BR-2/3A Battery Replacement

[bostonman]

I have a piece of equipment with a dead BR-2/3A 3V battery with solder tabs (solders to PCB) used to keep settings in memory. From memory, I'd estimate the battery is twenty-years-old, so it's not getting depleted quickly.

I'm finding some quite steep prices for these and wondering if the cost is due to the battery power or its unique style.

If it's just the style, does anyone know of a cheaper replacement that would be more cost effective?

[TheMG]

https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/panasonic-bsg/BR-2-3AE2SP/64350

They're $5.46 in one-off quantity from Digikey, which is really not that bad at all, considering they have about 5x the capacity of a CR2032.

[bostonman]

I should have added that DigiKey has them cheaper than Amazon, which I found very odd.

I mainly asked because I wanted to confirm that I wasn't wasting my money when I could buy something compatible that's cheaper.

[alm]

Any primary Lithium 2/3 A 3.0V cell with solder tabs or wires should work. BR-2/3A is just the Panasonic name. $5 is the ballpark price I would expect to pay.

[tooki]

I should have added that DigiKey has them cheaper than Amazon, which I found very odd.

It shouldn’t. Amazon’s pricing on electronics parts aren’t usually particularly good. (When they are, there’s a good chance they’re fake.) An ever since Amazon reimagined itself as a flea-riddled bazaar, it’s full of vendors, some of whom try to charge usurious prices for items there aren’t many listings for.

[tooki]

Any primary Lithium 2/3 A 3.0V cell with solder tabs or wires should work. BR-2/3A is just the Panasonic name. $5 is the ballpark price I would expect to pay.

Just a reminder that the voltage matters: this size battery exists in two different chemistries, one at 3.0V, the other at 3.6V.

[bostonman]

I'll plan to order them from DigiKey (although the price was a no-brainer).

I'm trying to think if I need anything else before I spend money on shipping. Twice I got bit because I placed an order, and later realized I needed other stuff.

[TheMG]

Twice I got bit because I placed an order, and later realized I needed other stuff.

I've done that myself, multiple times...

[bostonman]

I think if you create a user account, then you can add after submitting an order, but not certain.

One time I sent an email asking to add a component and they responded after my order got shipped stating it was too late.