Batteries have become must-haves for many modern gadgets and devices. From smartwatches to cars and other vehicles, they play a key role. 12-volt batteries are very popular, offering optimal power distribution and life. However, one question arises: How many cells does a 12-volt battery have?
Despite the popularity, people have less knowledge about the cells of the batteries. Remember, batteries without cells are useless and cannot produce electricity. Batteries with more cells generally produce more power and vice versa. In this article, we will discuss 12-volt batteries and the number of cells they contain. So, let’s begin!
What is a Battery Cell?
Let’s start from the basic level and discuss what 電池芯 are!
A battery cell is a small unit that comes from two terminals. One of those terminals is positive, and the other is negative. Inside this cell, a chemical reaction happens, and ions move between positive and negative terminals. This movement of electrons produces electricity. This electricity is used to run different devices.
It won’t be wrong that a battery’s working depends on the cells. A battery with damaged cells won’t work. The number of cells in batteries also varies. Smaller batteries generally have fewer cells and produce very low electricity. On the flip side, bigger batteries have more cells and have the capacity to produce more electricity.
There are different types of cells available in the batteries. Those types differ in terms of their voltage output. For example, lead-acid cells generally produce 2 volts. On the other hand, lithium-ion cells and alkaline cells produce 3.6 volts and 1.5 volts, respectively. Manufacturers add more cells when they need more voltage from batteries.
Are you confused about what this voltage is? It refers to the energy or pressure required to pass one unit charge. In simple words, it is pressure that can push the electrons in a specific circuit. For example, a 1.5-volt battery will have a small power to move the electrons.
So these batteries won’t work when more electrons (energy) are required. On the flip side, 12-volt batteries are more powerful. They put more pressure on electrons (electricity). So these batteries can run heavy-duty motors and machines. You’ll see 12-volt batteries being used in vehicles due to their higher pressure to produce electricity.
How Many Cells Are in a 12-Volt Battery?
It depends on the type of cells in a 12-volt battery.
Generally, 12-volt lead-acid batteries have six cells. These cells are of the lead-acid type. It means each of these cells produces 2 volts. These cells are connected in series. So, their combined voltage is around 12 volts. However, there is no specific number of cells that can be determined without knowing the type of cells.
The common types of cells include lead-acid cells, lithium-ion cells, alkaline cells, and so on. Right? Each of these cells is used in specific types of batteries. For example, lithium-ion cells are used in lithium-ion batteries. On the flip side, lead-acid cells are specific to lead-acid batteries. Additionally, all those cell types produce different voltages.
So, if you use 12-volt lithium batteries, they won’t have six cells. Why? Because each lithium-ion cell produces 3.6 volts. So, these 12-volt batteries can have four cells connected in series. On the other hand, alkaline cells produce 1.5 volts. So 12-volt alkaline batteries will have a total of 8 cells instead of 6 or 4. However, all these cells will be connected in series.
Here is a table showing the voltage of different cells. It also shows the total number of cells required to make 12-volt batteries:
| Cell Type | Cell Voltage | Cells in a 12V Battery |
| Lead-Acid Cell | ~2.0 volts | 6 cells |
| Alkaline Cell (AA, AAA, etc.) | ~1.5 volts | 8 cells |
| Lithium-Ion Cell | ~3.6 – 3.7 volts | 3 or 4 cells |
| Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) Cell | ~1.2 volts | 10 cells |
| Nickel-Metal Hydride Cell | ~1.2 volts | 10 cells |
| Lithium Iron Phosphate Cell | ~3.2 volts | 4 cells |
How Many Cells Do Different Batteries of 12V Have?
As I said earlier, there are different types of batteries available in the market. Interestingly, each of these batteries uses a different type of cell. Here is the list of the top five batteries:
- Alkaline Batteries
- LiFePO₄ Batteries
- Lead Acid Batteries
- Lithium Ion Batteries
- Nickel-Cadmium Batteries
Here is each type of battery with the number of cells in its 12-volt capacity:
- Alkaline batteries come with alkaline cells. Single alkaline cells produce 1.5 volts. So 12 Volt alkaline batteries will have a total of 8 cells.
- LiFePO₄ batteries use a Lithium Iron Phosphate Cell. Each of these cells has the ability to produce 3.2 volts. So, a 12 V LiFePO₄ battery will have a total of 4 cells.
