What Is a Battery Holder?
A battery holder is a part that mechanically secures one or more batteries and provides an electrical connection from their terminals to the circuit.
What Does It Do?
It lets a battery be inserted and removed without soldering; when the battery runs out it's easily replaced. The spring contacts inside apply pressure to the battery's (+) and (–) terminals for a reliable contact.
Series and Parallel
Multi-cell holders connect the cells internally in series (adding the voltage) or parallel (adding the capacity). For example, a 2-cell series AA holder gives 1.5+1.5 = 3V.
| Type | Property |
|---|---|
| Board-mount | Soldered to the PCB |
| Wired | Wires come out of the ends |
| Coin holder | Slot for a coin cell |
Types
There are many types, such as board-soldered (SMD/THT), wired, lidded and coin cell slots. It's chosen by the battery's size and the mounting form.
Where Is It Used?
Remote controls, toys, measurement instruments, motherboard RTC slots and all battery-powered devices with a replaceable battery.
Contact and Current Capacity
The holder's spring contacts conduct safely up to a certain current; in a high-current application the thin contacts heat up and the voltage drops. Also, the contact material (like nickel plating) must resist oxidation; otherwise the contact resistance rises over time and the device runs unstably.
Common Mistakes
- Wrong size: if the holder doesn't exactly fit the battery size, the contact is poor.
- Polarity: if the battery is installed backwards, the circuit won't work or is damaged.
- Weak contact: oxidized springs cause loss of contact and instability.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a series holder raise the voltage?+
Does a battery holder indicate polarity?+
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