It’s incredible to see tiny electronic devices work and do their thing, especially if their purpose involves a wireless connection that links them to other electronic devices. Despite their size, they can manage to multi-task and carry out multiple operations simultaneously; It’s like a person talking on the phone and making a lot of things happen during the entire call time.
Apart from the involved cutting-edge technologies and innovations, this is a reliable power source like the CR2016 battery. With its power and the features it has, it serves as the heart of these tiny electronic devices. But what if it reached its end and there’s a shortage of such battery model?
Can I replace a CR2016 battery with a CR2032? This is one of the most possible follow up questions for the one that parted the intro. Anyway, to give it answer, replacing a CR2016 cell with a CR2032 is possible and doable. However, a solid and concrete answer would be it will depend on the device.
These batteries are not interchangeable, and in most cases, either of the two batteries won’t be suitable for similar applications. Based on my research, there are a number of situations where a CR2032 cell is able to replace a CR2016 cell, but these cases may seem to be impossible, and it will be dangerous on the part of the device.
Using a CR2032 is like using two CR2016 cells because the amperage of CR2032 is a lot greater than a single CR2016 cell. Having two CR2016 cells stacked together will logically fit to put them in the place of a CR2032 cell, but it will then deliver 6 volts that can damage electronic devices. Now going back to the question and keep you well aware of the subject.
A CR2016 cell has plenty of alternatives or equivalents with the same exact size, but unfortunately, CR2032 is not one of them. Not only that is thicker than the CR2016, but they also have different specifications. You also have to understand that it can’t be possible because the main question is asking if the CR2032 will be the one replacing the CR2016, not the other way around.
So, to leave you with a solid and credible answer, a CR2032 battery is too big and too powerful to replace the CR2016 battery, and they are not interchangeable either. However, logically speaking, if the device has a battery cavity for the CR2016 has enough room to fit the CR2032, it is possible.
Both the CR2016 and CR2032 can make tiny devices do their thing and how these pocket-sized gizmos work is really a wonder. Because witnessing them at their optimum performance is astonishing and very impressive.
But when their battery supplying them, the power starts to fail, they start to be frustrating and disappointing. And perhaps that’s what took you here cause you are trying to figure out if these two batteries are interchangeable or if the CR2032 can be a replacement for the CR2016.
Read on to learn more about them and understand how I came up with my answer above!
Battery Specifications of CR2016 and CR2032 Button Cells
To get a more detailed idea for a better understanding of the matter of the question, it is crucial for us to learn more about the two batteries’ specifications. From there, we can Identify the reasons why whether or not they are interchangeable.
Knowing their specs will also allow us to see whether the bypass strategies for using the CR2032 as a replacement for the CR2016 makes sense or not. There are two types of 2016 and 2032 coin-type lithium batteries, and both of them slightly vary in performance depending on the cathode they have.
The one with the “BR” prefix on the label is usually used for applications that require extended safety and reliability due to the abilities that carbon monofluoride has.
In contrast, the one with the prefix “CR” is mostly used for commercial applications and when less stability is needed since the manganese dioxide is cheaper. Come and join me as we uncover their specifications.
Full Battery Specifications of the CR2016 Cell
The CR2016 cell is a single-cell, coin-type non-rechargeable lithium battery that has a 20 mm diameter and 1.6 mm height, hence the “2016” on its label. It is a carbon-monofluoride lithium-based coin battery that has a nominal voltage of 3 volts and a battery capacity rated at 90 mAh.
The proper battery labels for the 2016 batteries are CR2016 and BR2016, as these batteries come in two types with different chemicals as their cathode or positive electrode. The one with “CR” on the label is the type that uses manganese dioxide, and the one with “BR” on its label is the type with carbon-monofluoride as their positive electrodes.
Full Battery Specifications of the CR2032 Cell
Almost similar to the 2016 battery, the 2032 cell is also a disposable, single-cell battery that can either have ta chemistry based on lithium manganese dioxide or lithium carbon monofluoride. It has a nominal voltage rating of 3 volts and a capacity rated at 240 mAh.
