Wiexeys eat batteries

[Bill Sutherland]

I have 3 different Wixey instruments, The Angle cube, the Digital Protractor and the Digital Dial Calipers and each and every year I have to take the batteries out, make sure they are not in a cold spot and baby the instruments so they'll work. I understand they have a new Angle cube that has better batteries than the #2032 they used in the original cube. This year I left the batteries in, made sure they were "off" and put them in a warm spot in our house. All 3 are shot and I'm so tired of Wixey's crap I'll never buy another one. Anyone have a better digital instrument? I've tried IGaging and they're not quite as bad but still eat batteries at a slower pace.
Since Wixey has decided that they needed to upgrade to bigger/more batteries in the Cube it would be nice if they'd let those of us who bough their to trade for a new one. However, knowing Wixey it will be another

[John Schweikert]

Yep, I bought a 10 pack of Sony CR2032 batts from amazon for $10 which should keep me going for a good while. I have four different Wixey models.

[Gerry Kaslowski]

Yep, I bought a 10 pack of Sony CR2032 batts from amazon for $10 which should keep me going for a good while. I have four different Wixey models.

+1. I'm just glad that most seem to have standardized on 2032 instead of a mix of 2025/2032. I've even had them mixed in the same piece of equipment. Other than a slight difference in size, is there any real difference?

[Bill Sutherland]

It really got my attention today when i needed to get a angle reading and, stupid me, relied in the Wixey. Of course dead batteries. Off to the store...45 minutes later i'm getting a reading that should have taken less than a minute. Next purchase will be a Bevel Protractor...never again a wixey.

[Steve Peterson]

I know what you mean about eating batteries. I usually remove the batteries from all my shop measuring devices. I am a weekend worker. There is nothing more frustrating than using a tool once or twice and having dead batteries when you need it again in 6 months. If I was a production worker, I would just leave them in and buy lots of spares.

Steve

[Max Neu]

I just leave the batteries out until I need to use it,I have been using the same betteries for as long as I can remember.

[glenn bradley]

This is a recurring thread topic and I wonder if it is at all regional/environment/weather sensitive? I used to have this problem years ago until I started buying name brand batteries from a reliable source. I know Duracells and Energizers are supposed to be good for many years from the purchase date but, I do not find this to be true.

I tried picking up batteries half a dozen at a time online in order to save a few bucks. This didn't work out as even though the battery package would state "Use by March of 2018", if the battery were stored for many months, in the original package in my home office, it would be unreliable for my digital readout products when I went to use it.

I started buying the newest battery I could find at the drug store off the medical battery rack (calling them 'medical' shouldn't make any difference) and have used the same batteries for up to a year. The 2032's are lithium and should hold a charge longer than others given proper initial quality and storage / care. Even the Duracell and Energizers would perform poorly if the "use by" date wasn't around 8 years out. The Wixey's turn themselves off so I don't really pay attention to powering them off manually and have used them almost daily without issue when using batteries as described.

[Keith Outten]

I purchased two Wixey instruments, one two years ago and one earlier this year. Haven't had a problem with either one and I keep them in my toolbox with the batteries installed. I also have a Mitutoyo dial caliper that has had a battery in it for about five years, still works fine.

I'm inclined to agree with Glenn that there maybe a regional/environment/weather sensitive issue in Bill's shop.

[Jack Lemley]

I have 4 Wixey products and zero battery issues.

Jack

[John McClanahan]

The power button only shuts off the display. The "brains" stay on so you don't have to re-zero it every time you turn it on.

John

[Lee Schierer]

I have a Beall Tilt Box and the battery in it lasts several years in my shop. In fact I think in the 6-8 years I've owned it, I've only changed the battery once.

[Joe Scharle]

I'm with Lee. I even talked with John Wixey about the problem. I'd come into the shop in the morning and the Wixey would be on.
Happened often and finally new batteries didn't help.
My first angle box committed suicide but the second was murdered.
Only had the Beall with original battery 2+ years.
It doesn't itself on randomly.

[Curt Harms]

I know what you mean about eating batteries. I usually remove the batteries from all my shop measuring devices. I am a weekend worker. There is nothing more frustrating than using a tool once or twice and having dead batteries when you need it again in 6 months. If I was a production worker, I would just leave them in and buy lots of spares.

Steve

Same here. I use the angle thingy so infrequently it's no big deal to remove the back, insert the battery, replace the back and go. My gut feeling is that Beall makes the best angle cube thingy. I do have an iGaging 12" digital readout thingy that uses 2 CR2032 batteries. It's still on the originals and I've had it for I guess 2 years, maybe more. I don't use it frequently, maybe 3 times a month on average but the standby mode must use virtually no power.

[Todd Hyman]

I have a Beall Tilt Box and the battery in it lasts several years in my shop. In fact I think in the 6-8 years I've owned it, I've only changed the battery once.

Doesn't the Beall use a 9-volt battery.

[Bruce Page]

Old School. No batteries required.

[Jim Finn]

I have a battery eating Wixie also. I buy the batteries six at a time now. When these are used up I will look into one that Grizzly has for under $20 that uses a nine volt battery.

[Loren Woirhaye]

I use dial calipers just because when I got mine the digital ones were a lot more money... I never thought about batteries being an annoyance with the digital ones.

