Replacing a 40 year old battery :)

[Rolo]

Finally it has to be done!

My calculator, which I started using back in school, sucked out the final quantum of energy from the original batteries. ? On the backside it's saying it's consuming 0.0004 Watts.?

The FX-100 is a phantastic calculator, which is as current as ever. It covers all functions you need in school. It offers a quality keypad and it is calculating much faster than the competitors of those days. My father bought it in 1982 or 1983 as far as I remember. This really was ATARI age. I've never stopped using this calculator.

 

Hard to see, the bottom is stamped with 81-03 (?). All seals are as good as new. This battery stood the test of time.

 

 

?

[carlsson]

Since it haven't leaked, perhaps you should keep it just in case you ever want to get rid of the calculator and still have the original battery? I know that e.g. collectors of Nintendo Game & Watch enjoy if the original (unused, unleaked) batteries still are in the box.

[wierd_w]

If it is super low drainage, it might have been a carbon cell battery, instead of alkaline. That would explain why it never leaked.

[Rolo]

Wow, this battery arouses interest! Amazing! This is interesting about this website: People here are looking at technical details, nobody else would care about.

I carelessly dumped one of the two batteries some time ago...

I just show some more photos of the battery, for the battery experts in the forum:

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe some Japanese AtariAge member can help out reading this printing?

 

 

 

 

 

[The Usotsuki]

I can read a little bit of Japanese. Seems to be the usual warnings you find on alkaline batteries, about putting them in backward or throwing them into fire.

Quote

ご注意　はれつのおそれがあるので(+)(-)正しく入れ、充電や加熱、火に投入はしないこと。アルカリ乾電池などとませて使わないこと。

The best I could try to read that.

[Rolo]

Great! Thanks a lot for translating.?

Google translates your string to: "Note: There is a risk of swelling, so put it in (+) (-) correctly, and do not charge, heat, or put it in a fire. Do not use it with alkaline batteries."

 

We still don't know, which type of battery technology this is.

[high voltage]

People collect used/old batteries? 

Edited May 22, 2021 by high voltage

[Rolo]

Yes, why not? Calling cards, stamps, old radios, batteries ?

Where is the difference?

Technical everyday details, nobody cares about and suddenly they are gone ...

 

[carlsson]

Perhaps people don't collect used batteries per se, but I was thinking an original battery, in particular one with the same manufacturer name as on the unit, might interest some as long as it doesn't leak or otherwise possess an immediate bio-hazard. I don't know how well 35-40 year old unused silver oxide coin cell batteries would work but I suppose those paying extra to get unopened containers of those don't intend to try to use those anyway, for the G&W comparison.

[Ed in SoDak]

Whatever you install to replace it, I wouldn't trust it to last nearly as long!

 

[JKK]

I'm not expert here but I'm wondering if this SUM3 suggest something?

 

I found some of the similar batteries, ex. here:

 

https://www.hisupplier.com/product-39188-SUM-3-AA-Size-Battery/

 

However all are described as single use batter and not chargeable  battery. And all are Zinc-Chloride batteries or similar, ex. zinc chloride-manganese dioxide (mercury free). Also that Japanese title suggest that it's single use battery. However it's still amazing that one battery lasted so long...