It has a 20 mm diameter and a 3.2 mm height, thus the “2032” on its battery label. 2032 batteries also come in two variations, the CR2032 and BR2032 coin cell batteries with the prefixes “CR” and “BR” indicating their lithium cell chemistry, where they represent the cathode each of them uses.
Expanding on the Major Differences Between CR2016 and CR2032 Cells
Although the differences between these two coin-type batteries are clearly shown on their specifications and can be easily spotted just by looking at them side by side, expanding on the aspects of these differences will help us understand their interchangeability.
It will enlighten us if the CR2032 coin cell batteries can really replace CR2016 power cells. Join me as we dig deeper into this aspect and facet.
1. The difference in Height or Thickness of the Batteries
By looking at both of the batteries at the same time and putting their specifications side by side, the first thing you will notice is their difference in thickness or height. Both of them have the same diameter, but when it comes to their height, the CR2032 cell is twice as thick as the CR2016.
So, literally stacking two CR2016s will be as thick as a single CR2032. It also means that if you are to use a CR2032 to replace a CR2016 will be impossible, because it will NOT fit into the battery compartment of the device. Just with this difference, it will obviously answer the question stated above.
2. The Disparity in the Capacity the Batteries Have
Another major difference CR2016 and CR2032 batteries have their capability to store charge, which is simply known as battery capacity in layman’s term. Measured or expressed in ampere-hours (Ah), it can also be interpreted as the amount of power that can be drawn from the battery for a specific time frame.
In this case, CR2016’s capacity is rated 90 mAh in contrast with CR2032’s 240 mAh. It clearly shows the significant discrepancy in how much charge the batteries stored within them. Taking a look at this concept and assuming everything is equal except their capacity, CR2032 will last a lot longer than the CR2016.
Even if we say that the CR2032 cell is supporting a load with a 24 mA rating and the CR2016 is supporting a load rated at 15 mA, the CR2032 will still last longer than the CR2016.
Now that we are enlightened about the two coin-type lithium batteries with their respective specifications and their major differences. We can now head back to the question I tried to answer earlier since we are eager to learn more about the reality that’s behind the essence of the question. Here is some logical information that will help us come up with a valid and credible answer.
3. Size Really Does Matter and Can Make a Difference
As I mentioned and established earlier and stated several times, the size disparity of the two coin-type batteries actually supports my answer. To give you a solid and compelling example that shows that size indeed does matter, try to imaging a device powered by the CR2016 cell.
Let’s say that the device is a keyfob which has to be slim and sleek, due to the functions that it has, its electrical components will take plenty of space. This leaves only enough space for the battery compartment to fit the slim 1.6 mm cell.
Putting in the thicker CR2032, which has a bulkier build in the place of the CR2016, will need an extra 1.6 mm or a bit more clearance for the battery compartment lid to be locked in place. The 2032 cell is too big for that battery compartment, which only confirms that it can’t replace the 2016 cell.
Whoa! That was a heck of enlightenment, right? I’m glad you joined me on this journey, and I never thought that a simple battery-related question would take that much information just to come up with a plausible answer. It was a tricky kind of question that can go either direction, where there is no correct specific answer.
However, if you take a look at all the facts stated above, there situations that it is not possible, but there are also cases that can actually prove that the CR2032 battery can indeed replace a CR2016. But anyway, that’s it for now, and I hope that joining me in this also cleared out some of the questions you have in mind about these button-type batteries.
Final Thoughts
I hope that you find this article informational and after taking it all and digesting the details. You will agree that CR2016 and CR2032 are NOT interchangeable batteries, but there’s a possibility that a CR2032 can replace a CR2016 battery depending on the application.
Based on the facts, if the device can fit the CR2032 cell. It is possible that it can be used as a replacement for the CR2016 since they both have the same voltage, and they only differ in size.
