Lithium CR2025, DL2025, E-CR2025, SB-T14, 5003LC, BR2025, LiR2025 Battery Equivalents

Lithium CR2025 is a very popular lithium 3.0 V non-rechargeable battery, often used in car remote keys, watches, medical equipment, calculators, remote control devices, keychain LED lights, and other small electronic devices. Due to its very long shelf life and stable voltage, CR2025 is often used as a memory battery in computers, cameras, digital watches, and other electronic devices.

Thanks to its high demand, many manufacturers offer these batteries with various labels,  creating slight confusion regarding CR2025 battery equivalents and replacements. Often CR2025 batteries are labeled as CR2025, DL2025, E-CR2025, SB-T14, 5003LC, BR2025, LiR2025 etc.

Updated: March 11, 2023.

On This Page:

CR2025 Battery Features and Specifications CR2025 Batteries BR2025 Batteries LiR2025 Batteries CR2025/BR2025 vs LiR2025 Batteries CR2025 Batteries Comparison Table

CR2025 vs. CR2032 CR2020 vs. CR2025 CR2025 Battery Safety Issues CR2025 FAQ Few Final Words

CR2025 Battery Features and Specifications

CR2025 battery is 20 mm in diameter and 2.5 mm in height, thus the '2025' part of the name.

Its features like the nominal voltage, cut-off voltage, operating and storage temperature ranges, capacity, recommended and maximum drain currents, and other features depend on the chemistry of these batteries.

 The following cross-reference chart lists some of the most important CR2025 battery features and specifications:

Chemistry	Lithium Manganese Dioxide	Lithium Carbon Monofluoride	Lithium-Ion
Type	Non-Rechargeable	Non-Rechargeable	Rechargeable
Nominal Voltage	3.0 V	2.8 V	3.6 V
Cut-Off Voltage	2.0 V	2.25 V	2.6 V
Typical Capacity	160-170 mAh	130-150 mAh	30-40 mAh
Typical Labels	CR2025, R2025, DL2025, E-CR2025, SB-T14, 5003LC	BR2025	LiR2025, LIR2025, LR2025
Amazon Link	CR2025 Battery	BR2025 Battery	LiR2025 Battery

Note: Amazon affiliate links open in the new windows, feel free to check them for the latest offers and prices.

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CR2025 Batteries

CR2025 battery is based on Lithium Manganese Dioxide (LiMn0₂) chemistry, with the positive electrode being made of manganese dioxide and the negative electrode being made of lithium.

The nominal voltage of the CR2025 battery is 3.0 V and the cut-off voltage is 2.0 V, with a typical capacity in the 160-170 mAh range, and a typical discharge current of ~0.2-0.3 mA.

Although the nominal voltage of the CR2025 battery is 3.0 V, it quickly drops to 2.7-2.8 volts in real-life applications. The self-discharge rate is very low, and the CR2025 battery is often used for the real-time clock (RTC) backup batteries and as the nonvolatile computer BIOS memory battery.

CR2025 operating temperature range is usually between -4°F (-20°C) and 158°F (70°C).

Manufacturers of CR2025 and similar batteries often print on the package type of the battery (CR2025), but also all the possible types that their battery replaces, like 2025, CR2025, DL2025, DL2025B, ECR2025, KCR2025, BR2025, SB-T14, LF12V, 5003LC, BR2025-1W, CR2025-1W, L12, LM2025, 208-205, etc.

Such practice can lead to slight confusion, but it also helps the user to find the right battery replacement.

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BR2025 Batteries

BR2025 battery is based on Lithium Carbon Monofluoride chemistry. The positive electrode is carbon monofluoride and the negative electrode is lithium.

The nominal voltage of the older BR2025 batteries is 2.8 V, and a cutoff voltage is 2.25 V, with a typical capacity in the 130-150 mAh range, which is somewhat lower than the CR2025 capacity of 160-170 mAh.

Thanks to the advances in chemistry and technology in general, newer BR2025 batteries feature a nominal voltage of 3.0 volts and a cutoff voltage of 2.0 volts, very similar to the CR2025 batteries.

BR2025 operating temperature range is between -22°F (-30°C) and 185°F (85°C), sometimes even more, which is a broader range than CR2025's temperature range of -4°F (-20°C) and 158°F (70°C).

Although a typical voltage of 2.8 V is smaller than CR2025's 3.0V, in real-life applications, it drops to 2.6 - 2.7 V, which is just slightly lower than CR2025's typical operating voltage of 2.7-2.8 V.

BR2025 doesn't tolerate high discharge currents well and is not the best 2025 battery for applications that periodically require relatively large currents, like key-chain flashlights, remote devices, and similar.

But, for applications that require constant voltage over a longer period of time and over a broad range of temperatures, BR2025 is a better choice than the CR2025 battery.

