Milliamps(mAh) are commonly understood to be a battery's "gas tank" or capacity.
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Size Differences:
The bigger the mAh, the larger the physical size and weight. All of the dimensions are listed in the product pages of our batteries at MaxAmps.com. -
The Math:
1,000mAh = 1Ah.
A battery rated at 5,000mAh can deliver 5 amps for 1 hour (Ah/time). Using this equation, you could also pull 10 amps for 30 minutes ([5000/.5]= 10000mA = 10A) or, inversely, 1 Amp for 5 hours ([5000/5]= 1000mA = 1A).
Voltage under load is also important. For example, agricultural drones often run for only 10-30 minutes. Due to their high payloads and the temperatures they operate in, they require higher amperage batteries that will hold a higher voltage under load.
Having a 20% buffer for capacity is a general rule that we use. Not using all of the capacity in your battery on every cycle will also extend the life cycles. -
Charge Time:
Higher mAh batteries generally take longer to charge. For example, a 1300mAh battery would take about an hour to charge at 1.3 amps, while a 2600mAh battery would take roughly twice as long on the same setting.
