Wixey planer gauge - battery mod?

[Kent Fitzgerald]

I'm about to run out for some more SR44 batteries for my Wixey planer gauge. I absolutely love the functionality of this gadget (OK, I'll admit to a bit of a digital measurement fetish). The battery life, however, is a limitation.

The instructions, as well as my experience, predict a 6 months battery life. If I were using the planer every day, I wouldn't gripe. But it's 6 months whether the gauge is on or off. Being a hobbyist with very occasional shop time <insert usual sob story here :(>, I get very little actual use out of a battery, and chances are, by the next time I use the planer, it'll be dead again.

Sure, I could remove the battery when not in use and recalibrate each time. But I think this might be a better idea: There's no good reason that I can see why the gauge has to use a mini battery. It's attached to a 60 lb planer, so portability is hardly an issue! It would be a simple mod to solder in a pair of wires to an external single-cell holder. An AA battery ought to last for years. A D cell would probably be a lifetime investment.

I'll try to bounce this idea off Mr. Wixey, but does anyone else have any ideas on whether this is a good / bad / stupid / brilliant plan?

[glenn bradley]

I don't know about modifying the power source but since I bought the higher mah version of the SR-44 (there were 3 levels at Walgreen's) for only about 50 cents more than the 'standard' battery. It has outlived two of the ones Wixey sent me.

[Bill Huber]

As long as the voltage is the same it should make no difference on the capacity of the battery.

You could even get a transformer from Radio Shack of the same voltage and it would never have to be changed.

[Randal Stevenson]

If you do it, please post a write up!


Thanks

[Jim Becker]

I'm thinking about putting a power supply on my Digi unit on the J/P for the same reason...the battery still gets consumed over time, even when the unit is not in use. Just a trickle, but that's all it takes.

[Grant Lasson]

Kent,

Good luck. Please take pictures and post them to document the process. I have the same experience as you. My gauge sits dead as we speak. The Wixey draws far more power than any of my other digital scales. I have a few other qualms about the Wixey gauge: I think the resolution has been dumbed down too far. 0.005" is too rough. I think 0.002" would be better. I also have to be careful because there is a fair amount of friction in the mechanism and it doesn't always track down after it has been raised. I like the Wixey but I think his idea is better than the execution.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I think that an AG-13 will also work. Dollar Tree often has a card of eight for a buck. Check up by the cash registers. My digital calipers from HF, along with a couple of timers use these batteries. I did a Google of SR-44 batteries and the AG-13 is the same battery, in most applications. Also in my search, I found a vendor who would sell me ten for $6.99 + shipping. I think I like eight for a buck better. Be aware that Dollar Tree doesn't always stock them.

[Dennis Peacock]

Excellent thread and I'll be interested in finding a solution to my own planer battery digital readout problem. :)

[CPeter James]

Do an EBAY saearch on AG-13 and you will get several hits that have good prices. I have used some of these with good resullts.

CPeter

[David Epperson]

For those of you who are seriously cheap like I am :D You might find this site interesting as far as small batteries are concerned. :D

http://www.wisebread.com/the-40-hidden-inside-a-12v-battery

[Carl Crout]

As long as the voltage is the same it should make no difference on the capacity of the battery.

You could even get a transformer from Radio Shack of the same voltage and it would never have to be changed.

Not a transformer. A transformer produces AC voltage.
You need a "wall wart" that converts AC down to the proper level of DC voltage, then filters it and possibly regulates it

[Eddie Darby]

I get 5 batteries for a dollar at the Dollar Store, so I don't have to play games with the batteries. If you're frugal , then just remove the battery after use.

[Jerry Allen]

There are a lot of batteries that will work:
SR44, AG13, LR44, 357, 303, EPX76, A76.
The SRs are silver oxide and some of the other are akaline.
The SRs are supposed to have 50% higher power density (and 3% more voltage).
But if you can get any at a dollar store that's the best deal.
They are usually fresh.
I have purchased SRs at swapmeets that didn't last very long.
They were imports and who knows how long they sat around or how they were stored?

Regarding using a AA or AAA akaline, I have made some clocks for kids at Xmas that ran off of vinegar. I got cheap clocks at the dollar store and modified them to bring the leads out to the vinegar tanks.
Most of them I took appart and soldered the wires directly to the circuit board and brought the wires out through a hold drilled in the battery cover. I wouldn't recommend that for a Wixey due to the cost.
The other method I used is to make a spacer the same size as the battery from two brass washers and a wood separator. The wires were soldered to the washers and brought out through a hole in the battery cover. You can get a single battery holder at Radio Shack and a lot of other electronics suppliers.

Personally, I wouldn't bother if I could get a pack of batteries for a buck.
Here's a place that has some choices if you are not near a dollar store:
http://www.wholesaleforeveryone.com/page/WFE/CTGY/batteries-watch-button-coin-sp
Key in one of the numbers (SR44, AG13, LR44, 357, 303, EPX76, A76) in the Search box.