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Components and Circuits For discussions about component types, alternatives and availability, circuit configurations and modifications etc. Discussions here should be of a general nature and not about specific sets.

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Old 23rd Feb 2017, 8:53 pm   #1
DigitalNoMore
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Default CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

I recently purchased 2 Maxell CR2032 Lithium Coin Cells from a well known auction site for use in my car key fob and to replace a Panasonic CR2032.

The first one lasted only about 3 weeks before I was again getting a 'key fob battery low' warning so I replaced it with the second one. This one, although the fob worked, immediately gave rise to the 'key fob battery low' warning.

I therefore measured the open circuit voltage of both Maxell cells and both were found to measure just over 3.4V which is suspiciously high. New cells of this type normally measure about 3.2V. More worrying was the short circuit current of these cells which was only just over 15mA!
In contrast, the replaced Panasonic showed a short circuit current of over 100mA despite being under voltage.

Anybody else had similar issues with CR2032 cells?
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Old 23rd Feb 2017, 8:58 pm   #2
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

They could be fakes of course.

I normally buy cells of this type from Poundland. I don't have high expectations, but so far they have worked well enough.
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Old 23rd Feb 2017, 9:17 pm   #3
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

I suspect they probably are fakes and aren't lithium cells at all. That would certainly account for the high open circuit voltage and very low current capability.
I'll definitely be more careful of where I buy them from in the future and will give Poundland a try if I'm passing.
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Old 23rd Feb 2017, 9:25 pm   #4
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

A Poundland card has 2 each of 2032, 2024 and 2016. You can sometimes use the thinner cells in place of a 2032, though they will obviously have a lower capacity. They are standard Chinese generic batteries, though I don't think I've had any fail yet. The last time I used one I fitted it in my Nationwide PIN card reader.

I think the other pound shops sell similar cards, or you can buy them from Chinese eBay sellers.
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Old 23rd Feb 2017, 9:32 pm   #5
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

I get GP Ultra ones from eBay. Absolutely no problems. I get through quite a few of them.
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Old 23rd Feb 2017, 9:47 pm   #6
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

B&M also sell these as part of a selection box. Last ones I bought were Panasonic-branded. Worth mentioning that some of these bargain shops sell cheap chinese batteries (and other products) and simply use a well known brand name under license.
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Old 23rd Feb 2017, 9:52 pm   #7
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

Battery brand names are mostly meaningless nowadays. Most of them come from the PRC, though a lot are made in a big factory in Poland. The Poundland CR2032s are PRC no-names but seem to work well enough with a reasonable life.
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Old 23rd Feb 2017, 10:07 pm   #8
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

Like Paul I have had no problems with the Poundland CR2032s, I am thinkimg of making a HT battery about 36V with these sometime for a headphone set , has anyone else done this?

Dave

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Old 23rd Feb 2017, 10:16 pm   #9
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

I did an AVO 15V battery as a stack of CR2032s spaced with part of a water pipe fitting.
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Old 24th Feb 2017, 12:07 pm   #10
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

Nicely done!

I picked up an AVO recently and need a 15V battery for it so I'll give that a go.
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Old 24th Feb 2017, 1:10 pm   #11
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

I bought a pair of Panasonic-branded button cells from a market stall, for my car key fob. The first one lasted about 18 months. The second one is now beginning to show signs of reduced range after about the same time. The original cell in the fob had lasted about 5 years. I suspect the ones I bought were fakes, but these days you can't tell. The main difference between a fake and the genuine article is that the actual trade mark owner paid someone to print his name on the genuine article; the genuine article may be little more than an official fake.
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Old 24th Feb 2017, 1:42 pm   #12
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

I bought a strip of 2032's when "Pound-shops" first opened over here. I'm still trying to work my way through them, they must all be over 10 years old and still going strong. The same with a multipack of watch batteries from the same source, I think I have bought a supply of batteries for a lifetime.
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Old 24th Feb 2017, 2:28 pm   #13
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

Alkaline watch batteries do have a limited shelf like, so it's a good idea to buy some new ones every few years. Lithium cells like CR2032s can be stored for a lot longer.
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Old 24th Feb 2017, 3:10 pm   #14
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

I always buy replacements from somewhere that has a good turnover; last ones I got were Panasonic, from a large branch of Tesco.

I change the ones in my car central-locking 'plip' every year [MOT-time being the convenient reminder] - batteries are cheap compared with the hassle of being locked-out. The CR2016 in my camera is the original [about 4 years old now] - it's only needed to maintain the date/time clock so should last for ages.
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Old 24th Feb 2017, 4:37 pm   #15
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

GP cells seem to be a sensible compromise to me. Cheap from big and reliable suppliers like CPC, good enough to be used by loads of manufacturers as the ones they supply with new consumer goods, and not trendy enough to be faked (yet, AFAIK).
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Old 24th Feb 2017, 7:18 pm   #16
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

This thread comes at an interesting time for me, as I've just been handed some samples of CR2032 type batteries to test against the one we currently use, the object being, of course, to try to save some money by using cheaper ones than the ones we currently use.

We (techs) always try to resist changes like this, because it takes a long time to prove the usefulness, failure rate per quantity 'n', likely life span, whether the chosen battery is likely to leak or explode, etc, etc. We already know all that stuff about the present battery so we (the techs) don't want to fix what isn't broken for the sake of a few quid. We have had more than one product PR disaster caused by someone trying to save money on batteries and compromising an otherwise excellent product. They never seem to learn.

That said, it's hard to think of a realistic short-term test for this type of battery because in most cases what they power will draw either microamps or nothing at all for 99.999% of the time and a few milliamps for perhaps 3-7 seconds when activated. If I test them 'realistically' by putting them in the key fobs of the company's cars or in the PC motherboards or in the product they are intended for, I should have the results in about 5-6 years.

...Maybe not such a bad idea?
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Old 24th Feb 2017, 9:23 pm   #17
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

Can any one tell me how long a proper Lithium CR2032 should last with a drain of 15ma for 1 hour a day down to 2v ? I did not have much success using one but suspect it was not an original. I also used heat shrink tube to hold the two thin wires in place on battery, no solder but a quick blow with hot air. Thought that may have be the trouble.

John.
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Old 24th Feb 2017, 9:30 pm   #18
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

I've had success in soldering directly to these, though how safe or sensible this is, I don't know. I treated the area to be soldered with a fibreglass brush first.
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Old 24th Feb 2017, 9:33 pm   #19
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

I'm probably preaching to the converted here, but for the benefit of those who are working on these types of cells, a few years back one of my workmates was soldering one and managed to short it somehow, or it may have just been too much heat applied, but it went off with an almighty bang, a bit too close for comfort. I have always been a bit cautious around lithium cells since then.
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Old 24th Feb 2017, 9:40 pm   #20
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Default Re: CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell Cautionary Tale

Yes, that's what I worried about, I must have been lucky. It was for a quick and dirty repair on a laptop, which is still going strong. Not one of my most sensible ideas though, esp as holders (for single cells) are readily available.
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