->  JP> Springs
->  JP> When I open a defective tool battery pack,I find a lot of
"C"  size
->  JP> Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries but these are shorter than the 
->  JP> regular "C" batteries.So I keep my eyes open for
extra springs 
->  JP> from old flashlights or portable radio battery-packs and use them 
->  JP> as extra springs in flashlights.

-> For some reason nicads seem to come a lot in those sizes -- they're referred to
-> as 1/2C, 2/3C, 1/3C, and similar variations on Cs (referred to as
"sub-C").

 Those are quite common. I believe the first uses may have been in
Batery powerd Razors. But battery operated tools like the dustbuster etc
widely use sub sized "C" cells.
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