While doing some research to set up alerts for some of my Ecowitt devices, I stumbled across this article.. I know I have seen other discussion looking for recommendations, or complaining about low quality coin cell batteries. Just thought I would pass it along if anyone is interested.
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I'm an avid cyclist and most of the sensors that are bike related are powered by CR-2032. I've been buying Panasonic 10 pks from Amazon for years and have always been pleased, inexpensive and reliable. They are now in a bunch of my home sensors as well.
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Panasonic. Plenty of fakes around so only buy from a reputable seller.
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That poorly written article is just clickbait for Amazon referrals. The Chinese off-brands they mention are exactly the ones I'd avoid.
I buy Renata CR2032s from Mouser, 10 at a time for <$3. At one point, I just went around seeing what coin cell batteries my devices used (including watches), and ordered 5-20 of each.
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Mostly I have purchased batteries from Panasonic, Energizer, or Duracell. However, I recently started getting some from LiCB. So far, they seem to work just fine. I have a box full of replacement batteries of various sizes.
Yep. I finally settled on Panasonic myself. And I buy them from Digikey.. I had some of those LiCB that I bought on amazon, and was burning through those really fast. I had a Sonoff temp/ humidity sensor go through two in about 3 weeks.
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Been buying these on Amazon for a while...seem to work well, but I haven't done any comparing. Given a the comments on Panasonic I'll try a set of those next time for a compare.
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For most of my lithium batteries I have always used Panasonic, but my local Costco sells the Duracell 2032 in 12 packs and they seem to last. Best part about buying them at Costco is I know they are fresh and genuine. I have also been getting Duracell 2450 batteries from Amazon, when I can’t get Panasonic, that seem to last longer than Energizer.
After buying Amazon Basics CR2 batteries that died after a couple months, I avoid them like the plague.
If you are a Sam’s Club member, they sell 12 packs of the Energizer 2032 batteries.
Many folk don't think about buying batteries in bulk from Digikey or Mouser but if you want authentic, reasonably priced, high turnover (fresh) inventory they are great sources. Mouser even has a lower cost shipping option if you dig deep enough, very helpful for the quantities we tend to buy. It's not as easy as Amazon but the quality is a whole lot more reliable.
And yeah, Panasonic is what I decided after noting their prevalence in commercial/industrial use some time ago. I'm just hoping they keep their reputation up. It slays me how the automotive batteries we all could depend on 15+ years ago aren't the ones to go to today.
energizer or panasonic.. just make sure not fake as some on amazon are fakes.
The 2032 Battery Wars have begun.
The contestants (sorry, only had two available contact sensors that use 2032s left):
- Panasonic
- Energizer
Both in Visonic MCT-340 contact sensor. (Yes, an older, coolerstrong text sensor from the late Jurassic.)
Both sensors are set to report temp at 1 degree intervals. Both have descriptive logging on, debug logging off. Both are sitting w/out magnets to reporting "Open" condition. They are about an inch apart on a table in my family room, so neither is actively having to sense open/close. That seem like an issue? Not sure...
I'll let them sit until one of them gets to reporting less than 25% battery and then compare to the other. Then I'll swap batteries (new Panasonic in one w/Energizer, and vice-versa) and run the test again, just to help ID if there may be a particular device of the two that just runs down batteries faster. Not completely super-dooper scientific, but close enough for government work, as my father likes to say...
I know, doesn't this sound amazingly entertaining and (yawn) fun? 
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So… you’ll have an answer in a couple years?
What you need to do is put a magnet on a pendulum swinging back and forth between them. That way they have to send frequent reports. It might not be great for hub responsiveness, but you know, science
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I said this was government work, didn't I?!?
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