"Touching (one or both terminals of) button batteries causes them to discharge" - any truth?

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

Tim Lamb has brought this to us :

My two verniers last around a year, before needing new batteries, but then I don't handle the replacement batteries with my fingers :-)

[Tim+]

If it?s the Aldi/Lidl one, I?ve learnt to always pop the battery cover before putting it away.

Tim

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

They don't use the heaters, except as as electorodes. The strike occurs as a result of the high impedance, but high voltage.

If running floro tubes from a battery inverter circuit, the tubes tend to blacken at one end, due to the ac not being a truelly balanced ac. The average current flow will be in one direction, which will cause blackening at one end of the tube and sometimes difficulty getting them to strike. Simple answer, swap the tube end for end.

[Tim Lamb]

In message <rlcu4p$b9o$ [e-mail], Harry Bloomfield <?.?@harrym1byt.plus.com.invalid> writes

Mostly I use a simple vernier: the digital lives in a case with the 2302 battery removed.

The thermometer might get used twice a year checking the underfloor heating (noticeable 2-4 deg. C difference from pipe to gap) and related jobs. PP8 left disconnected

[Mike Clarke]

+1

The original battery bought many years ago has been in contact with my fingers every time I remove and reinsert it and is still showing 1.5 volts after all these years.

[John Rumm]

Yeah, those chinesium digital calipers seem famous for that. Mine are the same. I get the feeling it would probably be cheaper to stump up for the Mitutoyo[1] in the first place and not buy batteries by the shed load!

[1] in fact no, I just looked at the prices - that would buy a serious amount of batteries!

[Dave Plowman (News]

Quite - that's what my digital calipers is. Batteries seem to last forever

- even when left switched on.

[Chris Holmes]

<Snip>

I recently installed a (Rechargeable) button style battery in a central heating programmer.

The original had 3 little legs welded to the case. The replacement was just under £10 from the bay of the flea. Or, I could get what looked identical but legless For £2.99....

So, I tacked some legs onto the replacement with solder and then held the battery in the jaws of a pair of snipe nosed pliers while I nailed it in place on the PCB.

Then thought ?Hmmm. Perhaps I should?ve insulated the Pilar tips prior to grabbing both sides of the battery!?

The battery was a bit warm from the soldering and / or shorting, but seems to have survived the experience.