Optics Battery Swap-Out

[Inked]

With weapon optics, some having thousands upon thousands of battery life hours, do you still have a set schedule to change them out? Reasons may be worry about eventual battery leakage or simply to ensure operation if the SHTF. Most of mine use a 2032 but just yesterday I realized I hadn’t changed out my Comp M4S in about 2 years which uses a single AA. I checked it and it hadn’t leaked and was still functioning. I’m religious about maintenance of not just weapons but everything else as well (I am a BITOG member after all) but I can only assume that due to the marketing of how long the battery “life” is when using these optics, I fell into the trap of disregarding what we all know can sometimes be a disastrous outcome when leaving batteries in too long.

 

[Hall]

I buy name-brand, made in Japan batteries for all of our key fobs and my optic and change them 1x a year. Probably excessive and could probably go 2 years, but batteries lose juice just sitting in the packaging, so why not. What's the usual phrase here: "It's cheap insurance".

 

[football]

Do not put alkaline batteries into your optics!!

Lithium AAA/AA batteries in your EoTech and Aimpoint. They don’t leak. Cost a little more but won’t destroy a $800 optic.

Buy lithium name brand from Japan batteries for your button cell stuff.

 

[rijndael]

Lithium AAA/AA batteries in your EoTech and Aimpoint. They don’t leak

But they can swell and get stuck in the compartment.

 

[Astro14]

I have had so many Duracell batteries leak while still in the package, that I refuse to use them anymore.

They are all junk. I either have rechargeable, or lithium, for AA and AAA.

 

[bdcardinal]

Reminds me I need to change the battery in my Aimpoint. Its not a AA/AAA, but it has been in there a few years.

 

[Inked]

Has anyone had any issues with their 2032 batteries?

 

[BobsArmory]

Every year on July 4th

 

[burbguy82]

I have 3 Aimpoint Pro red dot sights, I change the battery yearly. Mostly just to make sure a fresh battery is there in case I can never get one again, and to make sure the battery is not leaking.

 

[Cropduster172]

Has anyone had any issues with their 2032 batteries?

Not really the battery itself but the Veridian green dot on my Taurus TX22 TORO, the battery sits underneath the optic frame and it has to removed to replace the battery. Not an optimal location. Also, I had my first one fail because G96 or Ballistol seeped into/onto the battery and it degraded the power. It's the optic's design though, not the 2032 battery.

 

[Plumb Bob]

Once a year.

 

[f355spider]

Has anyone had any issues with their 2032 batteries?

Yes. Some brands of button batteries have a bitter coating (to keep children from ingesting them) and can interfere with operation. The coating adds too much resistance for some products like Apple Air Tags and some car remotes (BMWs). The easy solution I have found it to wipe the battery with an alcohol prep pad prior to installation. Wipe it thoroughly several times, and then wipe dry. That will ensure you get the coating completely off. Wipe the edges of the battery too, as many devices use the edge of the battery as a contact point.

 

[E150GT]

Hmmm. I have been changed the battery in my aimpoint but have on the eotech

 

[Ws6]

Yes, and here is my PSA on that.
Trust but verify, and always PM your gear. This is a Varta battery that I bought in Germany. It is relatively new, with a date code indicative if manufacturer 8/2025. I found one in the package showing signs of leaking. Immediately I PMed the optics I had put the others in. I found this going on in a Vortex AMG "Eleanor". Luckily I caught this before it caused issue.

 

[Ws6]

Yes. Some brands of button batteries have a bitter coating (to keep children from ingesting them) and can interfere with operation. The coating adds too much resistance for some products like Apple Air Tags and some car remotes (BMWs). The easy solution I have found it to wipe the battery with an alcohol prep pad prior to installation. Wipe it thoroughly several times, and then wipe dry. That will ensure you get the coating completely off. Wipe the edges of the battery too, as many devices use the edge of the battery as a contact point.

 

[JavierH19]

I might have to do this coating removal on my batteries. Installed energizer 2032's in two mitsu fobs and 2450's in both escalade fobs and became weaker a week later. Must be the resistance.

 

[CarLuver]

i have come to realize with the optic i have that some of them have a battery drain even when off. i have a few times came back to a gun after a year and found the battery dead .