I used thinner or smaller wrong sized battery for the key fob

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fetv said:
powersurge said:
Instead of arguing what stores I want to spend a dollar on a battery, I will give my answer to the original poster....

Put the one that it calls for. On a $350 key fob, don't play science experiments with battery sizes... I looked at the 2032s and it was TOO thick... Do you want to risk squeezing the electronics and mechanicals in the FOB just for an ego rush that you put a BETTER battery in..

We do not live in a third world country where we have to adapt everything because of poverty..

1. the thickness difference is 3.2-2.5=0.7 mm
2. The mechanical buttons are not squeezed because the PCB shields it.
3. The only part that is under stress is the PCB board. That PCB board is 0.9 mm thick and pretty strong. It would be interesting to see if there is any statistics about damage caused by the 0.7mm thicker battery.

I agree with you that in general, poor people would like to save money, but since they like to show their status, they may not admit that they like it.

Some people have reported problems from 2032 in the LEAF fobs. Battery dimensions aren't exact and some 2032 may be thicker than others, or slight manufacturing tolerance in the fob could make a difference. Imho it's not worth risking damage to the fob, which is VERY expensive to replace.
 
Nubo said:
fetv said:
powersurge said:
Instead of arguing what stores I want to spend a dollar on a battery, I will give my answer to the original poster....

Put the one that it calls for. On a $350 key fob, don't play science experiments with battery sizes... I looked at the 2032s and it was TOO thick... Do you want to risk squeezing the electronics and mechanicals in the FOB just for an ego rush that you put a BETTER battery in..

We do not live in a third world country where we have to adapt everything because of poverty..

1. the thickness difference is 3.2-2.5=0.7 mm
2. The mechanical buttons are not squeezed because the PCB shields it.
3. The only part that is under stress is the PCB board. That PCB board is 0.9 mm thick and pretty strong. It would be interesting to see if there is any statistics about damage caused by the 0.7mm thicker battery.

I agree with you that in general, poor people would like to save money, but since they like to show their status, they may not admit that they like it.

Some people have reported problems from 2032 in the LEAF fobs. Battery dimensions aren't exact and some 2032 may be thicker than others, or slight manufacturing tolerance in the fob could make a difference. Imho it's not worth risking damage to the fob, which is VERY expensive to replace.

Would be interested in knowing the kind of the problem they had, was the PCB broken? Or was it they could not close the two halves? If you can't close it, then don't force it. I certainly did not have problem closing it.
 
Would be interested in knowing the kind of the problem they had, was the PCB broken? Or was it they could not close the two halves? If you can't close it, then don't force it. I certainly did not have problem closing it.

The reported problem was with closing it. I did one 2032 in the main fob, and one 2025(?) in the backup fob. It was harder to close with the larger battery, but not much.
 
fetv said:
Nubo said:
fetv said:
1. the thickness difference is 3.2-2.5=0.7 mm
2. The mechanical buttons are not squeezed because the PCB shields it.
3. The only part that is under stress is the PCB board. That PCB board is 0.9 mm thick and pretty strong. It would be interesting to see if there is any statistics about damage caused by the 0.7mm thicker battery.

I agree with you that in general, poor people would like to save money, but since they like to show their status, they may not admit that they like it.

Some people have reported problems from 2032 in the LEAF fobs. Battery dimensions aren't exact and some 2032 may be thicker than others, or slight manufacturing tolerance in the fob could make a difference. Imho it's not worth risking damage to the fob, which is VERY expensive to replace.

Would be interested in knowing the kind of the problem they had, was the PCB broken? Or was it they could not close the two halves? If you can't close it, then don't force it. I certainly did not have problem closing it.

Here's a thread for reference: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=13398
 
Nubo said:
fetv said:
Nubo said:
Some people have reported problems from 2032 in the LEAF fobs. Battery dimensions aren't exact and some 2032 may be thicker than others, or slight manufacturing tolerance in the fob could make a difference. Imho it's not worth risking damage to the fob, which is VERY expensive to replace.

Would be interested in knowing the kind of the problem they had, was the PCB broken? Or was it they could not close the two halves? If you can't close it, then don't force it. I certainly did not have problem closing it.

Here's a thread for reference: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=13398



Thanks for the link, I went through the long thread, hope I did not miss anything, I also opened every layers of the fob and measured everything, and I have solved this mystery completely. Here is the summary:
1. China Sunbeam 2032 did not work. But no one in that thread said that if they actually measured it to confirm it is 3.2 mm. I suspect they are larger than 3.2mm It would be nice if someone in that thread measured the thickness.
2. Other non Sunbeam were fine.
3. No one reported any damage to the fob.
4. One side of the PCB is the negative battery contacts. I looked at the other side of the PCB.
4a. There are four small switches soldered on the PCB. Each switch protrudes 2.4mm above the PCB. You have to press hard to hear the clicks (which means the switches are turned on).
4b. Next to the PCB is the rubber padding with four holes (the hole is 1.4mm deep).
4c. The rubber padding is not uniform thickness, the thinnest is 0.8mm, the thicker base is 2.2mm, the thickest for the four holes is 3.1mm
4d. since the hole is 1.4mm deep and the the switch proturdes 2.4mm, the top of switch must already pressing into the rubber for 1mm already. However since the switch need to pressed pretty hard to turn it on, this 1mm is just build in the tolerante.
4e. The four switches are aligned to these four holes.
4f. Next to the rubber padding layer is the four buttons. The surface with the buttons is not flat, it is curved, meaning the center is higher than either sides. There are 5 spaces,
i. Nissan logo
ii. lock
iii. unlock
iv charge hold
v panic

5. The door unlock button is at the center. Since the center is higher (see 4f), there is more space in height. Thus if the space is really tight, then first will stop working must be the v. panic button. The next will stop working would be either the lock or charge_hold. The unlock will be the last. Some people in that link reported with Sunbeam 2032 the unlock worked but the panic did not. I think I just found the reason why it failed.

6. Anyway, I don't think a thicker battery would damage the fob, but it could prevent the panic key from working. So my advice is, if you are able to close the halves, try to push the buttons, if you hear the clicks sound, it should work. If you hear clicks for unlock but don't hear the click sound for panic, then you can add some padding between the rubber and the plastic casing, it should prevent the switches too far into the rubber hole.
 
This is an old thread. Internet reports CR2032 when I had CR2025 in my key fobs for my leaf. I ordered CR2025 USA shipper on ee-pay for a 4-pack, 2 bucks Sony brand. Guaranteed genuine, expiration date 2016. For heck gosh darn freaking sakes.... put the right damn battery in cr2025. I had CR2032's on hand. They don't fit (unless you force it). The difference in capacity between the 2025 and 2032 (which doesn't teally fit), is negligible, trivial, unimportant. (SEE BELOW). A CR2025 will last a couple of years. A few mor months is not worth stressing out the case and circuit board.

Battery Capacity (typical)
CR2025 = 164 mAh ( milliamp hours )
CR2032 = 210 mAh ( milliamp hours )
22% difference, whip-dee-do. Get the correct battery.
 
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