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LiR2025 Batteries

LiR2025 or LR2025 battery is rechargeable lithium 3.6 V battery. Just like any other standard 2025 battery, it is also 20 mm in diameter and 2.5 mm in height.

LiR2025 battery nominal voltage is 3.6 V, but its nominal voltage also depends on the used chemistry (lithium cobalt oxide, lithium manganese oxide, lithium iron phosphate, lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide, etc.) and it varies from 3.2 to 3.9 volts.

The nominal cut-off voltage is 2.6 V but varies from 2.0 to 3.0 V. Also, the maximum charging voltage differs, and it is in the 3.65 to 4.3 volts range.

Note: Common LiR2025 battery is a 3.6 V battery, with a typical capacity of around 30-40 mAh. Their capacity is obviously lower than CR2025's average 165 mAh capacity, but LiR2025 batteries can be recharged 500-1000x, sometimes even more.

Modern LiR2025 batteries feature a relatively low self-discharge rate when compared with NiCd and NiMH batteries, but their discharge rate is still much higher than the self-discharge rate of CR2025 and especially BR2025 batteries.

LiR2025 batteries require a special charger which is often powered via USB cable and is capable of charging other similar lithium-ion batteries, like CR2016, CR2020, CR2032, etc.

CR2025/BR2025 vs LiR2025 Batteries

LiR2025 batteries are a very cost-effective solution for watches, medical devices, and other electronic devices that use 2025 batteries that tolerate 0.6V nominal voltage difference and that drain the batteries quickly enough that the use of rechargeable batteries makes economic sense.

Math Example:

A good CR2025 battery comes with 160-170 mAh capacity when drained for 20 hours.

A good LiR2025 battery comes with 30-40 mAh capacity when being discharged for 20 hours.

If we assume that the CR2025 battery has 160 mAh capacity and LiR battery has 40 mAh capacity, but can be recharged for 500 times (in real life, good LiR batteries can tolerate an even larger number of charging/discharging cycles), the actual 'usable' capacity of LiR2025 capacity is:

40 mAh x 500 = 20000 mAh = 20 Ah

which is some 125x larger 'usable' capacity than the capacity of common CR2025 battery.

This 125x difference is huge, justifying the use of LiR2025 batteries in high-drain devices.

On the other hand, LiR2025 batteries should not be used for computer BIOS memory and similar applications where constant, uninterrupted voltage is required for years - in such situations consider good CR2025 or BR2025 battery.

E-CR2025, DL2025, and other similar batteries are often just 'standard' CR2025 batteries but have customized labels by their manufacturer.

Again, to promote their products, manufacturers of CR/BR/LiR2025 batteries print down all the battery labels that their batteries can replace. Just read the labels ... :)

CR2025 Batteries Comparison Table

The following table lists some of the most popular CR2025 batteries with their most important features and specifications:

Model Datasheet	Nominal Capacity	Operating Temperature Self-Discharge Rate	Discharge Current
Duracell CR2025	185 mAh, 15kΩ @20°C down to 2.0V	-20°C to +60°C <1% per year @20°C	0.3 mA standard 3.0 mA max. cont. 10 mA 1s pulse
EEMB CR2025	150 mAh, 7.5kΩ load	-30°C to +60°C ≤3% per year	-
Energizer CR2025	170 mAh 15kΩ @21°C down to 2.0V	-30°C to +60°C ~1% per year at room temperature	0.19 mA standard 6.8 mA 2s pulse
GP CR2025	160 mAh 15kΩ @20±2°C down to 2.0V	-	2.5 mA max. cont.
Maxell CR2025	170 mAh	-20°C to 85°C -	0.2 mA standard
muRata CR2025	160 mAh	-30°C to +70°C -	0.2 mA standard
Panasonic CR2025	165 mAh	-30°C to +85°C -	0.2 mA standard
Renata CR2025	165 mAh	-30°C to +85°C <1% per year @23°C	0.3 mA standard 3.0 mA max. cont.
Varta CR2025	165 mAh, 10kΩ @20°C down to 2.0V	-20°C to +70°C <1% per year at room temp.	0.3 mA standard

As one can see, the general features of the most popular CR2025 batteries are very similar and often differ due to the different testing/measuring methods.

The Difference Between CR2025 and CR2032 Battery - CR2025 vs. CR2032

If you wonder, are CR2032 and CR2025 batteries interchangeable batteries, the answer is not that simple.

The main difference between these two batteries is in height (2.5 mm vs. 3.2 mm), leading thus to the difference in capacity, regardless of the chemistry:

• 165 mAh vs 225 mAh for CR2025/CR2032 batteries (Lithium Manganese Dioxide (LiMn02) chemistry),
• 145 mAh vs 180 mAh for BR2025/BR2032 batteries (Lithium Carbon Monofluoride chemistry),
• 30 mAh vs 50 mAh for LiR2025/LiR2032 batteries (rechargeable lithium batteries).

