12V 9Ah Battery: Sealed Lead Acid Batteries vs. Lithium Batteries
12V 9Ah batteries are very popular rechargeable batteries that are typically used in small electric vehicles, toys, UPSs, lighting, and similar.
Wet/flooded lead acid batteries were phased out in favor of AGM and Gel Sealed Lead Acid batteries, which are being slowly replaced by lighter lithium batteries. But, SLA batteries are still far from being phased out, on the contrary ...
Published: May 13, 2023.
12V 9Ah Batteries Features and Specifications
The physical dimensions of the 12V 9Ah batteries are (L x W x H) ~5.94 x 2.56 x 3.70 inches (~151 x 65 x 94 mm), with the battery terminals being on the right side, with the positive (Red) terminal being closer to the user.
12V 9Ah batteries are general-purpose batteries intended to provide relatively strong currents but also to cycle well.
However, they should NOT be used as starting/cranking batteries in motorcycles, snowmobiles, and similar Powersports vehicles - for such batteries, check the Powersports Batteries article.
Note: some power generators, lawn tractors, and similar devices and vehicles that have small petrol engines use general-purpose 12V batteries for cranking their engines, which is by design - this is acceptable since these engines are small enough not to overstress the batteries, while the batteries' ability to cycle well is required for other functions of the devices/vehicles in question.
12V 9Ah batteries are typically based on the following chemistries:
- Wet/Flooded Lead-Acid Batteries - being practically phased out,
- Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA) batteries - very popular chemistry,
- Gel-Cell Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA) batteries - used often, but not as often as AGM SLA batteries,
- Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries - becoming very popular choice in applications with limited wattage,
- Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries - not used very often in general-purpose batteries but may be found in Powersports batteries much more often.
AGM vs. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) 12V 9Ah Batteries
AGM and LiFePO4 batteries differ in several very important details, including:
- LiFePO4 batteries are 2-3x lighter for the same capacity,
- LiFePO4 batteries don't suffer from capacity drop when being discharged with strong currents,
- LiFePO4 batteries support 8-10x more charging/discharging cycles, and they tolerate very well when being cycled down to 100% DoD,
- LiFePO4 batteries feature a built-in Battery Management System (BMS), which protects them from unwanted events like overcharging, over-discharging, over-current, short-circuit, and similar. But, this also means that LiFePO4 batteries cannot provide very strong currents since they are usually limited to 1C maximum continuous currents for safety reasons,
- LiFePO4 batteries feature lower self-discharge rates,
- LiFePO4 batteries should be charged with dedicated lithium battery chargers, with advanced lead-acid battery chargers that feature dedicated lithium battery charging mode, or with "old" lead-acid battery chargers that don't feature advanced modes like desulphation and similar. However, such "old" lead-acid battery chargers cannot recharge LiFePO4 batteries fully.
- LiFePO4 batteries are more energy efficient.
When considering all these benefits of LiFePO4 batteries, one must ask oneself, why are AGM and Gel-Cell batteries still used?
Well, AGM and Gel-Cell batteries are cheaper, and they cannot be shut off by a simple temporary glitch in the system - such glitch can easily shut-off most of the LiFePO4 batteries, which is not recommended in mission-critical systems, like UPS, medical applications, security applications, etc.
So, if You have a small toy car that uses a 12V 9Ah battery and has a nominal maximum power of 100W, a 12V 9Ah LiFePO4 battery with a maximum continuous current of 10 Amps and a surge current of, for example, 20 Amps 1-3 seconds, can probably fit well - we say "probably" because there are many other details that may affect the battery.
Also, when replacing an AGM battery with a LiFePO4 battery, also consider replacing a lead-acid battery charger with a lithium battery charger.
12V 9Ah Batteries Cross Reference Chart
The following comparison chart lists some of the most popular 12V 9Ah batteries with their most important features and specifications.
Note: We have also included batteries that feature physical dimensions of 5.94 x 2.56 x 3.70 inches (151 x 65 x 94 mm) and a nominal capacity larger than 9Ah.
