2.5V Lithium "AA" sized batteries: Where to find?

[CRC]

On Sat, 05 Mar 2005 17:53:21 -0800  "Eric F." <elf at ucsd.edu> Inquired:

[...]
> I have a hand held lab computer (manufactured & purchased in 1990) 
> which
> takes quite an unusual battery.
>
> The battery is the size of a regular "AA", but is 2.5V Lithium.  The
> company who used to manufacture them (SAFT) no longer does so. The SAFT
> battery model # is "LCP 6".

I'm straining to remember if the 2.5V Lithium batteries were 
rechargeable. The pictures of the device (below) do not indicate if 
there is a charging port... Current technology for primary cells is 3 
V.
[...]
> http://home.san.rr.com/instep/labpartner-front.jpg (~58KB)
> http://home.san.rr.com/instep/labpartner-back.jpg (~44KB)

I have a number of odd instruments that have taken all sorts of 
batteries that are no longer in use or, if available, would take a 
large part of my net worth. An old portable radio with a 90V battery 
comes to mind.

My solution to the problem has been to use a regular battery that will 
fit in the space along with a buck or boost converter to generate the 
total voltage required. In your case I would use a regular alkaline AA 
in one compartment and a boost circuit in the other. Your use might not 
be quite as long as that of a Lithium, but alkalines are cheap.

[...]

> (And what's with the designer(s) decision to use such an obscure 
> battery type?)

I, like that designer, have yet to find a good source of hindsight to 
use when designing in components :-))

	CRC