12V 7Ah Rechargeable Batteries - Features, Dimensions, and Cross Reference Chart

12V 7Ah batteries are very popular deep cycle and general-purpose batteries, commonly used for powering medical equipment, security systems, UPS and other emergency systems, toys, scooters, fish finders, etc.

For a long time, 12V 7Ah batteries were built only as Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries. In recent times, deep cycle Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries are offering great weight savings, a larger number of supported charging/discharging cycles, etc. But, SLA AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) batteries are still going on strong.

Updated: April 24, 2023.

On This Page: 12V 7Ah Batteries Size and Chemistries Battery Cross Reference Chart How To Charge 12V 7Ah Batteries Frequently Asked Questions Few Final Words

12V 7Ah Batteries Size and Chemistries

12V 7Ah batteries feature physical dimensions of (L x W x H) 5.94 x 2.56 x 3.7 inches (~151 x 65 x 94 mm) and come mostly with F1 battery terminals, but also sometimes with F2 battery terminals - battery terminals are on the right side of the battery with a positive battery terminal being closer to the user.

As their name suggests, 12V 7Ah batteries feature a nominal voltage of 12V and a nominal (20h) capacity of 7Ah.

Most 12V 7Ah batteries are sealed, maintenance-free Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) lead-acid batteries or Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries, although there are also some Gel-Cell lead-acid batteries on the market as well.

Lead-Acid vs. Lithium 12V 7Ah Batteries

There is a big difference between AGM and LiFePO₄ batteries, including:

• AGM batteries are 2-3x heavier than lithium batteries for the same nominal capacity.
• AGM batteries can provide high currents for a short period of time, although high discharge currents decrease their actual capacity.
• Lithium batteries usually support constant discharge currents of up to 1C and surge currents of up to 2C for a few seconds, but this differs from battery to battery.
• while AGM batteries support 180-220 charging/discharging cycles down to 100% DoD and up to 250-300 cycles down to 80% DoD, lithium batteries support up to 2000 (sometimes even more) charging/discharging cycles down to 100% DoD and up to 4000 (sometimes even more) charging/discharging cycles down to 80% DoD - lithium batteries support ~8-10x more cycles than lead-acid batteries, and that is a lot!
• when the discharge currents are increased, lead-acid battery capacity decreases. For example, the 1h capacity of lead-acid batteries is usually just 50-65% of their 20h capacity. On the other hand, most lithium batteries are capable of providing 1C currents for almost an hour, featuring almost no capacity loss due to the 1C current.
• lithium batteries feature Battery Management Systems (BMS) that protect the battery from unwanted events like high/low temperature, high/low voltage, short circuit, high charge/discharge current, etc., while lead-acid batteries are much simpler devices and generally 2-3x cheaper than lithium batteries.
• lithium batteries are much more energy-efficient, and when being discharged with 0.2C or similar currents, their output voltage is at least 12V during 90-95% of their discharge time - again, model dependent.
• AGM batteries can be freely connected in series and/or parallel (it is recommended to use the very same batteries from the same brand, preferably from the same batch), while lithium batteries can be connected in series and/or parallel only if explicitly permitted by the manufacturer, and even then some limits may apply (again, model dependent).
• lithium batteries generally can be recharged using older lead-acid battery chargers that don't feature desulphation mode, but even such battery chargers can recharge them up to 75-80% of their capacity. In order to fully recharge the lithium batteries, either use an advanced AGM battery charger with the dedicated lithium battery charging mode or use a dedicated lithium battery charger.
• AGM 12V 7Ah batteries should be charged using 0.7-1.0A currents, while most of the lithium 12V 7Ah batteries support charging currents of up to 1C, although 0.2C-0.3C charging currents are preferred.

With the advancements in technology, many brands offer batteries with physical dimensions of (L x W x H) 5.94 x 2.56 x 3.7 inches (~151 x 65 x 94 mm) with higher capacities than the "old" 7Ah, even for lead-acid batteries.

For example, more and more brands offer 5.94 x 2.56 x 3.7 inches (~151 x 65 x 94 mm) AGM batteries with 8Ah and 9Ah capacities, which doesn't sound like a great difference, but it is.

Also, lithium (L x W x H) 5.94 x 2.56 x 3.7 inches (~151 x 65 x 94 mm) batteries started years ago with cylindrical cells and are now mostly offered with prismatic cells, ensuring larger capacities and hence, better performances.

