Difference Between DL and CR Batteries
DL vs CR Batteries
When it comes to unusual batteries like the coin type batteries, it is a bit more important to get the exact type that you are looking for to ensure that it is the correct fit and voltage and avoid having to buy the battery again. This is the case when it comes to CR batteries like the CR2032 and DL2032. The main difference between CR and DL batteries is just the maker. CR is basically a generic designation just like AA and AAA. It is used by almost all battery makers. On the other hand, the DL designation is used by the battery maker Duracell.
The probable rationale behind changing from the generic designation to a unique one is to differentiate their product from what is commonly available. Duracell may want to differentiate their product because it has a higher capacity and they want that reputation to spread. Not really very easy when the batteries at this category are used in low power devices and would typically last for months if not years.
What this change actually does is raise some confusion as consumers would typically look for an exact match to the battery that they have. Actually, the DL and CR batteries are interchangeable as long as the numbers that follow are the same. Given the example above, a DL2032 battery can be used to replace a CR2032 battery and vice versa.
The numbers stamped in the battery are not random; they are actually a description of the physical dimensions of the battery. The last two digits pertains to the thickness of the battery while the first two (or first for batteries that only have three digits) pertain to the diameter. So, for the 2032, it basically says that the battery has a 20mm diameter and is 3.2mm thick.
Summary:
1.DL is just a CR battery made by Duracell
2.DL and CR batteries are interchangeable
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If there is no actual difference, then why do the DL2032 batteries only last less than a month in my scale while the CR’s last almost a year in most cases?
I agree. The dl was so short lived. For whatever reason the cr is better.
All written in the article are completely wrong
There is huge difference between the dl and cr. I am speaking for the 2450 battery.
The difference is on the third dimension.
The third dimension is the dimension of the base of the battery where fiting inside the device.
In my scuba watch(suunto d4) the dl2450 is complitely inappropriate.
The correct battery is cr2450.
If we are talking for child’s toys maybe not problem.
Thanks! Really helped! Please note typo on the 3rd paragraph, last line (RC instead of CR)
Thanks again!
why do my new dl3032 not work in my bathroom scales.? They’re to replace the cr2032. I’ve bough 3 sets now as i thought they were all faulty. Help please
Hi Jo,
It seems to me that, unless there’s a typo, you’re trying to replace 3032 with 2032, and that won’t work. DL and CR are interchangeable, but the first ones start with a 3 and the second ones start with a 2, and that is not interchangeable.
Regards,
Alex
I am years late for this response, but you are so right
Interesting observation – We refreshed NEW generic CR2032 batteries in our Subaru key fobs. They didn’t work. I interchanged these batteries back with the DL2032 batteries that were already in the devices. The key fobs worked again (???) I interchanged several times to confirm. Weird!
TomO, You are correct. My wife’s Hunydai fob stopped working and I put in a new cr2032 which measured 3.2 volts. Didn’t work. I put the dl2032 from my fob with 2.8 volts in her fob and it worked. I put the new cr2032 in my fob and it didn’t work. Go figure ?
Same thing with my Chevy volt. It looks as though electric car keys are designed to take a specific battery type of either the cr or dl version, if there is a slight voltage difference between the batteries it seems that the difference is detected and the battery will not work.
I guess it’s also of note that the dl 2032 batteries I have say that they are for medical devices on the front of the package.
Very informative and well written. Thanks for the summary at the end to reinforce the points made.
Called TAYLOR, the manufacturer of my scale, and they told me that whenever someone uses the DL2032 as a replacement for the CR2032, that the scales give an error message. Off to the store to buy the correct batteries.
I guess “CORRECT batteries not included.”
This is disappointing. I just spent 6 bucks on a pack of two DL2032 and now I am finding out they aren’t as good as the cheaper batteries? that is absolutely terrible!
My results are the opposite of all of yours. I have a glucometer that I have been using CR 2032 batteries and they started dying like every 2-4 weeks. This meter is only about 1 year old but is a replacement for another one that had problems. I left a negative review on the manufacturers website and they called me. She said that they were going to send me a new meter and also a DL2032 to use in my current meter, that they have found they last longer. So it lasted 4 months which is better than what had been happening. I still had a CR so put it in temporarily til I could get a DL and it lasted a week, it died today. I pulled the new meter out of the box and it came with a DL. We’ll see how it does.
I think there is some information about DL2032 that is “missing” because I put one DL2032 twice in my computer (CMOS power) and they work for some weeks. The original works for more than 4 years. But I think is not the duration the difference between them. I have just read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CR2032_battery, although the comparison is between CR2032 and BR2032 seems that there is some difference with de temperature, so… maybe it’s the case. In this moment my computer is had been working with a CR2025 for at least 6 weeks, but is an old battery, I have to change and put a CR2032.
Batteries have certain life, even if not used. Some manufacturers even show expiration dates in their product enclosures. If we experience shorter lives on a certain battery compared to others (assuming of course both have the same number designations), it could be that the “new” battery had been in the shelves longer.
Very helpful article! Now if we could just explain that to the customer service rep for my sugar tester, maybe we could just move on and send me a replacement. Ugh :\
Well thank you ALL for sharing because my garage door opener died, it had CR2032, I went and purchased a DL2032 and it does NOT work…I was just googling to see if the ‘letters’ needed to match and it sounds by your postings, they DO…I’m going to go try and find the CRs, cause its 11* and I am not down with getting OUT of my car to shut the garage door and visa versa!! Thanks for your time and tales!!
My Health-O-Meter scale stopped working and I replaced the 2 old Energizer coin batteries, CR2032, 3 volts.
At Staples, I bought a 4 battery pack of Duracell DL 2032/CR2032, 3 volt batteries. I asked the employee if there was a difference in maker and model numbers, and he said the batteries are exactly the same.
They do not work in my scale. What’s up?
“Brooklyn ” This everything bullshit they both batteries exactly the same and working the same !
According to this Wikipedia article, CR designates battery chemistry and that DOES make a difference (discharge rate, capacity)
Here’s an important quote from that article: “The IEC prefix “CR” denotes lithium manganese dioxide chemistry. Since Li-MnO2 cells produce 3 volts there are no widely available alternative chemistries for a lithium coin battery. The “BR” prefix indicates a round lithium/carbon monofluoride cell. See lithium battery for discussion of the different performance characteristics.”
You can click the “lithium” in the last line, in the Wiki article, it’s a hyperlink. One chemistry may be more suited to higher loads, whereas another more suited to lower loads but keeping it’s charge for years. So it just depends on the application –
Can I still use the DL2032 to replace the CR2032 batter for the garage door opener remote? Because my family replace it and tried it but it didn’t work. So do we have to use the exactly batter? Because the CR2032 says “3V Lithium Battery” but the DL2032 doesn’t say “Lithium Battery”.
I have read all the reviews. Got the CR2032 for my AOWO EX16 smartwatch and still working. Most awesome.
Might sound obvious but batteries have polarity, so the direction that you insert will make a difference.
Watch out for bogus batteries, these are poor copies of famous makes, with reduced capacity.