Hey everyone, I just wanted to share a fun little project I worked on over the weekend. I’ve been using these small remote controls for my smart home devices, but I’ve always been a bit annoyed by the short battery life. They use CR2016 batteries, which are pretty tiny and don’t last very long. I decided to see if I could modify them to use CR2032 batteries instead, which are slightly larger and have a bit more capacity.
After some research, I found out that it’s possible to make this switch by adding a small spacer inside the battery compartment. I decided to give it a try! I used a piece of hard rubber from an old desk mat, cut it to size using a utility knife, and placed it between the two halves of the remote’s casing. The screws were long enough to still hold everything together, and now the CR2032 batteries fit perfectly!
To protect the delicate membrane switches from getting damaged when the remote is on my keychain, I covered them with clear heat-shrink tubing. It doesn’t affect the button press sensitivity at all, and it gives me peace of mind knowing my remotes are a bit more durable now.
This was a super satisfying project—simple but effective. I love how small tweaks like this can make such a big difference in usability. If anyone else is looking to extend the battery life of their remotes, I’d highly recommend giving this modification a try! 