I haven't used my kitchen scales for a while but had a
need to over Christmas when I noticed that the reading
wasn't stable. After showing, say 155 grammes, the
reading slowly drifted down quite a bit.
Batteries had not leaked (and not Duracell !) but I
cleaned them and the contacts and tried again, with
the same effect.
Each battery reads 3V, and both together read 5.97V
which seems to suggest that they are OK for a device
with miniscule current drain. They are over 15 years
old.
There is a tool stand at the local wednesday market
that sells Renata 2032 batteries and this is a very
good make (swiss). So I'll get a fresh pair, but
since the existing ones read the correct voltage what
could be the problem ?.
Andrew
Andrew <Andrew97d@btinternet.com> wrote:
I haven't used my kitchen scales for a while but had a
need to over Christmas when I noticed that the reading
wasn't stable. After showing, say 155 grammes, the
reading slowly drifted down quite a bit.
Batteries had not leaked (and not Duracell !) but I
cleaned them and the contacts and tried again, with
the same effect.
Each battery reads 3V, and both together read 5.97V
which seems to suggest that they are OK for a device
with miniscule current drain. They are over 15 years
old.
There is a tool stand at the local wednesday market
that sells Renata 2032 batteries and this is a very
good make (swiss). So I'll get a fresh pair, but
since the existing ones read the correct voltage what
could be the problem ?.
Andrew
Hysteresis or viscoelastic effects on the strain-gauge mounting changing
with the increasing age of the scales, or the current cooler temperatures affecting the same?
Aging batteries affected by the lower temperatures?
Combination of both?
I haven't used my kitchen scales for a while but had a
need to over Christmas when I noticed that the reading
wasn't stable. After showing, say 155 grammes, the
reading slowly drifted down quite a bit.
Batteries had not leaked (and not Duracell !) but I
cleaned them and the contacts and tried again, with
the same effect.
Each battery reads 3V, and both together read 5.97V
which seems to suggest that they are OK for a device
with miniscule current drain. They are over 15 years
old.
There is a tool stand at the local wednesday market
that sells Renata 2032 batteries and this is a very
good make (swiss). So I'll get a fresh pair, but
since the existing ones read the correct voltage what
could be the problem ?.
Andrew
I haven't used my kitchen scales for a while but had a
need to over Christmas when I noticed that the reading
wasn't stable. After showing, say 155 grammes, the
reading slowly drifted down quite a bit.
Batteries had not leaked (and not Duracell !) but I
cleaned them and the contacts and tried again, with
the same effect.
Each battery reads 3V, and both together read 5.97V
which seems to suggest that they are OK for a device
with miniscule current drain. They are over 15 years
old.
There is a tool stand at the local wednesday market
that sells Renata 2032 batteries and this is a very
good make (swiss). So I'll get a fresh pair, but
since the existing ones read the correct voltage what
could be the problem ?.
Andrew
I haven't used my kitchen scales for a while but had a
need to over Christmas when I noticed that the reading
wasn't stable. After showing, say 155 grammes, the
reading slowly drifted down quite a bit.
Batteries had not leaked (and not Duracell !) but I
cleaned them and the contacts and tried again, with
the same effect.
Each battery reads 3V, and both together read 5.97V
which seems to suggest that they are OK for a device
with miniscule current drain. They are over 15 years
old.
There is a tool stand at the local wednesday market
that sells Renata 2032 batteries and this is a very
good make (swiss). So I'll get a fresh pair, but
since the existing ones read the correct voltage what
could be the problem ?.
Andrew
In my experience many batteries can register close to their stated voltage when measured open circuit but will show a rapid drop off in voltage as
soon a load is applied a drop off in open circuit voltage only occurring
when when the battery is almost exhausted.
On 2026-01-01 21:44, Andrew wrote:
I haven't used my kitchen scales for a while but had a
need to over Christmas when I noticed that the reading
wasn't stable. After showing, say 155 grammes, the
reading slowly drifted down quite a bit.
Batteries had not leaked (and not Duracell !) but I
cleaned them and the contacts and tried again, with
the same effect.
Each battery reads 3V, and both together read 5.97V
which seems to suggest that they are OK for a device
with miniscule current drain. They are over 15 years
old.
There is a tool stand at the local wednesday market
that sells Renata 2032 batteries and this is a very
good make (swiss). So I'll get a fresh pair, but
since the existing ones read the correct voltage what
could be the problem ?.
