Cheap 3 volt lithium button cells

[darcyh]

Hello:

Has anyone determined if there is much difference in performance and longevity between brand name (Sony, Panasonic, Energizer etc) CR 2016, 2025, 2032 and 2450 lithium cells and those sold in dollar stores or online like LBA, Sunbeam, Chateau etc.

How many factories actually produce these cells? I notice some of the Sony's are made in Japan or Indonesia almost all the others in China.

What do you guys think? Is it worth paying substantially more for a brand name cell?

Regards,

Dave

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Hello:

Has anyone determined if there is much difference in performance and longevity between brand name (Sony, Panasonic, Energizer etc) CR 2016, 2025, 2032 and 2450 lithium cells and those sold in dollar stores or online like LBA, Sunbeam, Chateau etc.

How many factories actually produce these cells? I notice some of the Sony's are made in Japan or Indonesia almost all the others in China.

What do you guys think? Is it worth paying substantially more for a brand name cell?

Regards,

Dave

depends on what you use it for, the cheap chinese cells tend to have less capacity but you get a bunch for cheap and even if half are marginal still not too bad. If you want consistent quality you pay more for them. For throwaway keychain lights the cheap chinese ones are fine IMO

 

[McAllan]

Just stay away from the cheapest 1.5 v cells (yeah they're not lithium - I know - but feel a warning is in order).
The next cheapest are OK though. Where I live you can get reasonable prices LR44 etc. which are quite OK but if you buy them a bunch in a "dollar" store they're utter junk.
The reason is that the cheapest alkaline button cells unlike button cells in general are prone to leaking.

 

[kitelights]

I think that it's more of the 'known' vs the 'unknown' rather than brand vs brand. I've purchased quality name cells in bulk from a reputable supplier and had bad experiences with them - twice - 2 different big name brands.

The bulk cells came in trays and were not dated. I suspect that they were old stock.

I just don't trust the Dollar store cells. They buy for price, you don't know the age or capacity to compare to known cells.

I suggest buying quality name cells in bulk from a known supplier. I could use to freshen my 2016s if one or two others wanted to split 100.

And BTW, the type of cells you listed are coin cells, not button.

 

[Chauncey Gardner]

All the ones I have tried from DX have been ok. I would stay away from the dollar store stuff for turnover reasons.

 

[Linger]

I also purchased 3v some dx coin cells 2032, they seem good, likely because of volume of dx's sales?
3 blinkers on a cycle, one with dx cells, another duracells, another stock 'lilla' cells from MEC. DX cells have lasted months, still look just like the others.

 

[Russel]

I know you are talking about Lithium cells, but I remember an old watchmaker answering a question like this about watch batteries. After testing his inventory he came to the conclusion that the age of the batteries was more important than the manufacture. That may be something to consider with Lithium button cells as well.

 

[sween1911]

I just picked up two packs of the "Sunbeam" branded 2032 button cells at my local "Dollar Tree" for my Princeton Tec Scout. They seem to work fine, but I'll keep an eye on them. I wouldn't buy D's, C's, AA or AAA's there, but $1 for a 3-pack of the button cells was too good to pass up considering how expensive they are at other retail sources.

Maybe I'll voltage test them just as a sanity check.

 

[bouncer]

My recommendation would be to buy them at lighthound with your next purchase lowest price I've seen

http://www.lighthound.com/Button-Cell-Batteries_c_79.html

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I just picked up two packs of the "Sunbeam" branded 2032 button cells at my local "Dollar Tree" for my Princeton Tec Scout. They seem to work fine, but I'll keep an eye on them. I wouldn't buy D's, C's, AA or AAA's there, but $1 for a 3-pack of the button cells was too good to pass up considering how expensive they are at other retail sources.

Maybe I'll voltage test them just as a sanity check.

voltage testing them may not get you anywhere without a load on them. I threw away 5 coin cells (2016 and 2032) that all measured above 3v but when I put them in a keychain light they couldn't even put the LED in moon mode and on a battery tester that put a load on them they tested less than 1v each.