Varta High Energy AAA blister 4 pcs

Four alkaline AAA batteries from Varta, type LR03. Almost as tall as an AA but much slimmer, and that difference in thickness matters more than it looks.

AAA is not a small AA

The two sizes differ by six millimetres in height: 44.5 against 50.5. In capacity they differ by roughly a factor of three. An AAA weighs 11.3 grams and an AA 23.5, and nearly all of that difference is active material.

In practice a device on AAA asks for new cells far more often than the same device on AA would. That is not a shortcoming of the battery but a decision by whoever designed the device: AAA is in there because the product had to stay small.

What takes them

In a grow room AAA is the size of small remote controls, compact thermo-hygrometers and the slimmer handheld meters. If you are choosing between a device on AA and the same one on AAA, and size does not matter to you, AA is the cheaper choice over time.

Individually held

Single Press Out blister: push out one cell at a time, the rest stay sealed. Useful for keeping new and used cells apart, which comes up more often with AAA than with larger sizes.

Technical Specifications:

• Brand: Varta High Energy
• Varta type: 04903
• IEC: LR03
• Size: AAA
• Voltage: 1.5 V
• System: alkaline manganese (Zn/MnO2)
• Height: 44.5 mm
• Weight: 11.3 g per cell
• Pack: blister of 4

Frequently asked questions

Can I use an AAA in an AA compartment? With an adapter sleeve it fits, but you then have about a third of the capacity. Fine in a pinch, not as a permanent fix.

Why does my AAA device go flat so fast? Because there is simply not much inside an AAA. At the same draw an AA lasts roughly three times as long.

Is this the same as LR03? Yes. AAA, LR03 and micro are names for the same size.

Can I mix them with AA cells in one device? No, a device uses one size. Mixing old and new within the same size is also best avoided.