6V Lantern Battery Equivalents and Replacements
6V lantern batteries are heavy duty non-rechargeable Carbon-Zinc and Zinc-Manganese Dioxide and rechargeable Lead-Acid batteries.
Lithium rechargeable batteries are not very common, but the most rechargeable lantern flashlights come with the built-in lithium battery pack that is recharged via solar panels, battery chargers, or very often, via USB port/chargers.
Published: March 11, 2023. 
6V Lantern Battery Features and Specifications
First of all, 6V lantern batteries come in two versions, a 6V battery with springs and a 6V lantern battery with screws.
For simplicity reasons, a 6V lantern battery with springs is more common, but for applications where strong vibrations are common, a 6V lantern battery with screws is a recommended model.
Physical dimensions are:
- 6V battery with springs: 115 x 68.2 x 68.2 mm,
- 6V battery with screws: 109.5 x 66.7 x 66.7 mm.
Also, their most common labels differ, depending on their terminals:
- 6V battery with springs: MN908, 4LR25Y, 908A, 908D, etc.
- 6V battery with screws: 4R25X, 915, 915A, etc.
Internally, non-rechargeable 6V lantern batteries consist of four (4) F-cells, connected in series, providing a nominal voltage of 6 volts, a cutoff voltage of 3.2-3.6 volts, and capacity up to 10.5 Ah for Carbon-Zinc batteries and up to 25-26 Ah for Alkaline batteries.
However, actual capacity depends on the temperature, drain current, battery age, and similar.
Rechargeable 6V lantern batteries are mostly sealed lead-acid batteries consisting of three (3) cells connected in series, providing a nominal voltage of 6 volts and 20h capacity of 4.5-5 Ah.
A cutoff voltage of lead-acid 6V batteries depends on the cutoff voltage of the powered device, but it should not be below 5.25 volts (1.75 volts/cell) - lead-acid batteries can withstand more charging/discharging cycles when they are not discharged deeply, preferably not below 50% DoD.
The following comparison chart lists some of the most popular 6V lantern batteries, with their most important features and specifications:
|
Battery Datasheet |
Chemistry | Nominal and Cutoff Voltage |
Capacity | Operating Temperature |
| Energizer 529 | Zinc-Manganese Dioxide (Zn/MnO2) | 6.0V; 3.2V | 18Ah @25mA, 14Ah @100mA, 11Ah @250mA, 9Ah @500mA; @21°C down to 3.2V | -18°C to 55°C (0°F to 130°F) |
| Energizer Eveready 1209 | Zinc-Manganese Dioxide (Zn/MnO2) | 6.0V; 3.2V | 11 Ah @25mA @21°C down to 3.2V | -18°C to 55°C (0°F to 130°F) |
| GP Batteries GP908G | Zinc Chloride (Zn/MnO2) | 6.0V; 3.6V | 380 min, 6Ω8, @20°C, down to 3.6V, 30 min/hr cycle | - |
| Mighty Max ML5-6S | Lead Acid | 6.0V | 2.91A 1h, 1.68A 2h, 0.44A 10h, 0.24A 20h; down to 5.25V @25°C | - |
| Rayovac 6V-GP | Carbon Zinc | 6.0V; 3.6V | 8.4 Ah @110Ω, 7.075 Ah @33Ω, 4.323 Ah @9Ω1; @21°C down to 3.6V, 30min/hr cycle | 30° C to 55° C (-20° F to 130° F) |
| Varta 431 4R25 | Zinc Chloride (Zn/MnO2) | 6.0V; 3.6V | 8.5 Ah @110Ω, 5.7 Ah @8Ω2, 5.65 Ah @9Ω1; @20°C, down to 3.6V | -10°C to 50°C |
Of course, there are many other models on the market today.
Lead-acid 6V lantern batteries are charged using small lead-acid battery chargers with maximum charging currents up to 0.5-0.75 Amps. Stronger chargers may be used if allowed/recommended by the battery manufacturer.
Long Story Short: 6V lantern batteries are used for camping/lantern batteries (hence the name) and for other applications where a strong and reliable source of energy is required.
6V lantern batteries are quite common on the market since they are manufactured by most battery brands - if You are looking for a new 6V lantern battery, alkaline models are recommended, but for not-so-demanding applications, carbon-zinc batteries may be a good and cheaper choice.
