Monday, January 12, 2009

A smokin' deal

Maybe it's just the geek in me, but I have a bunch of lights and gadgets (laser pointers, a pedometer, digital calipers, etc) that run on button cell batteries. One of them is a blue micro light that I used for a few months as a helmet light, until the batteries finally gave out. These button cells cost $5 each at places like Radio Shack, hardware stores, and drug stores. Needing 3 batteries for things such as my helmet light, it seems ridiculous to make a $15 investment when a new light costs much less.

Over the holidays, I noticed that Dollar Tree started carrying button cells. These are all over Kansas City, and it looks like they're nationwide. The LR1130 (AG-10 and several other model numbers are identical) came in an 8-pack for $1. So did LR44's. The big, 3-Volt CR2032's: 3-pack for $1. I guess it's time to start stocking up.

I got my old helmet light working again, though. Blue is nice because it contrasts the red blinkie so well. I know quite a few cyclists who rock blue LEDs on their bikes, and none of them have gotten in trouble for the fact that Red & Blue makes a bike potentially look like an emergency vehicle from a distance...


And I think I have enough left over to get the Valve stem lights back up and running, too (old photo from Nov. '07)


Random Tunage:
DJ Eyal - Dreamcatcher
God Lives Underwater - From Your Mouth
at

7 comments:

  1. kGJanuary 12, 2009 8:01 AM

    Stock up indeed! thanks for the tip! Seems like more and more, stuff is running on these tiny cells... they do last a while, but you ain't kiddin'... sometimes it was cheaper to get a new light. Not anymore! stock it, yo.

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  2. NoahJanuary 12, 2009 8:06 AM

    The one closest to you is over there in the same parking lot as K-Mart across from Blow-Lay-The Ford. In case you didn't know. I haven't checked that one out yet, but I'm pretty sure most of these places all stock the same stuff. They were hanging near the cash registers at the new store in Lenexa.

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  3. Sirrus RiderJanuary 12, 2009 8:19 AM

    Lucky my helmet light uses AAA cells. The one maddening thing about it is instead using an even number that would mach an over the counter pack(2 or 4) it uses three which leaves an orphan from a 4 pack.

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  4. Ken HarrisJanuary 12, 2009 9:08 AM

    Lifehacker picked-up on a post from instructables about getting 8 watch batteries from one A23 Energizer Battery.

    http://lifehacker.com/291068/get-eight-watch-batteries-from-a-12+volt-battery

    Search for battery hacks on lifehacker.com if the link doesn't come through...

    They note that not all 12v batteries are built this way, but the A23 from Energizer is...

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  5. AnonymousJanuary 12, 2009 1:34 PM

    Which light is that on your helmet? I like it and might have to find one myself

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  6. NoahJanuary 12, 2009 1:42 PM

    It's one of these - $8 for 4? I'd bet you can find them in plastic bins near the cash registers at most hardware stores, though, not to mention the usual places for cheap crap like $1 stores, mail-order gift magazines, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if you could buy the lights themselves in bulk for under $1 each.

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  7. Tim OJanuary 12, 2009 1:58 PM

    Good find on the CR2032s - I use these on the Garmin remote cadence device and some other mundane stuff at home.

    ReplyDelete