Which battery fits for electric airsoft rifles? Or which charger fits the softgun? It is not always easy to know what battery or charger you need for a softgun. We have therefore made a small guide on what the difference between Li-Ion, Li-Po, Li-Fe and Ni-Mh is!
Battery Guide
To operate an electric rifle you need a suitable battery. There are several types of batteries for airsoft and they come in all possible configurations. Basically there are three types of batteries:
- Li-Po (Lithium-polymer battery)
- Li-Ion (Lithium-Ion battery)
- Ni-Mh (Nickel-metal hydride battery)
Li-Po has been the most popular battery type in recent years, but Li-Ion is the one we see is on its way to the top now! It's not for nothing! Li-Ion is the most efficient battery type for airsoft for 4 reasons:
- Li-Ion has an even higher energy level than Li-Po. This means that you will get more shots per charge compared to a Li-Po battery of the same size. "More bang for your buck"! Some of the Li-Ion batteries we have inside have a so-called SUPER capacity of a whopping 6000mAh. This will give you around 3500-5000 shots out of a charge!
- Li-Ion is safer and less sensitive than Li-Po which in turn are more sensitive than NiMh.
- Li-Ion has a so-called "no memory" function which means that you can charge the battery completely (to 0%) without damaging the battery. unlike Li-On, Li-Fe and Ni-Mh which must never be fully discharged as it damages the battery.
- Holds battery capacity for an extremely long time! If you charge it fully, the battery capacity will be the same a few months later. Contrast other batteries that need to be charged each time before playing.
Li-Ion has therefore become very popular in the airsoft community! If you are a beginner in airsoft, it might be good to start with one of the other battery types as they are currently cheaper than Li-Ion.
Whatever you choose, it is important that you read the instructions that come with the battery and/or charger on how to charge, store and use the battery.
When choosing your new battery, there are two things that are particularly important to think about, strength and size.
Choice of battery strength
7.4v and 11.1v batteries are the most common powers and these are used in 95% of all electric softguns. As a general guideline, you can easily separate the battery power you need from the output speed.
7.4v and 9.9v battery:
Best suited for airsoft between 285 - 400 fps. This applies to the vast majority of electric rifles that come straight out of the box, which are not pre-upgraded.
11.1v battery:
Best suited for airsoft above 400 fps +. High voltage battery (11.1v and up) will be able to pull powerful rifles with a high output velocity above 400 fps and provide a faster rate of fire.
Milliamps (mAh)
Behind the volts is always how many milliamps the battery should have. Put simply, this means how many shots you will get out of the battery (rough estimate) before you need to recharge. Does it say, e.g. 11.1.v 2200mAh - Can you expect to shoot approximately 2200 bb shots before you have to charge the battery again.
Choice of battery size
The size of the battery should depend on what there is room for in your replica. E.g. so will this 7.4v battery fit all M4/M15 variants with Cranestock and Mini-Tamiya plug. Otherwise, we recommend that you look under related products on the rifle you have bought/will buy to see which battery is suitable.
Recommended batteries
Chargers
Of chargers so recommend we this multi-charger which fits all battery types except Li-Ion. For Li-Ion battery types we recommend that you ONLY user a separate charger intended for Li-Ion batteries, which this.
Recommended chargers
Tips for extra security:
Buy a charging case! This is an ingenious product that helps make the charging process / storage of the battery a little safer. See the product here!
Note. It is easy to charge incorrectly, it can destroy the battery and in the worst case can become a fire/explosion hazard. Therefore, always read the user manual carefully, both on the battery and charger, before using them. And never walk away from a battery that is charging!
For more inspiration read also:
- Airsoft battery safety guide
- Softgun and airgun safety rules and tips
- Guide - How to upgrade airsoft / softgun
- Tips and maintenance of airsoft/air pistols - Gas/Co2
- The most popular types of airsoft games!
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