Generally, AA batteries have an initial voltage of around 1.2V. The electrical appliance and gadgets usually designed to work within the range of 0.9 to 1.5V use AA batteries. The AA batteries can maintain a voltage of around 1.0 volts throughout their use. On the other hand, Alkaline batteries have a higher initial voltage as compared to AA batteries. However, they slowly lose their voltage throughout their use and cause a reduction in the device performance over time.
The AA battery (or double-A battery), a dry-type cell, is the standard-size single battery. AA batteries are called by different names as given in the below table.
| Standard | Name of AA-type battery |
| IEC 60086 | R6 |
| ANSI C18 | 15 |
| JIS Japan | UM-3 |
| Standard Cell | D-14 |
| United Kingdom | HP7 or pen cell |
AA batteries have widespread use in portable electronic devices. An AA cell is a single electrochemical cell. It may be either a primary cell (disposable) or a rechargeable cell. The cell voltage, capacity, and discharge rating depend on the cell chemistry; however, an AA cell usually only takes 1.2-1.5 V unless specified by the manufacturer.
Type of Batteries and their Voltage
| Type of Cell | Battery Voltage(V) |
| Alkaline Cell | 1.5 |
| Carbon-Zinc Cell | 1.5 |
| Nicad Cell | 1.2 ( 1.4 Volts after Charging) |
| NiMH Cell | 1.2 ( 1.4 volts after charging) |
The cell voltage also depends on the circuit. The unique circuit design permits a minimum voltage, and below the minimum voltage it does not work, or it gives an unsatisfactory performance. This happens because of a voltage drop caused by the current demand and internal resistance of the cell.
Generally, AA alkaline cell functions satisfactory up to 1.1 volts or 1 volts. If the voltage falls below 1 volt, it needs to be replaced. The AA alkaline cell with a low voltage of around 1 volt can be used for low-current demanding devices for some time.