- Lead-acid batteries consist of lead-acid cells. Each of these cells produces 2 volts. So a 12 V lead-acid battery will have six cells.
- Lithium-ion batteries have dedicated lithium-ion cells. A single lithium-ion cell produces 3.7 volts. So there will be around three lithium ions connected in series in these batteries. Remember, 12V lithium batteries won’t give an exact 12V voltage output. Their output will be slightly lower, i.e., 11.1 volts instead of exactly 12 volts.
- Lastly, the nickel-cadmium batteries have weaker cells. Each of their cells can produce 1.2 volts. So 12 Volt NiCd batteries will consist of a total of 10 cells.
How Many Cells Does a Car Battery Have?
Almost all the vehicles, including cars, come with lead-acid batteries. These batteries are 12 volts. It means these batteries have a total of 6 cells. Each cell offers two voltages. So six cells, when connected in series, provide a total of 12 volts. These 12-volt batteries are enough to start the engines of cars.
Generally, people compare lead-acid batteries with lithium-ion batteries. However, the cars and other vehicles don’t come with lithium-ion batteries. The reason is that these batteries are very costly. If manufacturers use lithium batteries in vehicles, the prices of the cars will go up. So, all the conventional cars come with 12-volt lead-acid batteries.
The cell in each 12V lead-acid battery is always 6. Are 12V batteries enough for a car’s ignition and electronics? The answer is a big YES! Their sufficient energy capacity, lower price, and decent durability make them stand out. However, some EV cars come with high-end lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are very powerful and can easily drive those cars.
How Many Cells in a 12V LiFePO4 Battery?
LiFePO4 is a popular type of lithium-ion battery. They are very powerful rechargeable energy sources that are also used in Battery Energy Storage Systems. They use lithium iron phosphate as their cathode. Carbon or graphite is used as the anode. The charges move between these electrodes and produce electricity.
When it comes to 12V LiFePO4 battery cells, many seem to be confused. However, these 12V batteries consist of 4 cells. Here is their breakdown:
These batteries come with lithium iron phosphate cells. Each of these cells offers a total of 3.2 volts. So, for 12V LiFePO4 batteries, there must be 4 of these 3.2V cells. Once connected in series, these four lithium iron phosphate cells will offer 12V. This will make the battery run the machines and devices.
Manufacturers can add or remove cells to adjust the voltage capacity of these batteries. For example, manufacturers can put eight cells in these batteries and make them 24V. If they add two lithium iron phosphate cells, these LiFePO4 batteries will become 6V.
Do 12V Lead-Acid and Lithium-Ion Batteries Have the Same Cells?
The answer is a big NO!
Both of these batteries use different types of cells. For example, acid cells are used in lead-acid batteries. Each of these cells can produce a maximum of 2 volts. On the flip side, lithium-ion batteries use lithium-ion cells. These types of cells are very powerful and stable. Each of them is capable of offering 3.6 volts.
For example, you have both 12 V lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries. The lead-acid battery will have six cells. These cells will be connected in series, giving a lump sum of 12 volts. On the other hand, a lithium-ion battery will have four cells. The reason is that each cell will provide 3.6 volts. So when four cells are connected in series, they will give us 12 Volts in total. So the number of cells present in different batteries of the same or different voltages can vary.
常見問題
Can a car battery work with fewer cells?
Car batteries generally offer 12V with six cells. If any single cell gets damaged, the battery voltage will drop below 12V. Such batteries won’t work and will be useless for running vehicles.
How many cells are in a 24V truck battery?
Trucks generally use 24V lead-acid batteries. These batteries come with a total of 12 cells. Each of these cells gives 2V. When connected in series, these 12 cells collectively provide a voltage of 24V.
What is the difference between a cell and a battery?
Cells and batteries are different from each other. A cell is a single unit that produces electricity as a result of electrochemical reactions. The set of all the cells connected in series to create a higher voltage refers to the battery.
總結
Cells play an integral role in the working of the batteries. Suppose a battery has six cells, and if a single cell gets damaged. In such a case, the whole battery will stop working and fail to provide the required voltage. When it comes to 12V batteries, the number of cells in these batteries can vary.
In lead-acid batteries widely used in automobiles, six cells are used and give an output of 12V. However, there are several types of batteries available. Each of those batteries can have a different number of cells, even if they give out 12 volts. In this article, I have discussed the cells of batteries, their roles, and the number of different cells in batteries.