mario64 wrote:I just stumbled across this thread today as I am considering the same mod to allow use of the CR2032 battery vs the rechargeable one. Reason being is that I often take breaks for a few months to play other consoles. Inevitably when I power my DC on the rechargeable has died on me. The OP was clearly having issues with his so I'm wondering if anyone is using the CR2032 mod with no issues?
As long as you're using new high quality CR2032's my guess is you should be good for 6 months - 1 year before having to change it. I don't know what the power draw is, but I think it's safe to say you should not expect more than that at least.
On the other hand, ML2032 will deplete anywhere between 2 weeks to 6 months, depends on how much you play to charge it back up and what the battery's max capacity is (will probably diminish over time). The biggest benefit of ML2032 is IMO that once you do start playing, you won't have to worry about the clock resetting, it's a one-time nuisance between breaks.
The best solution would be to find a ML2430 as that matches the original battery, has a much higher capacity (100mAh vs 60mAh) and lasts about 2/3 longer, so possibly up to a year. But these are harder to come by.