Model | Cell Type Terminals |
Discharge Currents |
Weight | Review |
AJC D9S | AGM T2 (F2) |
- | 5.72 lbs; 2.59 kg | - |
Casil CA1290 | AGM F2 |
- | 5.5 lbs; 2.5 kg | - |
Chrome 12V 9Ah | AGM T2 (F2) |
- | 5.65 lbs; 2.56 kg | - |
Chrome 12V 10Ah | AGM T2 |
- | 6.4 lbs; 2.9 kg | - |
Chrome Pirate 12V 10Ah | AGM T2 |
- | 6.4 lbs; 2.9 kg | - |
Chrome Pro 12V 10Ah | AGM T2 |
- | 7.5 lbs; 3.4 kg | - |
Chrome Zipp 12V 9.5Ah | AGM T2 |
- | 5.51 lbs; 2.5 kg | - |
CSB HR1234W | AGM F1/F2 |
25.4A 10 minutes down to 9.6V | 5.51 lbs; 2.5kg | - |
Dakota 12V 10Ah | LiFePO4 F2 |
20A cont. max., 50A 0.3s | 2.87 lbs; 1.3 kg | - |
ECI Power 12V 10Ah | LiFePO4 F2 |
10A cont. max., 15A 5s | 2.35 lbs; 1.06 kg | - |
ECO-WORTHY 12V 10Ah | LiFePO4 F2 |
10A cont. max. | 2.43 lbs; 1.1 kg | - |
EEMB 12V 9Ah | LiFePO4 | 15A cont. max., 30A 2s | 2.2 lbs; 1.0 kg | - |
EEMB 12V 10Ah | LiFePO4 | 15A cont. max., 30A 3s | 2.2 lbs; 1.0 kg | - |
ExpertPower EP1210 | LiFePO4 F2 |
10A cont. max., 15A 10s | 2.7 lbs; 1.22 kg | - |
ExpertPower EXP1290 | AGM F2 |
4.31A cont. 1h down to 10.5V | 5.54 lbs; 2.51 kg | - |
Interstate HSL1079 | AGM F2 |
9Ah @20h | 5.95 lbs; 2.70 kg | - |
IONIC IC-12V9-EP | LiFePO4 F2 |
9A cont. max., 35A 3s | 2.87 lbs; 1.3 kg | - |
MarCum 12V 10Ah | LiFePO4 | - | ~2.7 lbs; ~1.22 kg | - |
Mighty Max ML9-12 | AGM F2 |
down to 10.5: 29.8A 5 min, 21.8A 10 min, 5.66A 1h | 5.39 lbs; 2.45 kg | - |
Mighty Max ML9-19 NB | AGM Nut&Bolt |
5.8A cont. 1h down to 9.6V | 5.39 lbs; 2.45 kg | - |
Mighty Max ML10-12LI | LiFePO4 | - | 2.45 lbs; 1.1 kg | - |
NERMAK 12V10Ah | LiFePO4 F2 |
10A cont. max. | 2.64 lbs; 1.2 kg | - |
NPP NP12-9Ah | AGM F1 |
- | 5.84 lbs; 2.65 kg | - |
Power Sonic PS-1290 | AGM | - | 6.0 lbs; 2.72 kg | - |
PowerStar PS12-9.0 | Gel F1/F2 |
- | 5.59 lbs; 2.53 kg | - |
Sigmastek SP12-9 | AGM T2 |
- | - | - |
TPE 12V 9Ah | AGM | - | 5.4 lbs; 2.45 kg | - |
UPG UB1290 | AGM F1 |
- | 5.10 lbs; 2.31 kg | - |
UPLUS LP12-9 | AGM T2 (F2) |
- | 5.56 lbs; 2.52 kg | - |
VICI VB9-12 | AGM F2 |
- | 5.4 lbs; 2.45 kg | - |
Weize 12V 10Ah | LiFePO4 T2 (F2) |
10A cont. max., 20A 3s | 3.03 lbs; 1.37 kg | Weize 12V 10Ah |
Note: Amazon links ("Model" column) open in the new window, feel free to check them for the most up-to-date offers and prices. Also, we have really tried to verify every single bit of information in this chart and to update it periodically, but things change over time without prior notice, so please, do your own due diligence before buying new batteries and other related items.
