Best battery replacement for Gameboy games?
Hi guys,
So this is a sister thread to my learn how to solder one, but on a specific subject that I think is best served in its own thread. The main spur for me wanting to learn to solder now has been the discovery that basically ALL my gameboy games have dead batteries! So I am looking to replace them, obviously, and using the proper solder technique (no duct tape here!). However, as with everything there are always clarifications that need to be made, to make sure everything goes right:
1. I have read that gameboy games were produced with two different types of battery. Early games had CR1616 which are particulary weak and wimpy, while later games had slightly longer lasting CR2025 batteries. Is it necessary to replace these batteries like-for-like, or can I put CR2025 batteries in all the games? I am guessing that I should ensure batteries are exact matches for each game, but I just want to check.
2. Some people talk about replacing the tabbed battery with a battery holster, so that in future batteries can be replaced more easily without having to solder. However, looking online I can only find tabbed batteries for sale, I cannot see any holsters. Does anyone know where to get the holsters for Gameboy games from, so I only have to solder each game once? Or are the holsters actually not as good as the tabbed batteries for some reason, so I SHOULD use tabbed batteries anyway? (Or did I just fever dream the holsters and they don't even exist?)
3. Where is the best place to buy replacements from, and are there any dodgey brands or types of replacement I should steer clear from? Are all the cheap ones from china worth it?
Sorry for all the questions, but I really want to learn to do this right, and in the future maybe I can help others too! Thanks guys!
So this is a sister thread to my learn how to solder one, but on a specific subject that I think is best served in its own thread. The main spur for me wanting to learn to solder now has been the discovery that basically ALL my gameboy games have dead batteries! So I am looking to replace them, obviously, and using the proper solder technique (no duct tape here!). However, as with everything there are always clarifications that need to be made, to make sure everything goes right:
1. I have read that gameboy games were produced with two different types of battery. Early games had CR1616 which are particulary weak and wimpy, while later games had slightly longer lasting CR2025 batteries. Is it necessary to replace these batteries like-for-like, or can I put CR2025 batteries in all the games? I am guessing that I should ensure batteries are exact matches for each game, but I just want to check.
2. Some people talk about replacing the tabbed battery with a battery holster, so that in future batteries can be replaced more easily without having to solder. However, looking online I can only find tabbed batteries for sale, I cannot see any holsters. Does anyone know where to get the holsters for Gameboy games from, so I only have to solder each game once? Or are the holsters actually not as good as the tabbed batteries for some reason, so I SHOULD use tabbed batteries anyway? (Or did I just fever dream the holsters and they don't even exist?)
3. Where is the best place to buy replacements from, and are there any dodgey brands or types of replacement I should steer clear from? Are all the cheap ones from china worth it?
Sorry for all the questions, but I really want to learn to do this right, and in the future maybe I can help others too! Thanks guys!
Comments
Hi guys,
So this is a sister thread to my learn how to solder one, but on a specific subject that I think is best served in its own thread. The main spur for me wanting to learn to solder now has been the discovery that basically ALL my gameboy games have dead batteries! So I am looking to replace them, obviously, and using the proper solder technique (no duct tape here!). However, as with everything there are always clarifications that need to be made, to make sure everything goes right:
1. I have read that gameboy games were produced with two different types of battery. Early games had CR1616 which are particulary weak and wimpy, while later games had slightly longer lasting CR2025 batteries. Is it necessary to replace these batteries like-for-like, or can I put CR2025 batteries in all the games? I am guessing that I should ensure batteries are exact matches for each game, but I just want to check.
2. Some people talk about replacing the tabbed battery with a battery holster, so that in future batteries can be replaced more easily without having to solder. However, looking online I can only find tabbed batteries for sale, I cannot see any holsters. Does anyone know where to get the holsters for Gameboy games from, so I only have to solder each game once? Or are the holsters actually not as good as the tabbed batteries for some reason, so I SHOULD use tabbed batteries anyway? (Or did I just fever dream the holsters and they don't even exist?)
3. Where is the best place to buy replacements from, and are there any dodgey brands or types of replacement I should steer clear from? Are all the cheap ones from china worth it?
Sorry for all the questions, but I really want to learn to do this right, and in the future maybe I can help others too! Thanks guys!
theres two ways. buy pre tabbed battires. these have the tabs pre welded on the battery. or buy duracell batterys and re use the same battery tabs or get a battery holder and solder it on. i prefer duracell medical grade button cells.
edit: re:#1 the datasheet on those two should provide some insight https://media.digikey.com/pdf/Data Sheets/Panasonic Inustrial/CR_Series.pdf looks like one is wider than the other maybe? might not have space to switch depending on case/components on the board.
Any 3V battery that fits will work, you don't have to replace a 1616 with a 1616. The only problem is physical size.