Customer Reviews

C-sized Adapter Shells for AA Battery

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I also ran into fit problems using these adapters. My AA rechargeables fit nicely into these shells, but the shells were too fat to fit into my camping lantern which uses 4 C cells. Saddened, all I could do was get out my trusty micrometer and begin to take data...

The Lenmar shells (at least the ones I bought) measured 1.02" in diameter. A Energizer battery measured a slim 0.985" and a Duracell measured 0.99". An Eneloop C adapter measured 0.98" in diameter. So the Lenmar adapters are definitely fat compared to the competition.

But here's where Paul Harvey would say "now for the rest of the story...". When I checked the ANSI standard for C batteries, I found the spec allows diameters between 0.98" and 1.03". So the Lenmar shells are within spec. The guilty item is, in fact, my camping light. (This is the type of insight you get when hard science types take to writing these reviews).

What to do? If your batteries will be packed shoulder-to-shoulder in a battery compartment with a tight squeeze, you're probably going to have to pony up for some (pricey) Eneloop upsizers. Otherwise I think you'll be happy with these Lenmar adapters. Maybe you can buy some of each and that way you can power any device while saving the environment and some $$$ at the same time.

If you have some power-hungry applications that require C-cells, you can usually save money in the long run by using rechargeable NiMH cells instead of alkaline cells. One approach is to buy a set of AA to C-sized adapter shells, and use rechargeable AA NiMh cells in those. This is the cheapest method because AA NiMH cells typically cost less than ten dollars for a package of four, and you can use low-cost AA charger for them (instead of buying another charger that accepts C-cells).

However, don't expect to get the same operation time as before when you were using alkaline cells. This is because the capacity of a typical NiMH AA cell is only about 2500mAh. In comparison, a typical alkaline C-cell is rated at 8500mAh for low current applications. At higher current, the actual capacity may drop to half. But this is still twice as much as that of a NiMH AA cell. In other words, you can only expect half the operation time after switching to NiMH AA cells.

There are rechargeable NiMH C-cells available with capacity up to 6000mAh. Those cells can out-last alkaline C-cells in large current applications. However, those cells are expensive (around $20 for two) and you need special charger that are designed to charge high capacity C-cells. (Most low-cost chargers, even those that can accept C-cells, cannot fully recharge cells with capacity greater than 3000mAh)

Finally, be carefull not to fall victim to fake C-cells offered by Energizer and Rayovac. Those are just 2500mAh AA cells enclosed in larger C-sized cases. Prices of those fake C-cells are often ridiculously high, even though you still get shorter operation time from those. Plus you need to buy a charger that can accept C-cells.

All things considered, using AA cells in C-sized adapters is still a good approach. Just make sure that you lower your expectation, and DON'T PAY TOO MUCH for those cheap plastic shells.

The shells are larger in diameter than regular "C" batteries. These shells do not fit into several of my devices.

I bought about 3 to 4 packs of these Lenmar D-Shell Battery Adapters for my touchless trash cans and emergency items. I love them. We have an emergency closet and had bought alot of Rechargeable AA and AAA batteries. We have alot of items that you can wind up such as Emergency radios and flashlights, but we bought the adapters to convert our AA batteries into D-batteries for backup. We also purchased a few packs of Lenmar C-Shell Battery Adapters for our Electric train and various items. We have saved alot of money by replacing all our regular batteries with rechargeable batteries.

GOD Bless!

This is a terrific product - it's so nice to not have to go looking for a C battery - just pop in the AA (which I always have around) and go!

The shell does not hold the AA battery that well. I found it hard to keep the AA battery steady in the shell when plugging it into anything. Would be much cheaper to buy a piece of styrofoam and cut it to shape. It would work as good as this one.

I bought these for using high capacity AA rechargable batteries in an Acoustics Research AW822 wireless outdoor speaker, which used 8 C cell batteries. High capacity rechargable C cells are very expensive, and many of the standard capcity rechargable C cells are just high capacity AA's in a C cell body.

Many people have fit issues with these adapters, so I wasn't sure if they were going to work, but they fit perfectly in this speaker.

These are handy to have in a pinch. I don't know about you but we always have AA batteries in the house. When I can't find a C or a D this serves in a pinch, until I can get the actual size I need. The AA doesn't last long in a more power-hungry device but it'll do what you need to do for a few days, until you can get a new battery.

I have tons of AA NiMH rechargeable batteries that are used for everything. Subsequently I have AA chargers that run off my USB port, wall chargers, and car chargers - but they do not charge the larger batteries. My trashcan (automatic opener) and led candles uses C and D sizes which I have run using AA's in C and D shells without any issues. I think another reviewer explained that most rechargeable C and D batteries are really just AA batteries which I agree with after experiencing the same performance from both and the weight/voltage/etc. are the same too. These are great for kids' toys too. I think there might be some size issues using these in flashlights but you can always just file down the shell to fit.

The adapters I received look different than the picture on Amazon, but they work great. They fit well in the devices I used them in so far. I would have given them a 5 star rating, except they are a bit pricey for 4 plastic shells.