Sourcing button cells
potatohead
Posts: 10,261
My wife has some nice little reading glasses with frame mounted LED's. You know where I'm going with this. She loves the things, and of course they run on the little button cells. It appears to go 40-60 hours or so. Not bad, but for the retail price on the cells. Replacements are nearly as much as the glasses are.
I'm wondering:
a. Are there any rechargeable types?
b. Do you know of a source for reasonable quantities of button cells, such that it won't break the bank to get a running quantity for her to burn through?
I'm wondering:
a. Are there any rechargeable types?
b. Do you know of a source for reasonable quantities of button cells, such that it won't break the bank to get a running quantity for her to burn through?
Comments
Someone bought me a photo frame with a button to play sounds. I found that it needed something like five button cell batteries. Some places charged more for the batteries than the frame was worth while other places have a bargain. You basically have to shop and look around and see who has deals and who doesn't. Sometimes the price is based on the amount of rent or expenses a store has to pay. Some stores don't often change their prices that often because their prices stay at the price they bought the item at while the market changes and other stores bring their prices down because they went through the old inventory and bought new inventory at lower prices.
1) eBay. I have been able to find bulk packs of actual Energizer button cells at really good prices. I bought a 20 pack of 357 for $24 shipped. At WalMart, a 3 pack was $4.68
2) Dollar stores. A lot of kids toys sold at dollar stores are powered by 3 button cells (LR44/357 are very common). They are short life batteries because they are low quality, but for everything we use them for, $1 (33 cents each)is a very good price for how long they do last.
3) Amazon.com As long as you look for the bulk packs, the prices get closer to a buck a piece. I did a quick search and saw a 50 pack of Maxell LR44/357 batteries for $12 which is 25 cents each....very good deal.
It also depends on what the battery number is. Since LR44/357/AG13 is a very common battery, bulk packs are easy to find. CR2016s on the other hand aren't as easy.
The batteries they sell there are often rather poor, but thy're so cheap that it really doesn't matter.