Airsoft Battery buying guide.

Below are the pros and cons of different types of batteries you can buy 

and our advice to help you select the correct batteries for your bb gun.

(its very important always make sure you use the correct charger for the correct battery)

NiMH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) batteries 

With a NiMh battery, You can get up to 2,000 charging cycles; This means you can charge and use your battery 2000 times before you need to replace it.

This makes them ideal for rental airsoft guns and or those airsofters first getting into the sport. 

The NiMh battery is best for full autoplay and/or a mix of full-auto and semi-auto play.  

NiMh batteries are very easy to maintain and they can be drained completely to zero without damaging any of the cells because it has no memory. 

Be sure to use a smart battery charger to avoid overcharging and protect against reverse polarity. We recommend the Valken Energy NiMh Smart Battery Charger.

So why do we recommend you choose the nickel-metal hydride battery? 

It's safe, it's cost-effective, and you can't completely drain it to zero and damage the cells, so it's almost dummy-proof. Goto our NiMh Airsoft battery page

LiPo (lithium polymer) batteries

The lithium-polymer is one of the preferred choices for lots of airsofters because of its initial burst rating. So you will want to play with this battery if you do a lot of semi-only shooting because you're gonna get that initial burst a lot more effective than a NiMh battery. But you're trading off charging cycles for performance. The lithium-polymer battery only gives up to 500 charging cycles with proper care, storage, and charging.

 The Li-Po is ideal for mid-level or higher-end AEGs with custom gearbox builds, and it's best for shooting semi-auto only. 

 Li-Po's should never be fully discharged, and you will want to store it at about 50 to 70% charge. It comes in various shapes and sizes, and battery packs are smaller than your normal NiMH batteries, so you can put them into guns with smaller battery compartments.

Be sure to use a Li-Po battery smart charger that with a balanced charging feature.

Make sure you use a Li-Po-specific charger when charging that Li-Po battery. 

We recommend the Valken Energy Quick Charger for all your Li-Po battery charging needs. Goto our LiPo Airsoft battery page

Li-ion (lithium-ion) batteries

The major advantages of the Li-Ion battery over the Li-Po battery is you get up to 1,200 charging cycles compared to 500 charging cycles with the Li-Po battery with proper care, storage, and charging.

And just like the Li-Po battery, this battery is best used for the mid-level to high-end AEG rifles or that have custom gearboxes built inside. with a li-ion for a little bit more money; you get a whole lot more battery. There's no risk of puffing compared to normal Li-Po batteries because they're stored in metal cells similar to that of a NiMh battery.

Be sure to always use a lithium-ion charger when charging those lithium-ion batteries. You may also use a Li-Po charger to charge lithium-ion batteries, just understand you may degrade the number of charging cycles just by a little bit. 

We recommend the Valken Energy Lithium-Ion Charger with a digital display.

What does “mAh” mean?

Airsoft gun batteries have a mAh rating, mAh capacity relates to the storage space available for that particular battery. A battery with a capacity rating of 1600 mAh delivers a current of 1600mA for one hour. Higher mAh ratings mean longer airsoft gaming times.

How long does an airsoft battery last?

as a rule of thumb, i tell customers if you have a battery with a 450 mAh rating, you will get about 450 shots per charge, and a 1600 mAh will get you approx 1600 shots per charge and so on. 

This method is not 100 percent correct as there are loads of variables like how strong your guns spring is and so on, but its just an easy way of looking at it to give you a rough guide.

but, if you are thinking in terms of life span NiMH and LiPo batteries generally regarded to have a long lifespans and may last for thousands of charge cycles. 

What does voltage mean?

The voltage or "V" of a battery refers to how much power the battery outputs. The higher the volts the faster your guns motor will spin, and the faster the motor spins, the more rounds per second your gun will shoot and give you a greater the rate of fire. 

Higher voltage will also give you a faster trigger response, but it will not affect the guns fps (feet per second) power.

Airsoft batteries voltages range from around 7.2v to 12.8v.however the most commonly found voltage range, is between 7.2 and 9.6v.

When looking to buy a battery, there is a sweet spot; You want a voltage that is high enough to give you the best performance, but if you have a voltage that is too high for the rifle, it will put too much stress on the internal workings of the bb gun and could break stuff in it, or make components wear out faster. 

Generally speaking, more expensive guns are built better with better internal parts and can take more high voltages better.

How long should i charge my airsoft battery for?

Chargers that come with bb guns are always on trickle chargers, and if you leave a NiMh Batteries charging and forget to turn them off, this will overcharge the battery and probably break it (we do not cover you for overcharging batteries, so be careful) to overcome the overcharging problem you could buy a smart charger from us, this type of charger will automatically switch off when the battery is fully charged.  

The best and safest way to charge an airsoft battery is using a smart charger, but if you do stick with the always-on charger, a 1600mAh will take about 4 to 5 hours to charge, and a 800mAh will take 2 to 2.5 hours, but it depends on the charging output of the charger. Click here to see our airsoft battery safety guide.

