX crane stock? The current (packaged) battery pack is AA sized. I am not worried about heads or wiring, I simply want to know if the two booms (i.e. the three-cell legs) will fit in the small compartments originally designed for AA cells. __________________ Contras A-06: F**k it, we'll do it live. 修身齊家治國平天下

January 18th, 2006, 16:29	#3
Groombug Trader rating Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	That's my concern. The APEX crane stock has a closer dimensional size to the real Crane stocks... so the battery tube area is smaller than say, a PRIME stock. I'm wondering if the cells will be too fat (diameter) to stick in there. Thanks for the fat reply though. __________________ Contras A-06: F**k it, we'll do it live. 修身齊家治國平天下

January 18th, 2006, 16:41	#6
Groombug Trader rating Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	LOL, I know even less about batteries than you do. I usually buy my battery packs pre-made and in the usual configurations. Thank God I don't have an AUG, it would never make it out of stock form. I will try the paper-wrap method. I just realized that on top of the cells themselves being fatter, I also have to account for the shrink-wrapping. __________________ Contras A-06: F**k it, we'll do it live. 修身齊家治國平天下

January 18th, 2006, 16:27	#2
kymoz Trader rating Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Longueuil (QC)	The A size cells are: Diameter: 17.0mm height: 50.0mm Compared to the AA size cells: Diameter: 14.5mm Height: 50.0mm As you noticed, they are only larger, not longer. Kymoz

January 18th, 2006, 16:35	#4
kymoz Trader rating Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Longueuil (QC)	Oh, and talking about batteries, let's trade some info: I am currently doing a custom battery pack for my AUG with A cells. The only thing I have to do now is to install the mini connector. The only problem is that I don't know which way to place it. The positive (+) wire must be put int the square or round hole of the connector? This is crucial, because if I invert the polarity, the motor will trun backwards and my mechbox will explode. Thanks! Kymoz

January 18th, 2006, 16:37	#5
kymoz Trader rating Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Longueuil (QC)	Suggestion: maybe you can try to wrap some AA cells in paper untill they are 17mm large, then try to fit them in your stock. That should give you a good idea of how A cells will fit.

January 18th, 2006, 16:48	#7
kymoz Trader rating Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Longueuil (QC)	Shrink Wrapping is pretty expensive. I did mine with "electric tape" (the black tape), and is holds my battery very tight. It might not look as professional, but you'll have 15$ more in your pockets. And if you are doing your pack yourself, be 100% sure of plugging it the good way. If your motor is inverted, the piston will be pushed by the gears towards the cylinder head (which it is already touching), so you can say "byebye gearbox". Kymoz

January 18th, 2006, 20:15	#8
mouse Trader rating Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Port Coquitlam	Quick way i did it when i took my box apart to upgrade it was by not connecting the motor and seeing which way it turned. It didnt rotate the other way when i connected it first (with the wrong polarity) it just got warm in a hurry so i disconnected it and the rest is history. If you dont know which way it should be turning use an orignal pack you have connected with a plug already and test it. I have faith you can do it! hope that was helpfull and made an once of sence Peace!

January 18th, 2006, 23:53	#10
kymoz Trader rating Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Longueuil (QC)	1,19$ per foot? If I could get it for that price, I'd have use Heatshring tubing for my battery. But the price here is 5$ for 1' or 15$ for 4'. So my 2$/120' of electric tape does the job perfectly! Kymoz

January 19th, 2006, 02:49	#11
Gryphon Trader rating Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: MB	Bear in mind that AA is a common consumer sized battery, and nearly every cell you find in this size will not be an industrial grade one. While you can find Duracell NiMH 2500 mAh AAs at Wal-Mart, the IR and discharge rate will be much higher than an industrial A cell and will give poorer performance.

January 20th, 2006, 22:14	#13
JohnnyDo Trader rating Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Calgary, AB	mini plug: red goes to round large plug: red goes to square

January 21st, 2006, 07:48	#14
kymoz Trader rating Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Longueuil (QC)	Good to know they are inverted... Only thing is that my battery has two black wires. So I still don't know which way to solder it. BTW, Groombug, has the paper wraping technique worked? Kymoz __________________ "Middle-East ceasefire [noun]: Unit of time, roughly equal to the time it take to reload a gun."

Battery cell question, A vs. AA size

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