I was having a huge issue with having to often replace batteries in my climate sensors in the very cold winters in the northern midwest, so I found a solution - AA batteries instead of the 2032.
The two AA batteries in series have the same voltage output as the 2032 coin cell, but are far better at holding the voltage up when the temp drops. I had no issues with a few of these outside all winter (even down to -40f). The photo is from early November and the 5 sensors I made this tweak to are all still working flawlessly without low battery alarms.
I love this! I am bookmarking your post to remind me to check again whenever my batteries die. I am just shocked that you have had to replace your batteries multiple times already. I have had 9 since the day they launched, and I have kept some outside and in places with dramatic temperature swings. I live high in the Rocky Mountains and we even got record snowfall this year, and I still haven’t had a single battery get low/die yet. Also, I thought I read some research that found that cold weather actually slows the chemical reactions from batteries, prolonging the useful life of a battery, and that is actually hot weather that shortens battery lifespans. But regardless, your batteries have been dying faster, and if mine were dying fast I’d want this too. Mine haven’t died once yet, but I still want to use this on some of mine. I’ll probably use rechargeable batteries when it is time. Thanks for sharing!
Actually, this is a good reason to go with AA batteries instead of coin batteries.
The typical reason for the coin batteries issuing low-voltage alarms is because they either loose contact in winter (things contract, and coin battery contacts are cheap – sometime reseating them will help), and because cold equals lower voltages out of a battery in general.
This really fixes both because AA batteries have better contact, and don’t drop as much in cold weather. Love this.
Are you saying the low battery notification in cold weather didn’t actually necessarily mean the battery low/dead, but that the contraction of the contacts and reduced flow fakes a lie battery notification even though it may actually be fairly full? If so, that makes a lot more sense and is very interesting.
In my case it was the battery voltage sagging due to the cold. I tried a few different types of batteries, alkaline, lithium, but they wouldn’t keep a sufficient voltage to stop tripping the low voltage threshold. The alkaline aa batteries were able to hold sufficient voltage in the cold to not trigger the low voltage/battery alarm and keep things working.
Yes. I’ve actually had batteries fall out when I opened the access door they had worked themselves so far out of place. The most I’ve had to reseat is a couple times, but after that the same battery worked well the rest of the winter (in Northern Indiana). So always reseat first (or test with a proper load).
Sounds like in North’s case it was actually a bad battery, or a colder climate.
oh wow…I have never had a battery fall out of the climate sensors. I did have one of the sensors refuse to startup when I first got it, but found all it needed was to bend the central contact points up a bit and it has worked fine ever sense.
I have never had a problem with my internal sensors…come to think of it, I have not replaced batteries on them since I got them. I don’t think they are made for the cold temps in the winter…or have any type of IP rating for outdoor usage. Probably a non-supported usage.