Drain currents are not so different, they are either the same, or 2032 batteries have slightly larger drain currents.

The problem with these batteries is the height difference of 0.7 mm (one 36th of an inch). This doesn't sound much, but some devices that are designed for 2025 batteries simply can't accept 2032 batteries.

Also, devices that are designed for 2032 batteries can accept 2025 batteries, but in some instances, contacts between 2025 batteries and terminals on the devices can be loose due to the 0.7 mm battery height difference, leading to power issues due to the vibrations and similar.

On the other hand, some devices are certified for both 2025 and 2032 batteries - in such case, go for a good 2032 battery just for the sake of larger capacity. If a larger capacity is required at all ... 

The Difference Between CR2020 and CR2025 Battery - CR2020 vs. CR2025

Again, the main differences between the batteries are their dimensions and hence, the capacity:

• CR2020 battery: 20.0 x 2.0 mm, 110-130 mAh,
• CR2025 battery: 20.0 x 2.5 mm, 160-185 mAh.

Although some battery compartments accept both CR2020 and CR2025 due to the very small height difference (0.5 mm, ~0.02 inches), always use the battery recommended by the battery manufacturer.

After all, a CR2025 battery having a nominal capacity of 170 mAh will last much longer than a CR2020 battery with a nominal capacity of 120 mAh.

CR2025 Battery Safety Issues

CR2025, BR2025, and LiR2025 batteries don't contain heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, and similar.

Also, they are not easy to swallow and they come in packages that are labeled as "Pets/Kids Safe Packages".

However, these batteries are shiny objects that may be very attractive to pets and kids - if they get swallowed they can cause chemical burns due to the electrolysis.

If they get swallowed, call the nearest emergency center, explain to them what happened and act according to their instructions.

CR2025 Batteries Frequently Asked Questions - CR2025 FAQ

Here are some of the most common questions about CR2025 and similar button/coin-cell batteries:

Is a CR2025 battery the same as CR2032?

No, it is not.

These batteries share the same chemistry and diameter, but the CR2025 battery features a height of 2.5 mm, while the CR2032 battery features a height of 3.2 mm - because of this difference, the CR2032 battery features a higher capacity.

When CR2025 battery is placed in the CR2032 battery compartment, the contacts may be too weak to ensure reliable power. On the other hand, when CR2032 battery is pushed into the CR2025 battery compartment, it may deform or even damage it permanently.

What are CR2025 batteries used for?

CR2025 battery is used for toys, key fobs, medical instruments like glucose meters, thermometers, and similar, calculators, keychain LED flashlights, wearable electronics, as memory backup battery (CMOS), watches, etc.

Is a CR2016 the same as a CR2025?

No, it is not. These batteries are both based on the same chemistry and feature the same diameter, but the CR2016 battery feature height of 1.6 mm, while the CR2025 battery features a height of 2.5 mm -  because of this difference, the CR2025 battery features higher capacity and generally cannot fit the battery compartments intended for CR2016 batteries.

Also, when the CR2016 battery is placed in the CR2025 battery compartment, frequently, there are issues with contacts.

Is there a difference between a CR2025 battery and a 2025 battery?

CR2025 battery is a non-rechargeable 3.0V Lithium Manganese Dioxide battery featuring physical dimensions of 20x2.5 mm, while 2025 battery features the very same dimensions (20x2.5 mm), but without the letters, one cannot be certain about the chemistry.

Where to buy a CR2025 battery?

CR2025 battery is a very popular battery and can be found at hardware stores, office products shops, online stores, and similar.

What does CR in batteries mean?

"C" means that it is a non-rechargeable 3.0V Lithium Manganese Dioxide battery, while "R" means that it is a button/coin-cell battery.

Is a CR2025 battery the same as a DL2025?

DL2025 label is sometimes used by Duracell for their CR2025 batteries - for short, DL2025 is a CR2025 battery.

What is the difference between CR2025 and ECR2025?

ECR2025 label is sometimes used by Energizer for their CR2025 batteries - for short, ECR2025 is a CR2025 battery.

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Few Final Words

If you need a 2025 button/coin cell battery, regardless of its label, consider the following:

• CR2025: 3.0 V nominal voltage, good drain currents, long shelf life, ~165 mAh capacity,
• BR2025: 2.8 V nominal voltage, low drain currents, extra-long shelf life, operates at extremely low and high temperatures, ~140 mAh capacity,
• LiR2025: 3.6 V nominal voltage, rechargeable, good drain currents, relatively high self-discharge rate, ~30-40 mAh capacity.

If you need a non-rechargeable 2025 battery and you are not sure which one to take, consider the CR2025 battery from reputable brands with good reviews, and you will do just fine.