BATTERY HOLDER

What is a Battery Holder?

A battery holder or a battery mount is an integrated or separate cavity to
hold cells. If it is a separate compartment, it can be attached to a cell-
powered device. It is used to hold the cells securely and power the device it
is attached to. The primary function of a battery holder is to facilitate the
power supply to the device it is attached to. External connections can be
made to the cells in the battery holder through lugs soldered to the cell-
powered device, wire leads, snap terminals, or it can be mounted on PCBs
via pins.

Choosing the right Battery Holder.

The kind of battery holder required depends on the below factors:

  Size of the batteries being used (AAA, AA, C, D, etc.)
 Number of cells being used
 Compatibility of the cells being used with the battery holder
 Contact and terminal style

Most battery holders are specifically manufactured for a particular type of

batteries. However, many battery holders will be compatible with similar
batteries with different chemistries. One point to note here is that if a
battery holder houses batteries of different chemistries at the same time,
the power being delivered will be in line with the weakest battery. Hence,
using batteries with the same chemistry is advisable for optimum
performance.

Types of Battery Holder Mounts.

The way the battery holder is attached to the cell-powered device is known
as the battery holder mount. The different types of battery mounts are:

Panel Mount:

A panel mount battery holder is a separate compartment designed to hold

cells. It can be inserted into a cavity in the device that needs power. It can
be removed when the batteries need to be changed. They are inserted in
the device cavity by screwing in or have Flange Panels.

Slide-In Mount:

In this type of mount, the cells are inserted and removed by sliding in or
out. They are the most commonly used mounts and also economical. When
a cell is slid in place, it is held by a cover or by the opposing force of two
terminals. This type of mount is quite reliable, too.

Chassis Mount:

This type of mount is fixed inside the main body of the device to a surface
plate. These mounts come in plastic as well as metal.

PCB Mount:

As the name suggests, the PCB Mount is for when the battery needs to be
on a PCB. It has sharp pins around the perimeter which can be used to fix
it on a PCB. Usually, they are used to hold coin cells. However, PCB
mounts are also made for AAA or AA cells.

Strap & Lead:

They are not entire housing units, but make it possible to attach a battery to
an electronic device or holder. It just has a wire and two press studs to hold
a cell. Replacement of the cell becomes easy in this method.

Snap-In Mount:

It consists of tensioned metal clips to hold a cell securely in place. The

battery is to be pushed into the housing until it snaps in place. This type of
mount is best suited for systems prone to shocks and vibrations.

Wire Lead Mount:

This type of mount provides a good level of flexibility in terms of the places
where it can be used. It has two wire leads at one end while the other end
can be fixed to the device being powered.

Surface Mount:

This type of mount is usually used for coin cells. It lies flat inside the device
or within a circuit. It is open-faced and has button terminal contacts.

Through-Hole Surface Mount:

This is best suited to hold batteries where space is a constraint. Instead of

being inserted into a cavity in a device, it is fixed on the surface of the
device through holes.

Battery holders are often not taken seriously enough when designing
systems. However, a reliable battery holder is an important component that
contributes to the reliability of the entire system.

A battery holder is one or more compartments or chambers for holding a

battery. For dry cells, the holder must also make electrical contact with the
battery terminals. For wet cells, cables are often connected to the battery
terminals, as is found in automobiles or emergency lighting equipment.
A battery holder is either a plastic case with the shape of the housing moulded as a
compartment or compartments that accepts a battery or batteries, or a separate
plastic holder that is mounted with screws, eyelets, glue, double-sided tape, or other
means. Battery holders may have a lid to retain and protect the batteries or may be
sealed to prevent damage to circuitry and components from battery leakage. Coiled
spring wire or flat tabs that press against the battery terminals are the two most
common methods of making the electrical connection inside a holder. External
connections on battery holders are usually made by contacts with pins, surface
mount feet, solder lugs, or wire leads.

Where the battery is expected to last over the life of the product, no holder is
necessary, and a tab welded to the battery terminals can be directly soldered to a
printed circuit board.