So, when to use AGM and when to use Lithium batteries?

AGM batteries should be used for applications where their weight is not of an issue, where the batteries don't have to cycle very often, and when the battery must support really strong currents, which are still too strong for lithium batteries.

Lithium batteries are lighter, more energy-efficient, feature higher actual capacity, especially in the 0.5-1.0C current range, they support a much larger number of charging/discharging cycles a lot (8-10x more than lead-acid batteries) and can be recharged faster.

Lithium batteries are also more expensive and may require dedicated lithium battery chargers, but in the long run, especially in cycling applications, lithium batteries are actually much cheaper.

UPS Batteries

5.94 x 2.56 x 3.7 inches (~151 x 65 x 94 mm) batteries are commonly used for UPS devices up to 300-500VA (sometimes a little bit more), requiring 12V batteries to provide 25-50 Amps max.

Since such currents are too much for lithium batteries, it is highly recommended to use AGM batteries in the UPS and similar devices or lithium battery models as recommended by the UPS manufacturer.

Similarly, all applications that require these batteries to provide 15-20 Amps continuously should use AGM batteries since such currents may trigger BMS to protect the lithium battery from too strong currents, causing the battery and the whole system to fail/shut down.

Electric Vehicles and Toys

Electric vehicles and toys may benefit greatly from switching from AGM to lithium batteries IF the maximum required current fits the maximum current of the lithium battery.

For example, if the battery is used to power a kid's toy car that features a 50W motor (Running Watts) and 100W max. (Starting Watts), a good lithium battery can lower the weight of the battery pack and increase the range and runtime.

But, before changing the battery chemistry, it is recommended to check the documentation of the device/toy regarding switching to lithium batteries, especially max. currents and charger type details.

F1 and F2 Battery Terminals

Most of these batteries come with F1 and F2 battery terminals which are similar but not the same and not even compatible.

• F1 Terminal: Width 3/16 (0.1875) inches, ~4.76 mm, Length 6.25 mm, Thickness 0.8 mm,
• F2 Terminal: Width 1/4 (0.25) inches, 6.35 mm, Length 7.95 mm, Thickness 0.9 mm.

The F1 battery terminal is thinner and narrower, and the F2 is wider and thicker - most 12V 7Ah batteries come with F1 battery terminals, while batteries with larger capacities come with F2 battery terminals.

When changing the batteries, it is recommended that the new battery has the same battery terminals as the older battery, but if it has different terminals, it is not a problem - just order F1 to F2 or F2 to F1 battery terminal adapters and use them to connect your new battery.

For example, F1 to F2 battery terminals are used to connect F1 battery terminals with the wires intended for connecting to F2 battery terminals.

Also, F2 to F1 battery terminals are used to connect F2 battery terminals with the wires intended for connecting to F1 battery terminals.

In most situations, F2 to F1 battery terminals are required.

Battery Cross Reference Chart

The following cross reference chart lists some of the most popular 12V 7Ah batteries, but also several lead-acid 12V 8-9Ah models and lithium 12V 6-10Ah models that feature physical dimensions of (L x W x H) 5.94 x 2.56 x 3.7 inches (~151 x 65 x 94 mm).

As one can see, lithium batteries are coming on strong, and more and more brands offer lithium (L x W x H) 5.94 x 2.56 x 3.7 inches (~151 x 65 x 94 mm) batteries that feature 8-10Ah capacity and support constant discharge currents of up to 10 Amps and surge currents of up to 15-50 Amps with different surge support time.

Standard AGM 12V 7Ah batteries typically have F1 battery terminals, while newer AGM 12V 8+Ah and LiFePO₄ batteries generally have F2 battery terminals, and are considered as a different class of batteries: 12V 9Ah Batteries.

If the device allows switching from the AGM to lithium battery (max. charging/discharging current, charger type, etc.), one may expect a longer operating time, lighter battery pack, and a much larger number of charging/discharging cycles.

How To Charge 12V 7Ah Batteries

Lead-acid 12V 7Ah batteries should be recharged using advanced AGM battery chargers with a charging current of ~1A. Such battery chargers first analyze the batteries and adjust the charging algorithm to the battery condition, and after charging, they enter so-called maintenance mode.

