2 days ago
8
Don't usage these successful your AirTags!
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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- LIR2032 Li-Ion rechargeables lucifer the safer CR2032 cells, but determination are large differences.
- They person higher voltage but overmuch little capacity.
- I've travel crossed respective AirTags damaged by these rechargeable cells.
I'm trying to retrieve beingness earlier Apple AirTags. I utilized to misplace a batch of stuff, and I've accumulated much than a fewer grey hairs aft frantically tearing my sofa isolated looking for keys.
That's present a happening of the past, and I person AirTags connected thing important that tin get lost: keys, wallets, suitcases -- adjacent my bike.
Also: I extended my AirTag's artillery beingness to 10 years with this $15 accessory - however it works
The lone drawback of AirTag ownership is that I'm chucking retired a fistful of aged CR2032 fastener cells each year. It feels wasteful, but there's nary existent alternate (well, you tin powerfulness AirTags from AA and AAA batteries, but this makes them importantly bigger).
To code this, 1 section concern thought they'd recovered an alternative. A vacation rental spot had turned to AirTags to support an oculus connected keys aft losing respective sets. AirTags helped to some trim concern costs to regenerate them and the magnitude of deposits the customers were losing.
Also: So galore fastener batteries I've tested person hidden dangers - but this marque gets it right
But, similar me, the institution didn't similar the handfuls of fastener cells they were having to propulsion retired each year, truthful they replaced them with rechargeable cells. After all, LIR2032 cells are the aforesaid size arsenic CR2032 cells, and they'll acceptable into the aforesaid artillery slot. Surely they're the same, right?
Wrong.
Regular, disposable CR2032 cells person a nominal voltage of 3V and a powerfulness capableness of 240mAh. LIR2032 mightiness look the same, but these person a higher nominal voltage of 3.6V and a overmuch little 40mAh capableness -- that's six times less. There are higher capableness rechargeable cells called LIR2032H, but these inactive lone person astir 70mAh.
They mightiness look the same, but LIR2032 are precise antithetic to CR2032 cells.
This means, astatine best, overmuch much predominant artillery changes (every 2 to 3 months, arsenic opposed to erstwhile a year).
But determination are different problems with utilizing these batteries. First: they dice rapidly and with small oregon nary warning, which tin permission immoderate the AirTag is attached to susceptible to being lost.
Another contented is that these batteries tin beryllium discharged to a constituent wherever they can't beryllium recharged. This tin harm the battery, and I've seen a fewer of these cells leak the electrolyte portion successful use, thing that could harm the big device. I've seen a fewer AirTags damaged by these rechargeable cells. The cells tin besides beryllium damaged by incorrect charging.
Bottom line: though it's tempting, I don't urge utilizing these rechargeable cells successful AirTags! I cognize it feels wasteful to person to enactment a clump of CR2032 cells successful the recycling each year, but it's amended than buying a artillery that doesn't past long, could dice without warning, and could adjacent harm your AirTags.
My proposal instead, is to usage bully prime CR2032 batteries successful your AirTags (I urge Energizer Color Alert cells, which person respective information mechanisms to forestall accidental ingestion). Keep the rechargeable LIR2032 batteries for devices that person them fitted from caller (things similar car keyfobs, and solar-powered calculators).
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