Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Self-discharge
open-in-new
<h2 id="typical-self-discharge-by-battery-type">Typical self-discharge by battery type</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th>Battery chemistry</th><th>Rechargeable</th><th>Typical self-discharge or shelf life</th></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Lithium_metal_battery/VR5azIzW">Lithium metal</a></td><td>No</td><td>10 years shelf life<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Alkaline_battery/gL5XUWo4">Alkaline</a></td><td>No</td><td>5 years shelf life<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Zinc%25E2%2580%2593carbon_battery/MDC00Uuh">Zinc–carbon</a></td><td>No</td><td>2–3 years shelf life<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Thionyl_chloride/nWwvNtvd">Thionyl chloride</a></td><td>No</td><td>1% per year<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Lithium-ion_battery/3L22xFhB">Lithium-ion</a></td><td>Yes</td><td>2–3% per month;<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> ca. 4% p.m.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Lithium-polymer/0I2uusoW">Lithium-polymer</a></td><td>Yes</td><td>~5% per month<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a>[<i>better source needed</i>]</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Low_self-discharge_NiMH_batteries/EvCG8loy">Low self-discharge NiMH</a></td><td>Yes</td><td>As low as 0.25% per month<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Lead%25E2%2580%2593acid_battery/84b8hALA">Lead–acid</a></td><td>Yes</td><td>4–6% per month<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Nickel%25E2%2580%2593cadmium_battery/JTbx4bcB">Nickel–cadmium</a></td><td>Yes</td><td>15–20% per month<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Nickel%25E2%2580%2593metal_hydride_battery/EvCG8loy">Conventional nickel–metal hydride</a> (NiMH)</td><td>Yes</td><td>30% per month<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2> <ul><li>Wu and White, "<a href="http://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1380&context=eche_facpub">Self-Discharge Model of a Nickel-Hydrogen Cell</a>." Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 147 (3) 901-909 (2000)</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://www.amperis.com/en/products/misc/battery-dischargers/">Battery dischargers</a> Description and treatment of sulphated batteries</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Garche, Jurgen; Dyer, Chris K.; Moseley, Patrick T.; Ogumi, Zempachi; Rand, David A. J.; Scrosati, Bruno (2013). Encyclopedia of Electrochemical Power Sources. Newnes. p. 407. ISBN 978-0-444-52745-5. <a href="978-0-444-52745-5" target="_blank">978-0-444-52745-5</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Moseley, Patrick T.; Garche, Jurgen (27 October 2014). Electrochemical Energy Storage for Renewable Sources and Grid Balancing. Newnes. pp. 440, 441. ISBN 9780444626103. <a href="9780444626103" target="_blank">9780444626103</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Battery performance characteristics, MPower UK, 23 February 2007. Information on self-discharge characteristics of battery types. Archived from the original on 2024-06-19. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Battery performance characteristics, MPower UK, 23 February 2007. Information on self-discharge characteristics of battery types. Archived from the original on 2024-06-19. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Battery performance characteristics, MPower UK, 23 February 2007. Information on self-discharge characteristics of battery types. Archived from the original on 2024-06-19. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Minamoto Data sheet of ER17505M Primary Lithium Thionyl Chloride 3.6V, 2800mAh, visited 19 November 2024 <a href="http://www.minamoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/17505M.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.minamoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/17505M.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Battery performance characteristics, MPower UK, 23 February 2007. Information on self-discharge characteristics of battery types. Archived from the original on 2024-06-19. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Umweltbundesamt: "BATTERIEN UND AKKUS" (3,65 MB PDF), October 2012; visited 2018-02-14 <a href="https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/publikation/long/4414.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/publikation/long/4414.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Lithium Polymer Battery Technology" (PDF). Retrieved 14 March 2016. <a href="http://www.manoonpong.com/Other/main_page=page_2.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.manoonpong.com/Other/main_page=page_2.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Panasonic <a href="http://www.panasonicbatteryproducts.com/eneloop_rechargeable_batteries/eneloop_rechargeable_batteries-aa_4-pack/" target="_blank">http://www.panasonicbatteryproducts.com/eneloop_rechargeable_batteries/eneloop_rechargeable_batteries-aa_4-pack/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Battery performance characteristics, MPower UK, 23 February 2007. Information on self-discharge characteristics of battery types. Archived from the original on 2024-06-19. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Battery performance characteristics, MPower UK, 23 February 2007. Information on self-discharge characteristics of battery types. Archived from the original on 2024-06-19. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Battery performance characteristics, MPower UK, 23 February 2007. Information on self-discharge characteristics of battery types. Archived from the original on 2024-06-19. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20240619083338/https://www.mpoweruk.com/performance.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>