Andrew
I usually find brand new CR2032s reading about 3.2V open circuit. By the time they are down to 3.0V they are getting quite old?
On 2026-01-01 21:44, Andrew wrote:
I haven't used my kitchen scales for a while but had a
need to over Christmas when I noticed that the reading
wasn't stable. After showing, say 155 grammes, the
reading slowly drifted down quite a bit.
Batteries had not leaked (and not Duracell !) but I
cleaned them and the contacts and tried again, with
the same effect.
Each battery reads 3V, and both together read 5.97V
which seems to suggest that they are OK for a device
with miniscule current drain. They are over 15 years
old.
There is a tool stand at the local wednesday market
that sells Renata 2032 batteries and this is a very
good make (swiss). So I'll get a fresh pair, but
since the existing ones read the correct voltage what
could be the problem ?.
Andrew
I usually find brand new CR2032s reading about 3.2V open circuit. By the time they are down to 3.0V they are getting quite old?
I haven't used my kitchen scales for a while but had a
need to over Christmas when I noticed that the reading
wasn't stable. After showing, say 155 grammes, the
reading slowly drifted down quite a bit.
Batteries had not leaked (and not Duracell !) but I
cleaned them and the contacts and tried again, with
the same effect.
Each battery reads 3V, and both together read 5.97V
which seems to suggest that they are OK for a device
with miniscule current drain. They are over 15 years
old.
There is a tool stand at the local wednesday market
that sells Renata 2032 batteries and this is a very
good make (swiss). So I'll get a fresh pair, but
since the existing ones read the correct voltage what
could be the problem ?.
Andrew
A digital watch would draw 2uA from a CR2032.
A digital watch would draw 2uA from a CR2032.
What sort of watch takes a CR2032 ?
A digital watch would draw 2uA from a CR2032.
What sort of watch takes a CR2032 ?
A digital watch would draw 2uA from a CR2032.
What sort of watch takes a CR2032 ?
The RTC in a computer, uses the same circuit as a digital
watch, and a crystal at 32768Hz (inaudible). The digital
watch draws 2uA doing that, the computer draws 10uA.
That's one reason the battery is larger.
An older Mac used a cylindrical battery for its timepiece,
but the thing still did not run forever. You might get a dozen to fifteen >years out of that setup. It's unclear why they thought such a power
source was required for the job.
Before the CR2032 era came along, the timepiece was a taller epoxy package >Dallas Semi time piece. The battery was underneath the epoxy out of sight. >(You were given no way to access the battery and change it.)
And the battery in that was a bit smaller than a CR2032. And when the
battery was worn out, you had to take a Dremel and grind off some epoxy
and make bodge connections to power it and keep it going. Using whatever >battery you thought appropriate.
A digital watch would draw 2uA from a CR2032.
What sort of watch takes a CR2032 ?
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells (in a holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
On 03/01/2026 10:31, Roland Perry wrote:
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells (in a holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
I've always wondered why computers didn't use a low-capacity
rechargeable battery so it never runs out of charge, even after 10 years
or so, and is kept topped up all the time the computer is powered on
(either booted up for an old-style PSU or trickle charged from a modern
PSU with standby power), so it only needs to power the RTC for the
fairly short times that the PC is off or unplugged from the mains?
On 03/01/2026 10:31, Roland Perry wrote:
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells (in
a holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
I've always wondered why computers didn't use a low-capacity
rechargeable battery so it never runs out of charge, even after 10 years
or so, and is kept topped up all the time the computer is powered on
(either booted up for an old-style PSU or trickle charged from a modern
PSU with standby power), so it only needs to power the RTC for the
fairly short times that the PC is off or unplugged from the mains?
On 03/01/2026 10:31, Roland Perry wrote:
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells (in
a holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
I've always wondered why computers didn't use a low-capacity
rechargeable battery so it never runs out of charge, even after 10
years or so, and is kept topped up all the time the computer is powered
on (either booted up for an old-style PSU or trickle charged from a
modern PSU with standby power), so it only needs to power the RTC for
the fairly short times that the PC is off or unplugged from the mains?
On 3 Jan 2026 at 08:25:37 GMT, Abandoned Trolley wrote:
A digital watch would draw 2uA from a CR2032.
What sort of watch takes a CR2032 ?
I've a Lidl watch that takes one. And if there's space, so it should.
My pet hate is devices that use AAAs when AAs could easily have been used in >the case space.
