Barco ICP Battery

[Phil Ranucci]

I need to get some BR2330 batteries and was wondering if anyone has used CR2330 instead. I need them in a few days and Amazon can't get them that fast.

[Marcel Birgelen]

The short and easy answer is: DON'T use a CR2330, unless you want to find your certificates wiped later on. A BR2330 as a much lower continuous discharge current and a much longer shelf life.

[Carsten Kurz]

The socketed ICP batteries are non-critical, they only keep the ICP clock running, not the certs alive.
I even used CR2032 in one case, as they still fit the socket, and I needed to use what I had with me.Even if they don't last as long, they still work and the next change should be scheduled somewhat earlier. BR have a higher temperature rating and are considered industrial grade as opposed to consumer grade for CR.

- Carsten

[Phil Ranucci]

Thanks. I've managed to find some, hopefully they get delivered in time. I've seen the temperature range difference between the BR and CR models.
Take a look at this Barco page, it has a picture of a BR2330 but calls it a CR2330.
https://www.barco.com/nl/support/spare-parts/R87665261K

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Both Digi-Key and Mouser show them as being in stock. You'd likely have to over-night them at this point. Also try Batteries Plus if there is one near you. There is one a couple miles from me and they do stock some odd ball stuff there.

[Leo Enticknap]

Attached is a Panasonic cheat sheet on the difference between BR and CR batteries.

Cutting through the PhD chemistry detail, the essential difference is that BRs are optimized for long term, constant, low current discharge (e.g. memory backup), whereas CRs are for intermittent bursts of high current discharge (e.g. garage door openers). If you use a CR in an application that a BR is ideal for, it'll work, but it won't last as long. As a very rough rule of thumb, if you have no choice but to use a CR for a certificate battery (e.g. in a Doremi IMB), I would suggest reducing the recommended swapout interval by half at the very least, and ideally getting back to the site with a BR as soon as you can.

For some reason, Barco recommends a CR2477 (or its N variant) for the ICMP. Maybe it's because there simply isn't a BR made in that size.

But as Carsten notes, the consequences are a lot less serious for an ICP clock battery, because you won't lose the ICP if it is allowed to discharge. On Barco projectors, though (don't know about NECs and Christies), you'll get a red tail light and be unable to play DCI content if the ICP has a dead clock battery in it. All this having been said, given that the youngest TI ICP in existence is now probably 5-6 years old, any replacement clock battery now is likely to outlive the soldered on certificate battery, and thus the ICP as a whole.

[Marcel Birgelen]

According to lore, the BR-series batteries, due to their "less aggressive chemistry", are also more leak-resistant than their CR-counterparts. The problem is, many gadgets do need the higher constant current discharge to operate.

Interestingly though: My previous lease was a BMW, which had a CR-type battery in the remote. I replaced it with a BR equivalent and it still worked fine for the remainder of the lease...

The socketed ICP batteries are non-critical, they only keep the ICP clock running, not the certs alive.
I even used CR2032 in one case, as they still fit the socket, and I needed to use what I had with me.Even if they don't last as long, they still work and the next change should be scheduled somewhat earlier. BR have a higher temperature rating and are considered industrial grade as opposed to consumer grade for CR.

The OP didn't make it clear it was about the socketed battery. In my mind, the socketed battery always has been a CR2330, but my mind can be wrong.