DIY Invisible Fence battery

Invisible Fence pet containment systems require a new battery in the dog's collar every 3 months. Invisible Fence dealers sell battery packs for around $15. This expensive battery is a plastic case around a common CR1/3 lithium cell, readily available from any hardware or drugstore for less than $5.00. Here is how to "renew" your battery in about 1 minute!

Step 1 Prepare tools and supplies.

You will need:
- A 3V lithium cell known as CR1/3N or DL1/3N
- A spent Invisible Fence battery module
- A razor blade, a sharp knife or a very small shovel
- Optionally, something to grasp the battery with to avoid cutting off your fingers.

Comments

[Kingring1]

To those who are replacing batteries in IF Power Caps.  Though you may think that your saving a few dollars each time you install Non IF products, you will void all your warrantees!  IF puts a lot of engineering and professional designs into their products and support.  So, you may pay a little more for a power cap that makes sure your collar is working properly.  You are also guaranteeing that in the future, when maybe your transmitter fails, or collar receiver stops working,(probably due to your installing inferior battery and damaging the case) you will be charged for a new collar or transmitter( $200-$1000), when it would have been installed again for no charge at all.  I am an IF dealer who prides on our service and warrantee work.  I have installed warrantee repair even for dealers who didn't go out to fix their sold systems.  So, with that said, you call for service and batteries, you don't have to leave the house.  We are out there within 24 hours to take care of your issues.  I kind of think that I would rather have the comfort of knowing someone else out there cares about my pet as much as I do and at our dealership, that is how we think.  NOTE: when I looked at this way of installing new batteries, I was quite interested in the thought process, but also realized that no matter how you take this apart, you are damaging the case and weakening it.  It would only be a matter of time before the receiver would fail due to water penetration or corrossion of the receiver.  Good luck and I will be here to take your call.

[jcperea69]

Yo Kingring1 - You know that a "power cap" is simply a 3V Duracell DL 1/3N Photo Battery right? $4.19 anywhere in town. I used to work for IF and did this all the time in a jam. If you do it right, the collar will be fine. Beats the $25 IF is charging for the "power cap". Use the right battery peeps and you'll be fine. As far as this comment --------> "IF puts a lot of engineering and professional designs into their products and support"... If they really did, they would engineer the "power cap" so you could easily replace the battery with the DL 1/3N and not have to drop $100 a year in IF "power caps".

PS Be sure to lube the "O" ring with a little plumbers silicone lube to keep it from drying up and cracking. That's all..

[masjrds]

Here's the issue with that. I just called the IF company and said I would need somebody to come look at why my fence of ONLY 6 MONTHS wasnt working. The woman who answered said "Well it will be $80 for us to come look" Seriously you want $80 to see why YOUR fence stopped working after only 6 months?? I dont think so. Then she tells me Well you can sign up for our battery delivery for $69 and and we can see if that fixes it, since I hadnt changed it yet. I was not told the battery needed to be changed every 3 mohts and am FURIOUS I am just now finding out I have to buy this expensive battery of 3 months. I felt like our rep was dishonest to not mention this fact. I will NOT recommend this fence to anybody I know. I will tell them to go to petsmart like my neighbors tried to get me to do. They got their fence for $300 and the batteries are super cheap! And they have had it for 5 years and NO problems!!

[GetAGrip2]

Agree with sneedcb. Newer ones appear to be fully molded plastic. I destroyed one figuring that out! Maybe I'll try to CAREFULLY cut the entire way around the barrel part thereby creating two separate halves. I'll tape them together with a narrow piece of electrical tape !?

Worth a try.

Charing $20 for a less than $5 battery. !@#$!@#$ greedy bas$@#%%s.

[kesslera]

This worked like a charm. Thank you!

The version I have also had a grey top (not black) but it came off easily by following the instructions. Also, my version had a spring built into the bottom of the metal clip. So I had to slightly modify the reassembly.

If you have a spring in the metal clip, for Step 7 carefully slide the metal clip back into the plastic housing, aligning the metal clip with the grooves on the inside of the housing. Then slide the battery in the same directions as originally instructed. Maybe you can to this step with the battery in the metal clip but I found it difficult given the spring.

The rest Steps 8 and 9 are exactly the same and works like a charm!

IF is a ripping off customers with this scam, charging an ridiculous mark up for "special" batteries for no legitimate reason other than to gouge customers.