On 03/01/2026 10:31, Roland Perry wrote:
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells (in
a holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
I've always wondered why computers didn't use a low-capacity
rechargeable battery so it never runs out of charge, even after 10 years
or so, and is kept topped up all the time the computer is powered on
(either booted up for an old-style PSU or trickle charged from a modern
PSU with standby power), so it only needs to power the RTC for the
fairly short times that the PC is off or unplugged from the mains?
NY <me@privacy.net> wrote:
On 03/01/2026 10:31, Roland Perry wrote:
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells (in a >>> holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
I've always wondered why computers didn't use a low-capacity
rechargeable battery so it never runs out of charge, even after 10 years
or so, and is kept topped up all the time the computer is powered on
(either booted up for an old-style PSU or trickle charged from a modern
PSU with standby power), so it only needs to power the RTC for the
fairly short times that the PC is off or unplugged from the mains?
Some motherboards I've used in the past (like 20 ore more years ago)
had small NiCd cells for the RTC.
However all modern ones seem to have non-rechargeable button cells.
On 03/01/2026 12:04, NY wrote:
On 03/01/2026 10:31, Roland Perry wrote:
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells (in a holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
I've always wondered why computers didn't use a low-capacity rechargeable battery so it never runs out of charge, even after 10 years or so, and is kept topped up all the time the computer is powered on (either booted up for an old-style PSU or trickle charged from a modern PSU with standby power), so it only needs to power the RTC for the fairly short times that the PC is off or unplugged from the mains?
Many did and the extruded residue destroyed many motherboards.
In message <10jane5$14oph$1@dont-email.me>, at 04:27:30 on Sat, 3 Jan
2026, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> remarked:
The RTC in a computer, uses the same circuit as a digital
watch, and a crystal at 32768Hz (inaudible). The digital
watch draws 2uA doing that, the computer draws 10uA.
That's one reason the battery is larger.
An older Mac used a cylindrical battery for its timepiece,
but the thing still did not run forever. You might get a dozen to fifteen
years out of that setup. It's unclear why they thought such a power
source was required for the job.
Before the CR2032 era came along, the timepiece was a taller epoxy
package
Dallas Semi time piece. The battery was underneath the epoxy out of
sight.
(You were given no way to access the battery and change it.)
And the battery in that was a bit smaller than a CR2032. And when the
battery was worn out, you had to take a Dremel and grind off some epoxy
and make bodge connections to power it and keep it going. Using whatever
battery you thought appropriate.
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells (in a holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells (in a
holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
Your computing needs must have been very simple to make do with one of
those . 3 inch floppy !!!!
On 01/01/2026 21:53, Spike wrote:
Andrew <Andrew97d@btinternet.com> wrote:Electrode passivation in the batteries. Try shorting them for a
I haven't used my kitchen scales for a while but had a need to over
Christmas when I noticed that the reading wasn't stable. After
showing, say 155 grammes, the reading slowly drifted down quite a
bit.
Batteries had not leaked (and not Duracell !) but I cleaned them
and the contacts and tried again, with the same effect.
Each battery reads 3V, and both together read 5.97V which seems to
suggest that they are OK for a device with miniscule current drain.
They are over 15 years old.
There is a tool stand at the local wednesday market that sells
Renata 2032 batteries and this is a very good make (swiss). So I'll
get a fresh pair, but since the existing ones read the correct
voltage what could be the problem ?.
Andrew
Hysteresis or viscoelastic effects on the strain-gauge mounting
changing with the increasing age of the scales, or the current
cooler temperatures affecting the same?
Aging batteries affected by the lower temperatures?
Combination of both?
couple of seconds and retesting. John
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells
(in a holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
Your computing needs must have been very simple to make do with one of
those :-). 3 inch floppy !!!!
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells (in a
holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
Your computing needs must have been very simple to make do with one of
those . 3 inch floppy !!!!
Your memory is failing. The PC1512 used 5.25 inch floppies (360kB, also
later 1.2MB).
You are thinking of the PCW8256.
In message <10jbsqn$1ghtt$1@dont-email.me>, at 20:05:43 on Sat, 3 Jan
2026, Andrew <Andrew97d@btinternet.com> remarked:
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells
(in a holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
Your computing needs must have been very simple to make do with one of >>those :-). 3 inch floppy !!!!
Rubbish!!! The PC1512 had 5.25" floppies, just like the IBM PC, and
while we were at it we made it twice as powerful as the machine being
cloned.
