What is it?

Some products have a little CR2032 coin cell buried in the depths of the circuitry. Usually it lasts a long time but not always. Even if you only need to change it once every few years, when you do, it can be a painful disassembly and access process. If you've got a few such units, you find yourself often disassembling gear to replace a little battery. Collectors of vintage computers, consoles and other gear will know these challenges. With this little item you can move the battery out to an easy-to-access spot, and make that chore easier. The default wire length is 30cm (12") but you can choose 75cm (2.5') or 1m (3') options instead. Wire is (currently) 20AWG stranded.

Why did you make it?

Both a vintage computer owner and a vintage video game collector mentioned their challenges to me and their interest in having a variant of my Coin Cell Surrogate with an extension cable and battery holder included. It seemed like do-able project to pull together, so I sourced the parts, designed a 3D-printable housing for the remote end, and here we are.

What makes it special?

The unique application and compact 3D-printed design addresses a small market need in an inexpensive way. It is easy to understand and install and it saves much work for the device owner. The battery-holder end uses a commercial component mounted in a 3D-printed housing which can be screw-mounted to a chassis or otherwise affixed in a convenient spot with glue, double-sided tape, or bolts & nuts.

Usage

As with the original coin-cell surrogate device, you need to ensure you position the dummy end in the original holder carefully to ensure good contact. There are many many different coin-cell holders, so try rotating a bit if at first you don't get good contact. The threaded wiring in the surrogate piece is solid copper for good connection (avoid flexing that wire too much to avoid breakage). The long extension wires are stranded, allowing for flexible positioning with less risk.

Ordering

Choose a cable length from the options pull down - offering 30, 75 and 100cm versions. Ask if you need a longer cable, and I can calculate the additional cost and add a variant.

NOTE coin cell not included, shown in photos for scale and context. Designed for #6 screws and a couple are included. Canadian orders get Robertson (square-drive) or Phillips screws. All others get Phillips so you don't need to go screwdriver shopping.