ReplacING batteries on blinking lights

[bikesnick]

@lordofthemark 149180 wrote:

Does anyone do this? It seems wasteful to toss them when the batteries are done, but OTOH I can see people thinking it absurdly cheap to maintain something handed out for free. Depending on the response, I may have a further question.

Yes, it is easy to do.

[KLizotte]

Yes, the Arlington blinkies have replaceable button batteries. You just have to pull out the hardware from the rubber covering and take off the black cover. You’ll see the batteries inside. I just replaced mine in fact.

[lordofthemark]

So here’s my question. I got 3 volt coin shaped duracell batteries to replace the old ones. But the new ones are thinner than the original blinkie batteries, and the replacement does not seem to work. The duracells were the only 3 volt batteries I saw at the drug store. Do I need to go somewhere else to find batteries that match?

[ursus]

@lordofthemark 149188 wrote:

So here’s my question. I got 3 volt coin shaped duracell batteries to replace the old ones. But the new ones are thinner than the original blinkie batteries, and the replacement does not seem to work. The duracells were the only 3 volt batteries I saw at the drug store. Do I need to go somewhere else to find batteries that match?

Besides for the voltage the 4 digit code must match. The two letters just indicate the brand, e.g. DL=Duracell. CR is a generic designation with C meaning lithium and R meaning round.
I don’t know which type you use but all of my bike computers have used 2032. 20 means 20 mm diameter, and 32 means 3.2 mm thickness. You must have bought something with a lower last two digits than needed. I suspect that the drug store does carry the correct type.

[Starduster]

@ursus 149189 wrote:

Besides for the voltage the 4 digit code must match. The two letters just indicate the brand, e.g. DL=Duracell. CR is a generic designation with C meaning lithium and R meaning round.
I don’t know which type you use but all of my bike computers have used 2032. 20 means 20 mm diameter, and 32 means 3.2 mm thickness. You must have bought something with a lower last two digits than needed. I suspect that the drug store does carry the correct type.

The BikeArlington blinkies use the very common (for a button cell battery) 2032 battery. Anything else will not fit. Sounds like you tried a 2016, which is thinner.

[Starduster]

@Starduster 149190 wrote:

The BikeArlington blinkies use the very common (for a button cell battery) 2032 battery. Anything else will not fit. Sounds like you tried a 2016, which is thinner.

oh, and they must go in with the proper polarity, or you won’t get light. Another reason for proper polarity- the 2032 is a common battery used for the CMOS functions on a computer motherboard. There are warnings about the battery exploding if installed backwards. No, that hasn’t happened to me in my IT career… (Now watch the panic ensue, ) I know, shame on me…

[lordofthemark]

@Starduster 149190 wrote:

The BikeArlington blinkies use the very common (for a button cell battery) 2032 battery. Anything else will not fit. Sounds like you tried a 2016, which is thinner.

Yup, that is what happened.

Any common household uses for the 2016?

[peterw_diy]

Why not experiment, add 1.6mm of aluminum foil?

[Judd]

FastFriendlyGuy replaces blinkie batteries. He buys them in bulk online. You could probably sweet talk him into giving you one.

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[komorebi]

@Judd 149195 wrote:

FastFriendlyGuy replaces blinkie batteries. He buys them in bulk online.

I also bought a bunch of batteries in bulk online for this exact purpose. lordofthemark, I’m happy to give you some next time we’re at coffee club together. Just remind me.

[ursus]

@lordofthemark 149193 wrote:

Yup, that is what happened.

Any common household uses for the 2016?

IIRC, they are used for some car key fobs.

[Judd]

@ursus 149200 wrote:

IIRC, they are used for some car key fobs.

I’ll have to check my FOB when I get back to Arlington. It’s due for a replacing.

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[Steve O]

It is possible to make thinner ones work, although not as reliable. I accidentally got some 2025 (or something like that). I added a layer of folded paper so that they were pushed all the way in, and it worked.
On line you can get them really cheap. I think I ordered 20 for something like $3.99.
You can also see what happens if you put 3 of them in. Let me know. I’m curious.

[LeprosyStudyGroup]

Yep if the batteries are too loose and the connection is patchy, I put layers of tape on the inside of the cap until it’s tight. The connections are usually a spring in the center bottom (which can be bent up to increase tension) and a clip along the side of the upper battery that kind of holds them in place. As long as you don’t block either of those connections and the batteries are oriented properly it should work.

I like layering tape around cylindrical headlight batteries to keep them from rattling around too.

[ian74]

@peterw_diy 149194 wrote:

Why not experiment, add 1.6mm of aluminum foil?

Yeah. This is totally sound advice. What could possibly go wrong? But makes sure you microwave the battery with the foil on top of it to fuse them together to enhance conductivity.

[Author]

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