# Why a CR2032 battery works and a DL2032 battery doesn't?



## soulrider (Jul 13, 2016)

My question plain and simple: 
Is there any LOGICAL reason why a device would work with CR 2032 batteries but WON'T work with something like DL 2032 batteries? I know there shouldn't be any difference but is there any reason why DL 2032 batteries won't work and CR 2032 batteries will in a given device? 

Background (for those interested, sorry this is so long):
I have a situation where I've replaced a generic (GLD brand / Chinese battery) CR 2032 coin cell battery in a remote control and the device didn't work with the new battery. I'd purchased a lot of five batteries together and all five of the new batteries failed to operate the new device. I tested all five of the new batteries and they all tested at 3.0 Volts. For reference they were DL 2032 batteries and the original (OEM) battery was a (Chinese GLD brand) CR 2032 (not that it should matter, or so I thought). I've read that some batteries will test fine when NOT under a load but as soon as you put a load on them, the voltage drops considerably and they fail. I wasn't sure how to test these new batteries under load (what resistor to use, etc). I figured I got a bad batch of batteries (they were extremely cheap). I purchased a couple of more batteries Duracell DL 2032 (didn't really pay attention to the DL vs CR at that time of purchase since I never thought it could matter. I spent a bit more hoping to get some decent quality (not old) batteries. The expiration date on the package was 2024. When I tried them in the remote, they didn't work either. These new DL 2032 batteries test at 3.23 Volts out of the package but they still won't operate the remote. 

Here's the really odd part. I did the old digital camera trick where you can push the button(s) of a IR remote control in front of a digital camera and the camera will pick up (can see) the IR LED light from the remote. I tried this with the original battery and the IR LED lights up (when viewed through the digital camera) when the buttons are pressed (albeit very dimly). The other batteries do not light up the LED at all. Even the brand new batteries with the expiration date of 2024 that test out at 3.23 Volts right out of the package (no load). They fail to light up the LED at all in the remote control. I don't understand WHY it should matter WHO manufactured the battery (Energizer, Duracell, etc) as long as it's 3.0+ volts, the polarity is right (the batteries only go in one way in this remote due to the design), etc. I can't imagine I got to lots of bad batteries in a row (although possible). 

I've got a a couple of specifically "CR" 2032 batteries on order to test out whether it could possibly make a difference whether a CR 2032 battery works where a DL 2032 battery doesn't. I just wanted to see if anyone could tell me a LOGICAL reason WHY this would be the case with these coin cell batteries. Thanks.


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## Str8stroke (Jul 13, 2016)

Strange, I have no explanation. I always understood they were the same. Only thing I could think of is, maybe there is a slight physical difference. Thus causing a tiny contact issue? Even a mm off either way could do this?


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## Lynx_Arc (Jul 13, 2016)

Could be bad batteries. I bought a package of new duracell hearing aid batteries for someone at a walgreens that were bad out of the pack. You need to check them with a load on them as I've had some 2025 batteries test well in voltage but wouldn't operate my watch before.


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## soulrider (Jul 15, 2016)

Thanks for the replies. Well, I got the two, new "CR" specific 2032 batteries today. I took the first one out of the package and put it in the remote (same remote I was using) and low and behold, it worked just FINE. So, that was five DL2032 batteries I tried the first time and two DL2032 batteries I tried the 2nd time with none of them operating the remote at all. They also didn't even operate the infrared LED on the front even a LITTLE bit (as seen through the digital camera as mentioned in my OP). I think it's odd that I got seven completely dead DL2032 batteries from two different purchases. None of those seven DL2032 batteries worked but the first CR2032 battery I put in worked fine. I guess it "could" be bad/completely dead batteries with all the DL's type/brand that I tried, it just seems unusual. I know it's not conclusive proof of "CR" type/brand batteries working where "DL" type/brand don't but it does sort of lean that way. Even though it turned out this way I still see NO logical reason for this to be the case. 3 Volt batteries should be 3 volt batteries regardless of brand. All the batteries were compared and were the same size wise. I didn't measure them but side by side comparison shows them to be the same in both diameter and thickness/height. Also, the remote they go in is VERY small and any size variation at all would be immediately noticeable. The battery fits into a small "tray" a lot like a CD-ROM tray that slides into the bottom of the remote. When the battery is in sitting in the tray ready to be slid into the remote, it is completely 100% level with the sides of the tray. If it were 1/32nd to tall it wouldn't fit in the tray (and you'd see the difference as well as feel it if you ran your finger across the top of the battery and the tray). Likewise if it were a 32/nd to small you'd immediately see the difference. The same is true for the diameter of the battery and the tray. It's an exact fit. 

So, thanks again for the responses. Take it for what it's worth. In this case anyway, CR2032 batteries work in a device where DL2032 batteries don't (at least not the seven that I tried from two different purchases).


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## Lynx_Arc (Jul 15, 2016)

soulrider said:


> Thanks for the replies. Well, I got the two, new "CR" specific 2032 batteries today. I took the first one out of the package and put it in the remote (same remote I was using) and low and behold, it worked just FINE. So, that was five DL2032 batteries I tried the first time and two DL2032 batteries I tried the 2nd time with none of them operating the remote at all. They also didn't even operate the infrared LED on the front even a LITTLE bit (as seen through the digital camera as mentioned in my OP). I think it's odd that I got seven completely dead DL2032 batteries from two different purchases. None of those seven DL2032 batteries worked but the first CR2032 battery I put in worked fine. I guess it "could" be bad/completely dead batteries with all the DL's type/brand that I tried, it just seems unusual. I know it's not conclusive proof of "CR" type/brand batteries working where "DL" type/brand don't but it does sort of lean that way. Even though it turned out this way I still see NO logical reason for this to be the case. 3 Volt batteries should be 3 volt batteries regardless of brand. All the batteries were compared and were the same size wise. I didn't measure them but side by side comparison shows them to be the same in both diameter and thickness/height. Also, the remote they go in is VERY small and any size variation at all would be immediately noticeable. The battery fits into a small "tray" a lot like a CD-ROM tray that slides into the bottom of the remote. When the battery is in sitting in the tray ready to be slid into the remote, it is completely 100% level with the sides of the tray. If it were 1/32nd to tall it wouldn't fit in the tray (and you'd see the difference as well as feel it if you ran your finger across the top of the battery and the tray). Likewise if it were a 32/nd to small you'd immediately see the difference. The same is true for the diameter of the battery and the tray. It's an exact fit.
> 
> So, thanks again for the responses. Take it for what it's worth. In this case anyway, CR2032 batteries work in a device where DL2032 batteries don't (at least not the seven that I tried from two different purchases).


From what I've read the DL/CR batteries are the same just Duracells model number is DL. If you have a cheap white 5mm LED I would try both batteries on a voltmeter using it as "Load" and compare how much each cell drops in voltage and the brightness of the LED from both. I'm guessing that the duracell version is a bad batch just like the new package of hearing aid batteries I bought in the store were duracell that is why I won't recommend their smaller batteries at all as I've not had any other brand of battery ever dead in the package new but theirs and hearing aid batteries are rather expensive to boot.


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