Does anyone know where to find the proper battery for the early RCA remote controls? Ive got a '61 CTC-11 remote set. Its one of those remotes with the clear buttons. I never was able to locate a battery for it. Not sure if one still exists. I don't want to hack the remote to make it work with a modern battery. I don't believe its a cylindrical 9volt. It should use an RCA battery VS 163 which is a 4.2 volt if Im not mistaken. I could go with 3 AAA's, but would like to find the proper one if its still available. Any help is appriciated.

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There are many voltages available in different grades. It would be great to make one that won't alter such a precious item as an original remote.

I think you're talking about the same battery that goes into a 1957 Magnavox AM-2 transistor radio. If so, I went down this road a couple of years ago and came up dry. Camera shops and Batteries Plus said "sorry". I built a 3-by-AAA holder just like you suggested, instead. Worked so-so. Since then I've found that a lot of the super-bright LED flashlights have a cylindrical 3-AAA battery holder that could probably be more easily modified than starting from scratch. I never got around to trying one of them though. I would consider that route though...


OK, I asked Google. This one:
http://www.radiolaguy.com/info/4.2volt_MercBat.htm

He did a better job than me...

Oops, I thought he stuffed the original can. I did a better job than him...

Last time I asked at Sandy's Electronics, I was told it's a felony in California to sell those. It's a silver-mercury battery. Most people convert to a camera battery of a similar size, but I forget which one. I think I Have one (dead, naturally), but it looks clean for display.

Charles

There is a guy from Holland named Loek who DID make a stuffed version of that battery--used a C cell shell. Here's how he did it:

http://tips-en-trucs.verdijk.info/voeding/

Scroll down to the Replica batterij Eveready E233 section.

Bill

PS--Actually, Doug, your remote uses an Eveready E163--lemme look that one up in the stacks and see what it looks like.

Found it--intro'd in the 1961 Eveready Catalog. Info as follows:


Now, they say a modern equivalent of the E133N is a substitute, though I can't see how it can. The E163 is a good centimeter shorter than the 133.

So, best result is to chain three silver oxide batteries together. I'll see what's available.

Bill

I'm not having much luck finding substitutes. You may wind up going to Batteries plus and see if they can assemble a custom battery for you, spot-welded together and plastic-wrapped.

Bill

Best solution: Daisy-chain three A640 batteries. These are the thick button-cell types used in micro-sized transistor radios like the Standard Micronic Ruby. Final product will be a little shorter than an original E163, but it will fit and should work.

I still haven't gotten around to looking for a replacement battery for mine, but here's a picture of what the original battery looked like. Just to test the remote control receiver I tried a Zenith SC600 remote on the CTC-10, and the "channel higher" button changes the channel lower, and the "off-on" button turns the color control up.

Check these guys to see if it is the right battery:

http://www.tpub.com/content/logistics/61/35/4/00-998-5884.htm

I stacked up 3 "A640" button batteries and taped around them to make a battery for my ctc10's remote, fits perfect and works great.
Frenchy

I figured it would. How much wiggle room did you have with the final product?

I may have had to tweak one of the terminals out a little to hold the stacked A640s better, but it doesn't look like I did. Unit has a spring under the battery to hold in there nicely. (This is the remote that drove me nuts when I was testing it outside of the housing - till I figured out that the frame also served as a ground connection between two points on the circuit board, arghh!)

Here's a pic of the 2 batteries I wound up taping together 3v + 1.5v. It's what they had 4 blocks down at the local radio shack, so they can't be too hard to find. It fits right in there, didn't have to bend either of the terminals at all.

Hi there,

This company makes exact sized repro batteries using alkaline cells to replace the forbidden Mercury cells.

http://www.exellbattery.com/

I collect Standard Radio of Japan miniature FM sets and they all used RM-640 Mercury batteries. Took me 3 years of searching on & off before finding this co.

If it is the 640 type you need, the Exell replacement is A640/1,5V/350 mAh
Size : Height: 11,2mm /Diameter: 16mm

On site ordering, will ship anywhere in the world.

I have no commercial ties to them.

Best Regards

jhalphen