As one can see, lithium batteries feature a maximum continuous discharge current of around 1C, although there are few models in the 1.5-2.0C range.
Also, lead-acid batteries suffer from a capacity drop down to ~50-55% of nominal capacity when discharged for 1h - they can provide 4-5 Amps for 1 hour, while lithium batteries can provide 9-10 Amps for 1 hour, which is a huge difference and if your application doesn't draw more than 7-10 Amps (battery dependant), consider replacing your AGM battery and charger with lithium battery and charger.
12V 9Ah Batteries vs. 12V 7Ah Batteries
Both 12V 9Ah and 12V 7Ah batteries are general-purpose batteries sharing the same dimensions of 5.94 x 2.56 x 3.70 inches (151 x 65 x 94 mm), allowing the user to replace the 12V 7Ah battery with a 12V 9Ah battery directly, except for one important detail - battery terminals.
The main difference between 12V 9Ah and 12V 7Ah batteries are battery terminals with 12V 7Ah batteries featuring mostly F1 battery terminals and 12V 9Ah batteries featuring mostly F2 battery terminals - F1 and F2 terminals are not 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.
But this is not a problem - when ordering a new battery, just order F1 to F2 or F2 to F1 battery terminal adapters and use them to connect your new battery:
- F1 to F2 battery terminals are used to connect F1 battery terminals with the wires intended for connecting to F2 battery terminals.
- F2 to F1 battery terminals are used to connect F2 battery terminals with the wires intended for connecting to F1 battery terminals.
This allows the user with 12V 7Ah lead-acid batteries to use the same chemistry (and battery charger) and increase the battery capacity by ~30%, which may be even more if the batteries are discharged quickly.
Note: Some 12V 9Ah batteries come with so-called "NB" ("Nuts&Bolts") battery terminal and are often used in power generators, garden tractors, and other similar applications.
How To Charge 12V 9Ah Battery?
When the 12V 9Ah battery is part of a system, for example, an UPS, let the UPS's battery charger take care of the battery.
However, if the battery is recharged directly with the battery charger, go for an advanced AGM/Gel-cell battery charger with a maximum charging current of 1-1.5 Amps.
Such battery chargers, after recharging the battery, also continue to maintain the battery fully charged over a longer period of time.
Lithium 12V 9Ah batteries can easily accept stronger currents, often up to 1C.
However, to prolong their lifetime, it is recommended to charge them with 0.20-0.25C charging currents, which is ~2 Amps.
Lithium battery chargers charge batteries using a Constant Current/Constant Voltage (CC/CV) charging algorithm, which allows them to recharge lithium batteries completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about 12V 9Ah and similar lead-acid and lithium batteries:
How long will a 12V 9Ah battery last?
How long will the battery last depends on the operating conditions like temperature, discharging current, charging current, charging algorithm, storage, chemistry, etc.
Lead-acid batteries, for example, may withstand 180-200 charging/discharging cycles down to 100% DoD, while LiFePO4 batteries may withstand ~2000 such cycles down to 100% DoD.
What is the difference between 12V 7Ah and 12V 9Ah batteries?
The main differences between 12V 7Ah and 12V 9Ah batteries are capacity (7Ah vs. 9Ah) and battery terminals (F1 vs. F2).
What does a 12V 9Ah battery mean?
12V means that the battery features a nominal voltage of 12 volts, and 9Ah means that the battery features a nominal (20h) capacity of 9 Amp-hours.
Are 12V 9Ah batteries rechargeable?
Yes, 12V 9Ah prismatic batteries are rechargeable batteries.
Few Final Words
When replacing 12V 7Ah or 12V 9Ah battery, it is recommended to go for a battery of the same chemistry.
If You are replacing your lead-acid battery with a new lithium battery, be sure to verify that the new battery can withstand maximum load or it will shut itself off whenever it is loaded more than its BMS allows.
Also, if You are replacing lead-acid batteries with lithium batteries, consider replacing a battery charger.
Always check battery terminals, and if required, order required adapts.
Although many brands offer general-purpose 12V 9Ah batteries, it is recommended to go for models from reputable brands, just in case.