Example of how you calculate time to charge a NiMh battery.

If the NiMh battery has 1800mA capacity and on the output charger says 300mA, then divide the battery capacity and output charger.

it looks like this.

1800/300 = 6 hours. This is the time it would take to fully charge an empty /new battery to its maximum capacity. 

But again, there are loads of variables like the ambient temperature, how many cycles the battery has been charged for and so on.

At the end of the day, it's best to just get an intelligent charger they don't cost much nowadays, and if you guess wrong and take your battery off of charge too soon, the battery will not be fully charged, or in the worse case you have left it on too long, and you have overcharged it and damaged it.

What type of batteries will be best for my bb gun?

If you are buying an electric airsoft rifle below £90 we recommend using NiMh Batteries because high power, high voltage lipo or Li-ion could be too powerful for your guns gears and motor. If your spending around £100 and over, you should be able to use more high powered battery options.

Will a higher voltage battery make my gun shoot more powerful?

No, the higher you go in voltage if will make your gun will fire more rounds per second, but it will not add more power to your gun. 
The one and only thing the battery has to do with power velocity is whether or not the battery is able to supply enough power to the motor to cycle the bb guns gearbox. The velocity is determined by how strong the spring is inside your AEG. Your airsoft battery is either going to have enough power to cycle the gearbox or not.

What shape airsoft batteries fit what model guns?

There are three different main types of battery shapes, and it's hard to give you an exact answer here but here goes.

stick airsoft batteries
This type of battery is mostly used in ak47 style rifles but are also used on M4's when the battery is incerted in the buffer tube (the bit that holds the stock)

Nunchuck airsoft batteries
this type of battery is used in lots of rear-wired M4 rifles where the battery fits inside the bb guns stock

Brick airsoft batteries
With brick batteries, you find them on some front-wired M4's G36 P90 Etc.

micro batteries
this type of battery is sometimes used in rifles with a PEQ battery box as they are quite small and sometimes on only battery that will fit

But you need to check and measure the size of the battery compartment on your gun to get the exact battery you need, but if you do happen to get the wrong battery, you can always return it to us and swap it for the correct one.

Buying your battery and charger

The number one cause of battery fires is using the wrong charger for the specific battery. 

Many parents and first-time buyers of airsoft products do not realize that specific chargers must be used with certain types of batteries. 

Valken Sports and nuprol has made it easy for identifying the proper charger with the proper battery. with valken the NiMH charger in green goes with NiMH battery in green, and the same with nurpol just in different colours.

 LiPo charger labelled in orange also goes with LiPo battery with an orange label, and our lithium-ion charger has both yellow and orange to go with a yellow labelled lithium-ion battery or an orange lithium polymer battery. goto our airsoft battery charger page

Airsoft Battery connectors Deans VS Mini-Tamiya?

Deans and Mini-Tamiya connectors are types of connectors that are commonly used to connect batteries to airsoft guns.
Deans connectors, also known as T-connectors, are named after their inventor, Dean Kamen. They are a type of high-current connector that is commonly used in radio-controlled models, including airsoft guns. Deans connectors have a male and female end, and the male end has a set of spring-loaded tabs that make contact with the female end when the connectors are mated. Deans connectors are known for their low resistance, which allows them to carry a high current with minimal voltage drop.

Mini-Tamiya connectors, also known as small Tamiya connectors, are a smaller version of the standard Tamiya connectors that are commonly used in airsoft guns. Like Deans connectors, Mini-Tamiya connectors have a male and female end, and the male end has a set of spring-loaded tabs that make contact with the female end when the connectors are mated. Mini-Tamiya connectors are a more popular choice for airsoft guns because they are more widely used.

Airsoft Battery instructions & safety advice.

Here are some general instructions and safety advice for using airsoft batteries:

1. Follow the manufacturer's instructions: Always read and follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of your airsoft battery. These instructions will provide important information on how to charge and use the battery safely.

2. Use a quality charger: Use a quality charger that is designed for the type of battery you are using. Follow the charger manufacturer's instructions for charging the battery, and do not overcharge the battery.

3. Handle the battery with care: Treat the battery with care to avoid damaging it. Do not drop, puncture, or expose the battery to extreme temperatures.

4. Store the battery safely: Store the battery in a cool, dry place away from heat sources. Do not leave the battery in direct sunlight or in a hot car.

5. Dispose of the battery properly: When the battery is no longer usable, dispose of it properly. Do not dispose of the battery in a fire, as this can be dangerous.

6. Use caution when handling damaged batteries: If the battery is damaged in any way, handle it with caution. If the battery is leaking, do not touch the leaking material or allow it to come into contact with your skin. If the battery is swelling or overheating, remove it from the device and dispose of it properly.

By following these instructions and safety tips, you can help ensure the safe and proper use of your airsoft battery. for more in depth info and safety tips for airsoft batteries click here