Lithium 12V 7Ah batterie should be recharged using dedicated lithium battery chargers or small intelligent AGM battery chargers with dedicated lithium battery charging mode - regardless of the battery charger type, the charging current generally may be around 1.5-2.0A but should be verified in the battery Owner's Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most common Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about 12V 7Ah and similar lead-acid and lithium batteries:

What does 7Ah mean on a battery? What does a 12V 7Ah battery mean?

"7Ah" on the battery means that the nominal capacity of the battery is 7Ah (Amp-hours); nominal capacity is the capacity measured when the battery is discharged with the constant current for 20h - lead-acid batteries are typically discharged down to 10.5 volts.

"12V 7Ah" means that the battery features a nominal voltage of 12V and a nominal capacity (20h) of 7Ah (Amp-hours).

How long will a 12V 7Ah battery last?

In standby applications, typical lead-acid batteries can last 3-5 years, while lithium batteries can last up to 10-12 years.

In cycling applications, typical lead-acid batteries may last up to 180-220 cycles down to 100% DoD, while lithium batteries may last up to 2000+ cycles down to 100% DoD.

However, all this depends on numerous details, like charging/discharging currents, temperatures, battery maintenance, and similar.

How long does it take to charge a 12V 7Ah battery?

12V 7Ah lead-acid batteries should be charged for 6-8 hours, while 12V 7Ah lithium batteries should be recharged for 3-5 hours - with fast chargers, if allowed, lithium batteries may be recharged in 1-2 hours, but this is battery dependent!

Can I charge a 12V 7Ah battery with a car battery charger?

No, 12V 7Ah batteries should NOT be recharged using car battery chargers since they are too strong - they provide currents much too strong for 7Ah batteries, which would destroy them relatively quickly.

Are all 12V 7Ah batteries the same?

No, 12V 7Ah batteries may be wet/flooded, Gel-Cell, and most commonly AGM lead-acid batteries and lithium (LiFePO4) batteries.

Also, batteries from each of these categories differ among themselves in terms of supported charging/discharging currents, the number of supported charging/discharging cycles, etc.

How many Watts is a 12V 7Ah battery?

Actual wattage depends on the discharge current and not on the capacity - lead-acid batteries can provide really strong currents, but they don't like to be discharged fast. On the other hand, lithium batteries are protected with BMSs (Battery Management Systems), which limit the discharge currents.

For example, ExpertPower EXP1270 12V 7Ah SLA AGM Battery can provide 19 Amps for 5 minutes constantly down to 10.5 volts with a wattage between ~240W down to 200W.

Or it can provide ~222W constantly for 5 minutes.

That is not bad for such a compact battery.

On the other hand, lithium 12V 7Ah batteries with currents limited to certain values are able to provide less power - that is why it is so important when replacing a lead-acid 12V 7Ah battery with a lithium battery to check the required wattage of the device.

What wattage of solar panel do I need to charge a 12V 7Ah battery in 6 hours?

In order to recharge 12V 7Ah completely in 6 hours, one needs a charging current of ~1.2 Amps, with a charging voltage of little less than 15 volts, requiring at least 18-20 charging watts.

Since charge controllers and solar panels are not ideal (charge controller ~85-90% energy efficiency, solar panel 50-60% efficiency, this also means that one needs at least 35-40W solar panels in order to recharge a 12V 7Ah battery in 6 hours.

If the weather is nice and the solar panel is properly oriented, even a somewhat smaller solar panel can do the job in 6 hours, but its orientation must follow the sun's movement across the sky.

Can I charge a 12V 7Ah battery with a solar panel without a charge controller?

Not recommended - charge controllers are PWM or MPPT devices that optimize the charging process in order to transfer the energy in the most efficient way.

Also, various solar panels provide different voltages which are often not compatible with 12V batteries.

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Few Final Words

Long Story Short: The batteries with physical dimensions of (L x W x H) 5.94 x 2.56 x 3.7 inches (~151 x 65 x 94 mm) are very popular and are used everywhere, even more often than many people know.

When replacing the old battery, the new battery should be of the same chemistry and have the same or better charging/discharging performance.

However, replacing the old lead-acid battery with a new lithium battery (where possible, of course) can improve the performance of the powered device/toy/vehicle and in the long run, save some money.

Whatever You do, it is your own responsibility, so do your own due diligence, and read the Owner's Guide of the device/toy/vehicle that You have, old battery, new battery, etc.

Stay safe... These batteries are small and compact, but they can provide plenty of power when required.