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Button batteries: Comparative longevity between the various types

Button batteries: Comparative longevity between the various types


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Old 11-20-09, 08:25 AM
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Button batteries: Comparative longevity between the various types

I recently bought a couple 357/303 button batteries to replace/put in my contactless wire tracer. When I found that would cost me about $7, I went over to the aisle to look at what the new device itself now costs. Well, I opted to buy the batteries.

Then this thought dawned on me: I have seen like 8 packs of similar button batteries at one of our dollar stores. So I went there. There they were. 8 for $1!!! BUT -they were alkaline. The $3.50 button batteries were silver oxide. So - I looked both up on Wikepedia. On silver oxide batteris they gave the energy per weight specs(very high), but I did not see such specs for alkaline. But they did say they do not last as long as the silver oxide. But HOW not as long? 28 times not as long? Becauuuuuse -I could buy 3 1/2 8-paks of the alkalines to equal the cost of just 1 silver oxide button battery!

Here is another issue that concerns me: The contactless wire tracer switch got turned on by itself in the container I keep it in. So it prematurely, obviously, wore out almost $7 in those silver oxide batteries (IF those were even in there......which I am not even sure what was in there when I bought them). So now, if the thing gets turned on by mistake again, all I am out is 25ข, rather than $7!

Any experts here on this subjectmatter.

(Have any of you figure out by now what a cheapskate I am? )
 
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Old 11-20-09, 09:18 AM
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Well I can tell you one thing.Off brand batteries at a dollar store are no where near as long lasting as name brand batteries.they are imported and of low quality all the way around.your comparison must be between equal quality batteries to be accurate.Battery type or composition is not enough to compare.
 
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Old 11-20-09, 11:46 AM
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They are Sunbeam. Isn't that the company that makes small appliances? And if they say "alkaline"......what do you think, they put in a lesser amount of it? Sort of like different grades of stainless steel?
 
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Old 11-20-09, 12:09 PM
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Yep...ever heard of Sunbeam batteries being sold? Kinda like the ones I buy...Fuji..only place I ever see 'em is the discount store. They seem to work ok for my needs and as cheap as they are, if they lasted 1/2 as long as bigger names..I'd still be ahead.

Funny thing is..sometimes I can find the big names (Duracell, Energizer, etc) for almost the same price. I remember a few years back I saw where the best battery performer was actually Radio Shack. Some of the other brands actually were putting the next size down in a larger shell (AAA in an AA case, AA in a C case, etc).

I'm not talking about button batteries of course....I actually found I could order Brand name button batteries online much cheaper than buying local...even including shipping! Figured I could support a small internet seller as much as a big box local.
 
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Old 11-20-09, 01:48 PM
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FYI:The only connection those batteries have to Sunbeam is someone paid Sunbeam to use the name.I would guess the quality level is mid way between no name generic and national brand name well known.

My biggest gripe with off brand batteries is they will leak faster.Although name brands can leak too it seems to take far longer to reach that point.

As for the alkaline tag,all the manufacturer has to do is meet a very gray definition of alkaline to put that on the label.
 
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Old 11-20-09, 05:16 PM
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Interesting. Well, I'll see how those things hold up. Very easy to access - so I will keep eye on them for leakage.
 
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Old 11-20-09, 05:36 PM
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ecman -

You are not a cheapskate as you mentioned earlier.

You do seem to split hairs when there are better things to worry about that are more practical and more profitable for the time spent.

Dick
 
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Old 11-23-09, 05:18 AM
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I will add that we are rabid fans of dollar store button batteries.
I keep a supply at home of all the available sizes and will sometimes find hard-to-get sizes that will fit watches.
My wife collects better yard sale watches and can afford to buy them for a couple of bucks then try them at home with our 20 cent batteries.
 
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Old 11-24-09, 07:26 AM
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Has anybody noticed lately that even for the big "name brand" batteries, how many of them are now made overseas? I bought a set of Duracell rechargeable batteries the other day, and noticed they said "made in China". I also had some Energizer button cell batteries that were stamped "made in Japan". It looks like even the big boys are starting to outsource.
 
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Old 11-24-09, 08:27 AM
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But keep in mind that regardless of location those batteries are made to the specs of the parent company with the same chemical make up and quality standards.

I've been in retail a long time and everywhere I've worked a store brand or off brand of batteries was sold along side name brands and by far we got more returns of store/off brands.

I would not count on an off brand battery to hold up as long or be as low a risk as a name brand.The only exception is off brand made by name brand and it's often difficult to sort that out.Once that was common but now many store brand etc are not made by name brands.
 
 

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