On Sun, 04 Jan 2026 09:49:27 +0000, Roland Perry wrote:
In message <10jbsqn$1ghtt$1@dont-email.me>, at 20:05:43 on Sat, 3 Jan
2026, Andrew <Andrew97d@btinternet.com> remarked:
Meanwhile, the RTC battery in an Amstrad PC1512 was four AA cells
(in a holder in the plastic lid). Keep it simple, stupid.
Your computing needs must have been very simple to make do with one of >>>those :-). 3 inch floppy !!!!
Rubbish!!! The PC1512 had 5.25" floppies, just like the IBM PC, and
while we were at it we made it twice as powerful as the machine being
cloned.
I was wondering if you'd jump in, but I did correct him earlier! And
thought of you...
On Thu, 1/1/2026 4:44 PM, Andrew wrote:
I haven't used my kitchen scales for a while but had a
need to over Christmas when I noticed that the reading
wasn't stable. After showing, say 155 grammes, the
reading slowly drifted down quite a bit.
Batteries had not leaked (and not Duracell !) but I
cleaned them and the contacts and tried again, with
the same effect.
Each battery reads 3V, and both together read 5.97V
which seems to suggest that they are OK for a device
with miniscule current drain. They are over 15 years
old.
There is a tool stand at the local wednesday market
that sells Renata 2032 batteries and this is a very
good make (swiss). So I'll get a fresh pair, but
since the existing ones read the correct voltage what
could be the problem ?.
Andrew
Needs an impedance test.
https://data.energizer.com/pdfs/cr2032.pdf
Nominal Voltage: 3.0V # Not really, it can be higher than that no-load. 3.2 to 3.3V.
Pulse Drain: 2 seconds X 12 times/day
400 ohms
~6.8 mA @ 2.7V # Voltage drops to 2.7V when you draw 6.8mA
# And that is when the battery is new.
# The other test they do is with 15,000 ohms as a resistor load.
By pulling datasheets from some other companies, additional
test cases may be extracted.
Normally, there isn't a lot of "other chemistry" behaviors, such as
charging up an onboard capacitor to near ideal voltage. Usually a CR2032
sags in both voltage and increased internal impedance, and once approaching the knee voltage, a CR2032 is usually flat in an additional 3 weeks or so (at 10uA).
*******
The shelf life on CR2032 is only ten years.
The LR2032 are rechargeable, and last for about
three days, and are intended for mains powered
devices that need a bit of backup for settings
when mains go off. When you find these in devices,
you may not place the alter-ego in the slot. You cannot replace
a CR2032 with an LR2032, nor replace an LR2032 (in a laptop)
with a CR2032.
CR2032 are not a rechargeable cell type, and truth be told,
their allowed charging current is 0 uA. However, for real
world circuits, and using Schottky diodes, some amount of
charging-leakage current needs an allowance, and consequently
the datasheet was "adjusted" to make certain applications
of CR2032 possible. But a CR2032 can explode if abused (at much higher abuse-currents), a 1uA current flow makes this mostly unlikely
(the gas would likely escape as soon as it is made).
A digital watch would draw 2uA from a CR2032.
A computer draws 10uA from a CR2032 (RTC and CMOS RAM locations as a load).
While they can be pulsed at larger currents than the datasheet suggests, they're not going to last all that long while doing that.
Paul
Well I bought a couple of Renata 2032's at Worthing Wednesday market
but when I got home, I noticed 'made in PRC' on the back. :-(
I always used Renata silver oxide SR44's in my film cameras before,
because they were Swiss made.
Seems that most button cells are now made in China (limited adherence
to pesky pollution regulations and other obstacles to mass cheap
production).
On 8 Jan 2026 at 21:33:43 GMT, Andrew wrote:
Well I bought a couple of Renata 2032's at Worthing Wednesday market
but when I got home, I noticed 'made in PRC' on the back. :-(
I always used Renata silver oxide SR44's in my film cameras before,
because they were Swiss made.
Seems that most button cells are now made in China (limited adherence
to pesky pollution regulations and other obstacles to mass cheap
production).
GP and LIDL both seem to be PRC. Just noticed the Lidl 2032s only have a 3 year shelf life. 10 years for the GPs.
Reviews at:
https://batteryreview.wordpress.com/cr2032-rankings/
Seems that most button cells are now made in China
Ikea Plattboj appear to have been discontinued, sadly
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