Panasonic Lithium Coin Cell Battery (CR1632)

This is a single lithium coin cell from Panasonic, marked CR1632 and rated at 3 volts, as printed on the front of the retail pack. Coin cells are named by a number rather than a letter, and those four digits are the measurement: the first two give the diameter in millimetres and the last two give the height in tenths of a millimetre. That is why a CR1632 cannot stand in for a CR1620 or a CR2032, even though all three look much alike in the hand. Check the code on the cell you are replacing before you order.

The pack pictures the three jobs this size is most often bought for: a calculator, a car key fob and a watch. Lithium coin cells hold a steady voltage for most of their working life rather than fading slowly, which is what makes them suit devices that sit untouched for months and then have to work first time. Keep one in the drawer with the manuals and the spare fuses, or order a run of them if you look after a fleet of vehicles or a building full of small electronics.

The cell comes on a blister card, and the front is marked child safety packaging: the backing is cut open with scissors rather than peeled apart, which slows small hands down. The same face carries the warning against swallowing button cells and the 0% Hg added mark, meaning no mercury has been added. Keep spares in the unopened card somewhere dry and away from loose coins and keys, so nothing can bridge the two faces. One card holds one cell, and the listing is bought in multiples of twelve, which suits a maintenance stock rather than a one off repair. We list it with our other specialist Panasonic sizes if you need a different code.

Will a CR1620 or a CR2032 fit in place of this cell?

No. The four digits are the size, so a CR2032 is both wider and thicker and a CR1620 is thinner. Fit only the code your device asks for.

How many cells do I actually get?

One. The listing is a single cell on its own blister card, and it is bought in multiples of twelve cards, so a full order brings twelve cells.

Can this cell be recharged?

Nothing in the specification or on the pack describes it as rechargeable, so treat it as a single use cell and never put it in a charger.

What does the 0% Hg added mark on the pack mean?

Hg is the chemical symbol for mercury, so the mark tells you that no mercury has been added to this cell's chemistry.

Why does the blister card have to be cut open?

The front is printed child safety packaging and the card is meant to be cut with scissors rather than torn, because button cells are dangerous if a child swallows one.

How should I store spare cells?

Leave them sealed in the card, somewhere dry and at ordinary room temperature, and keep them clear of loose keys and coins that could short the two faces.