Test/Review of HQ Zinc-Carbon Standard Power AA

HQ Zinc-Carbon Standard Power AA







Official specifications:

  • Size: AA, Mignon, Penlite.

  • Voltage: 1.5 V (DC).

  • System: Zinc-Carbon.

  • Height: 50.5mm

  • Diameter: 14.5mm




This type batteries was used before alkaline.











Performance is not very good compared to alkaline, but they are the best Zinc-Carbon I have tested.









Conclusion

This chemistry has about 1/3 the energy of alkaline and cannot handle a heavy load. Even unloaded it has much shorter lifetime than alkaline.
I do not see any reason to use this chemistry anymore



Notes and links

Some other Zinc-Carbon cells: Varta SuperLife AA

Batteries was supplied by Pro backup (probackup.nl)

How is the test done and how to read the charts
Compare to other AA/AAA batteries: Alkaline/NiMH/Lithium

I don’t use very many of these, but I don’t recall having the Zinc cells leak like Alkalines do…

Do these leak, and with the same disastrous results as with Alkalines?

I have some in extremely low-drain applications like remote controls and they work well enough for that.

I agree, that is about the one use for these. But I would never purposely buy them, I just happen to come by them and use them up in remotes.

As far as I remember they are much worse to leak than alkaline.

I remember having old ones, many decades ago, corrode through the zinc case… very bad.

Yes they do, I have everready branded ones which leak.

Zinc carbons are still quite popular in India and most widely available. Got many brands and for the most part they haven’t leaked on me lately (last 6-7 years) so it might be that they’ve gotten better leak proof lamination? Eveready even goes as far as claiming they’re leak proof! Of course, I only use them in low draw applications so that could be a reason why they’ve done OK.

I’ve had some that come with TV remotes and even with daily use last couple years or so. They will work for clocks digital and analog as well. I won’t purchase them but if I come across some I use them in clocks around the house
On the other hand I’ve had a aa digital clock last 13 years on 2aa batteries. Batteries outlived the display with alkaline rayovacs