I have one of the I-gauging cubes... uses a 9v. battery. I've had it over a year and the battery is still good. I seldom use it.

[David Weaver]

They are battery pigs, I got rid of all of my wixey stuff, but I remember turning them on after disuse to often find no power.

The cheap short term answer is to get them off of ebay for about 15 or 20 cents per with shipping - direct from china (the 2032 batteries, that is). that's what I did until I decided all of that stuff is more trouble than its worth.

[fRED mCnEILL]

I had the table saw gauge. It kept giving the wrong reading so I bought a new display. After a year or so it started doing the same thing so I took it of, threw it in the garbage and got an Incra fence system. Best move I made. Besides no batteries it is a better fence/system overall. Gave the Beis fence to my friend/neighbor who is also happly. Win-win -loose(Wixey being the looser).

[Grant Wilkinson]

I have the Wixey planer gauge. It used to eat batteries like popcorn. Now, it's plugged in. No more battery issues.

[Bill Sutherland]

I guess I'm not the only unhappy camper in the group!! Having owned my own business I know that if the product I represented had these kind of issues either I wouldn't sell it or I'd be grinding on the manufacturer. To me it's just another unreliable Chinese made junk. Never again because I'll go to a manual reading instrument and put the Wixey and Igaging where they belong...trash.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Dollar Tree sells 2032's, a pack of three (used to be four) for a buck. When they have them, I stock up as we have some other devices that use same battery.

[Leo Graywacz]

Digital height and tablesaw gauge are pigs. Planer and calipers work well.

[Lee Schierer]

Doesn't the Beall use a 9-volt battery.

To be honest, it's been so long since I had to look that I don't remember. It did come with a tiny philips screwdriver to make changing the battery easier.



I went out and checked and it does have a 9 volt battery.

[lowell holmes]

My Wixey angle finder uses two AAA batteries. I've had no battery issues. It is a year old and has the original batteries in it.

[Rob Damon]

Or you can get your batteries for Free. Samclub sells the flameless candles 24 count with 24 spare CR2032 batteries at Christmas time. I just ask for a pack of flameless candles as a Christmas present every year, which I get from the mother-in-law, and tell her "it's mood lighting for the shop." I asked for some Bench Cookies one year, when I opened them at Christmas, she asked when I was planning on baking them and what did they taste like. She is really a great MIL.

Rob

[Wixey]

Hey guys. I smell what you're steppin' in. Of all the comments we get about our products short battery life has been the biggest one. Originally all our products used the CR2032 batteries and those would last 6 months to one year because we were holding the calibrated setting and were always using power. Trust me on this, you will get almost no life out of cheap batteries. A good name brand will last at least twice as long. Holding the zero was important for some of our products like the fence and planer readouts, but the others not so much. I know this doesn't help for the products you already own but we have listened to your issues and made a lot of changes. All the products that need to hold calibration have been changed to use AAA batteries which will last at least 2 years. We also have a new angle gauge that also uses AAA batteries. The calipers and height gauge that still use the CR2032 have been changed so they do not hold the zero and will also last almost 2 years and we are working to change our protractors too. Anyway, we live and learn and try to listen and improve. Also, we do honor our warranty so if you have a product that does not function as designed we are happy to replace them.

[David G Baker]

I do not recommend Copper Top batteries for anything. I have had a few expensive instruments ruined by them leaking and corroding the contacts to the point that they are destroyed. I now take batteries out of all of my low use items.

[Myk Rian]

My first angle box committed suicide but the second was murdered.
Mind relating the stories? :eek:

[John A langley]

I have three Wixey they do not eat batteries you do have to turn them off Set in the drawer for up to a month without being used and I still have a battery

[Shawn Pixley]

My Wixley (tilt box) has had to have its battery swapped out once in five years. I turn it off and put it in the drawer when done.

[Bill Huber]

I have 5 different Wixey items and I really don't have a battery problem, I don't know why but I just don't. The batteries I use are Lithium and they are no name, I got them on Amazon for like really cheap. 10 cards of 5 batteries for $9.80. I don't need 50 batteries but I gave a bunch away and I still have a bunch.

http://www.amazon.com/CR2032-Lithium-Batteries-card-Cards/dp/B0043SAFK0/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1396377769&sr=8-9&keywords=cr2032+3v+lithium+battery

[Bill Sutherland]

Thank you for stepping into the fire!! When I purchased the Wixeys I hoped they would last me the rest of my woodworking life. I have been using name brand batteries and have had to change them often on a couple of weeks basis. We all seem to have different results but at the end of the day we're faced with trying to make do with a inferior product or purchase a new one and hope for the best.

[Jack Lemley]

Outstanding service from a developer and even with not so great battery life the Wixey tools have made my woodworking life much more enjoyable.

Jack

Edit: BTW I have always used name brand batteries. The few cheap chinese I have used came with inexpensive digital tools and lasted a month or so which was why never bought any of the cheapies as replacements.

[Joe Scharle]

Mind relating the stories? :eek:

The first one used so many batteries (by turning itself on) that after a while the display was too dim to read.
When the second started turning itself on (and eating batteries), it found itself in violent contact with a concrete block wall!

[Kevin Womer]

I have a Beall Tilt Box and the battery in it lasts several years in my shop. In fact I think in the 6-8 years I've owned it, I've only changed the battery once.

Same story, Beal Tilt Box here, origional batteries for about four years.