Wixey Angle Gauge

[ed vitanovec]

I have a Wixey angle gauge and don't use it all that often but when I do the battery is dead. I always turn it off when I'm done and am wondering if there might be some short inside to drain the battery. Do any users out there experience the same thing? I'm going to have to get in the habbit of removing the battey when I'm done with the gauge.

Regards!
Ed

[glenn bradley]

Mine lasts about 6 months with frequent use. I did have battery issues till I started buying name brand batteries at the pharmacy in the medical section. I tried some no-name online batteries at about a dollar less per but, they died in short order. Battery Depot Panasonic CR2032 lithium cells (http://www.batterydepot.com/battery/BC-1510) are what I am using now and they went in back in September and I was using the devices just this evening with no signs of trouble.

[Alan Schwabacher]

I also have one of the older ones that eats batteries. I threw away the battery cover and leave the battery stuck to the magnet on the outside of the case. This makes it very quick to put the battery in when I use it, and remove it afterwards.

[Rich Engelhardt]

+1 to removing the battery.
I do that with all the button battery devices.

[Richard Wagner]

I have had the same problem but lately that is not the case. I have changed nothing but the batteries that I use. In the past I used batteries purchased at the local grocery store. I now use batteries from a BatteriesPlus outlet with much better results.

Use batteries that you have good reason to believe are fresh. Works great, last a long time.

[Jerome Hanby]

Or on the flip side...Dollar Tree here in Birmingham/Trussville has some multi packs of batteries that look like they might fit some of my gadgets. If I can ever think to take some samples with me to compare, I may buy a few packs of those just to have on hand. At 4-6 for a dollar, they wouldn't have to last long <g>.

[James White]

Jerome,

This is the route I have taken (dollar store). So far I have had good results. Just make sure there is always some on hand! I think I am still on my first three pack and it has been well over a year. That said I do not think my Wixey angle gauge is a battery eater. It is my Wixey table saw readout. The auto off does not work. But they always draw current even if they are off. So that does not make a big difference anway.

James

[Noel Hegan]

I also have one of the older ones that eats batteries. I threw away the battery cover and leave the battery stuck to the magnet on the outside of the case. This makes it very quick to put the battery in when I use it, and remove it afterwards.

Exactly what I've had to do. Makes no difference with branded or no-name batteries.

[Stephen Cherry]

Yes, the Wixey tools will wear out their batteries when not in use, BUT, they offer such a great value that for me it is well worth the price. I especially like the digital height gauge. I'll have to check the dollar store for batteries.

[Bob Wingard]

I too stocked up on batteries ... then my unit crapped out ... replaced it with a Beall TiltBox ... NEVER looked back ... Wixey is Chinese junk ... Beall is probably Chinese too, but it seems to be much higher quality.

[Will Rowland]

From Wixey's website:

The battery life should be over 6 months. with the unit turned on or off. Because the readout always maintains the calibration even when it is turned off, it is actually reading all the time. Turning it off only turns off the display which reduces the power consumption by 50%. There is an auto shut off feature incase you forget to turn it off.

Personally I seem to get about a year out of the batteries, on both the angle gauge and the digital protractor.

[Bobby O'Neal]

I get plenty of battery life in mine. Not alot of use and it lasts about a year.

[glenn bradley]

Or on the flip side...Dollar Tree here in Birmingham/Trussville has some multi packs of batteries that look like they might fit some of my gadgets. If I can ever think to take some samples with me to compare, I may buy a few packs of those just to have on hand. At 4-6 for a dollar, they wouldn't have to last long <g>.

I tried this approach with some generic online batteries. Wasn't worth the trouble. JMHO.

[glenn bradley]

I also have one of the older ones that eats batteries.

I bought mine in mid 2007 so would you consider this one of the "newer" ones? Just curious so folks might know which versions are battery eaters. I had a Til-Box from Rockler that ate 9volt batteries about every 2 weeks. I returned it for another; same result. Returned it for a refund so there are units sold that just aren't worth the cost of feeding ;-).

[Jerome Hanby]

I bought mine in mid 2007 so would you consider this one of the "newer" ones? Just curious so folks might know which versions are battery eaters. I had a Til-Box from Rockler that ate 9volt batteries about every 2 weeks. I returned it for another; same result. Returned it for a refund so there are units sold that just aren't worth the cost of feeding ;-).

I'd have kept the 9 volt model and put an AC adapter on it. You can get one with a connector that will clip on to the 9 volt battery clip. Wouldn't have addressed the real problem, but that's an easier model to "fix" than the button battery models.

[Alan Schaffter]

Folks, as one poster said, even with the display turned off the circuit remains powered so it stays in calibration. You just can't expect to get much life from a button battery.

I know it may not be what some may want to hear, but I suggest if you really use your tilt gauge, I DO, then invest in the new Wixey WR365. It is powered by two AAA batteries which will last at least 2 YEARS ! I really don't know how long they will last, but I got mine OVER two years ago. It has tilting display, and also measures both relative angles (like the original) and also absolute level or angle with respect to the center of the earth!

http://www.wixey.com/anglegauge/images/wr365_02.jpg

http://www.wixey.com/anglegauge/images/wr365_feature02.jpg

http://www.wixey.com/anglegauge/images/wr365_feature04.jpg

[Joseph Tarantino]

so is it inadvisealbe to remove the button batteries form the original wixey to extend their life?

[Bruce Wrenn]

Dollar store batteries (2032 Lithium) come three to a card for a buck. That's 33 1/3 cents each, which is cheap to get the precision that a Wixey gives me. Last time I used my Wixey, I had to replace battery, but I don't know when I had replaced it before. Package of batteries had two left in it before I replaced battery. Date on package said to use before Feb 2012. This means I bought battery pack some where in either 2009, or 2010. Battery in Wixey was probably at least a year old, in not older.

[Alan Schaffter]

so is it inadvisealbe to remove the button batteries form the original wixey to extend their life? It won't hurt anything and is the only way to extend battery life.