An essential component of every AEG (airsoft electric gun) is the battery. It provides the power necessary to run the motor and make the gun do its job. Having a good battery can really make a big difference. Anyone considering upgrading their AEG has to take the battery into consideration and almost all power upgrades include an upgraded battery. On the other hand, having a low quality battery in a top of the line AEG will drastically reduce its performance.
Please note: there are many different battery configurations. Not all configurations will be compatible with every AEG. It is important to find out which AEGs are compatible with the different battery configurations. Below is a link to a PDF file showing a chart of the battery compatibility of most of the TSD Tactical and ICS airsoft rifles. For compatibility with other brands you will need to contact us.
When picking out a new battery these are the numbers you need to look at:
mAh (milliampere-hour) Rating - This number tells you how long the battery will last. A higher number means a larger battery and longer play time between re-charges. To get more specific, one ampere-hour is 3600 coulombs, which is the electrical charge needed for one hour of steady 1 ampere electrical output. One milliampere-hour is one-thousandth of an ampere-hour.
Voltage - This number denotes power output of the battery. Higher voltage means more power. Higher voltage turns the motor faster which gives you a higher rate of fire (ROF). On AEGs with upgraded springs a high voltage battery is almost always necessary. This is because greater force is required to power the piston.
Connector Type - There are two types and two sizes of connectors. The types are male and female and the sizes are large and small. A male connector can only connect to a female connector of the same size. For example, you must connect a small male connector to a small female connector. You cannot connect a male to a male or a small to a large. If you need to connect incompatible connectors you will need a special adapter. Batteries come with female end plugs.
DC V - This is the DC Voltage output of the charger. This is the maximum battery voltage that the charger should be used to charge. I.e. do not use an 8.4 V charger to charge a 9.6 V battery.
Determining Charge Time:
To figure out the charging time needed for your battery you need to know two numbers: the mAh of the battery and the mAh output of the charger (before charging make sure that the battery voltage is equal to or lower than the charger output DC V).
Charge time formula:
mAh of battery / mAh output of charger = charge time (hours)
For example, if you have a 1500 mAh battery and a 500 mAh output charger you will get the following result:
1500 mAh / 500 mAh output = 3 hours
Please note: this is for batteries which are completely discharged. To be safe you should always reduce the charge time by about 25% You should not attempt to recharge a battery that still has some charge left. Overcharging will ruin the battery. It is a good idea to check the battery half-way through the charge time. If it is hot then that means it's charged and can be disconnected.