Tempest wrote:
I know batteries have a 'shelf life' but if the one on ebay was never used (and from the looks of it it hasn't), shouldn't it still be good? Maybe not at 100%, but still in decent shape.
Lithium primary cells are generally considered to have a 10-year shelf life, which typically means that it can be expected to have 50% of its capacity left after 10 years. The actual shelf life depends on many factors, including the quality of initial manufacture and the storage conditions. Best bet is to buy a new battery from a store, unless you get a *great* deal on an older one considering price and shipping. You can always form the leads on a solid wire leaded battery to achieve the "Night Owl" capability--just use small pliers to coil the battery wires (separately!) a few turns around a similarly sized piece of solid wire and slip it off. Then put a slight bend into the coil to increase the friction when it is slipped over the leftover leads from the old battery. -michael Music synthesis for 8-bit Apple II's! Home page: http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/ "The wastebasket is our most important design tool--and it is seriously underused."