How to Test a CR2032 Battery

By Nak Bhat

Updated September 01, 2017

A digital multimeter can be used to test the CR2032 battery.
i electronic multimeter image by Albert Lozano from Fotolia.com

CR2032 is a specific type of button battery that is most commonly used in watches, automotive keyless entry systems and as CMOS batteries on motherboards. This battery is produced by most popular battery manufacturers and has an output voltage of 3 volts. The most common way to test such a battery is usually to check the functionality of the device being powered, but another way is to check the voltage output of the battery.

Turn the multimeter on, and set it to "DC Voltage" mode.

Touch the "red probe" on the side of the battery with a "+" sign and the "black probe" to the other side.

Read the voltage displayed on the multimeter.

Tips

The CR2032 is a 3-volt battery. If the measured voltage reads less than 10 percent of the rated voltage, then the battery needs to be replaced. For the CR2032, that voltage would be anything less than 2.7 volts.

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