Duracell CR223 (2 CR123 in one battery) - Interesting discovery.

[ltiu]

I recently stumbled upon a Duracell CR223 sale at Fry's (at 77031). $1 for each CR223. Good deal at $0.50 each CR123.

Expires on 2014. Old, but still good.

I promptly bought a dozen of these. Equals to 24 CR123 cells! All for less than $14 total cost incl. tax.

I went ahead and opened up all the CR223 plastic cases to get at the CR123 inside. All is well until I started measuring the voltages.

I notice the voltage of the CR123 cells standing upside down inside the CR223 plastic case is consistently lower than the CR123 cell standing right side up.

3.01v for those upside down vs. 3.20v for those standing right side up.

The CR223 cell is made up of 2 CR123 cells in series. Once cell is upside down and the other is right side up.

So what does that tell us?

Storing your CR123 cells upside down will hasten it's self discharge?

How about storing it on it's side?

 

[CM]

That's very interesting. I've bought CR223's to get at the cells inside and they always match in voltage. I've tried Duracell, Energizer E2's and some old RayOvac's. I can't think of a plausible explanation for what you're seeing.

 

[mdocod]

open circuit voltage on a lithium primary no practical meaning, under a load they all drop to below 3V anyways, maybe the position they are stored in causes something to "settle" differently and cause a slightly different voltage reading, but I can almost guarantee that as soon as a load is applied the cell, whatever what going on with the voltage reading at open circuit conditions has been "stirred" up and made irrelevant.

Eric

 

[hopkins]

Hei Itiu - interesting find. Could be you've already thought of placing the low voltage CR123 cells into a centrifuge (homemade or other) to see if it would
get the internal lithium paste back into its proper alignment and restore the
voltage. Have some fun!
An electric drill makes a good centrifuge motor. A length of tubing large enough
to hold the CR123's would work. Attach its exact center to the drill chuck...
you get the idea...