I moved into a house with IF. My last provider had off the shelf batteries that worked for a couple of years at a time. IF created a design that forces most customers into buying batteries from them and chose a batter to power their system that lasts a very short time (3 months or so) to keep you coming back on a regular basis. How convenient and thoughtful that they even offer a battery delivery plan!

And to further protect their real profit center, they threaten to void your warranty if you dare to deviate from their plan.

I would recommend avoiding this company. When another company has an install sale for new customers, I will terminate my relationship with them.

[masjrds]

I love how they give you a "warranty" but when I just called they said its $80 for a tech to come look. What a joke!

[steve3008]

Hi,


Has IF changed it’s receiver I bought a new one yesterday and they said the battery(off brand power cap) would not work in the new collar. The battery compartment does look different. I don’t want to ruin a new collar but don’t want to pay those inflated prices either. I don’t mind paying the off brand battery price to avoid having to “make my own”.

Thanks for any info

[bwells3]

wow, I just stumbled on this article looking for a cheaper source of the actual batteries. I didn't have a 3v bat, but I had 2 1.5v that I stacked together, worked great. Saving me LOTS of mone!

[pupkinator]

Let's not mince words here. The Invisible Fence battery was very specifically designed to generate revenue for its dealers. There was no reason that a battery chamber in the collar couldn't have been designed to accept a "raw", off-the-shelf, 3v battery and still provide adequate waterproofing.(My Sony Shower Radio handles such requirements with no issues whatsoever.) Check out radio collars from other manufacturers and you'll see that it's quite possible.

More and more business models are relying on revenue from consumables to keep companies in business, and we the consumers end up footing the bill for years on end. Another facet of the obvious fiduciary goal of the Invisible Fence design is the total elimination of customer-controllable settings in the newer collars. If you want to change anything, a service call is required. Can you buy a setting modification kit for home use? Of course not!

Add to all this the fact that the price of a new collar itself borders on robbery, and the picture is complete. An engineer friend of mine broadly guessed that there are about $10 worth of electrical components in a MicroLite collar. Toss in $5 for the collar itself, $2 for the housing, $3 for the battery, and $10 for marketing, and you have a $30 (max) item retailing for $180.

[imho]

Lot's of products are "specifically designed to generate revenue." It's called Capitalism. The problem is that Invisible Fence adds an extra step in its pricing - a distributor/dealer system. The manufacturer sells its products to local Invisible Fence dealers through regional distributors. These distributors double the price of the products to the dealer, and the dealers must buy all their products from the distributor. The distributor buys powercaps from the manufacturer for between $4.50 - $5.00. They double the price to the dealer who then marks it up again before we can buy it. I am close friends with someone who used to be a dealer for Invisible Fence and it drove him crazy. Invisible Fence better wake up and get rid of the middlemen or they are going to be priced right out of the market.

[Biggerdog]

Regarding the warranty - if you have a problem with your collar, go buy a battery from the dealer. Install the battery, wait a month or so, then apply for the warranty. If the dealer questions why you haven't bought batteries on a regular basis, explain that you don't use the collar continuously. In my case, that is true. I find that after training the dog and using the collar for a couple of months, I can remove the collar and the dog will still obey the training for about 6 months. Then a couple days with the collar on will give it a refresher course. It isn't even necessary to shock the dog. I put the collar on with the protectors so that all it hears is the warning beep and this is enough to remind it of what can happen.

[steelerfan]

I'm an IF service tech, and I can tell you that modifying batteries will cost you in the long run. I have seen a few customers do this. I usually find out when I go to service there fence. Eventually the O-ring will dry out and crack and water will leak into the receiver. I have never heard of this causing a dog any harm but owners get very upset when they aren't covered under warranty. Every dealer keeps logs of everything sold to every customer and know when you bought your last battery, also the batteries change in some form from time to time. people caught usually will get their account red flagged for warranty reasons. using the proper power cap is the only way invisible fence can continue to offer lifetime warranty on there equipment.

[Giant]

Hee hee hee! An IF service tech says "use IF products or you'll get a mark on your permanent record!". Need I say more.

[dshankweiler]

 i'd say the same thing for a $99 service call....

[Tool Guy]

Simple directions: 1. Razor blade the "lid" off 2. Go buy a battery (do not pay more that $7-8) Radio Shack, Duracell, Energizer, etc. The battery is nothing special - a 3V Photo battery. Take your old battery to show the store. 3. Put a little rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip and clan out the battery hole in the collar (not alot of rubbing alcohol, just enough to clean, do NOT submerse obviously.) 4. Replace the o-ring if it looks suspect. (Went to Lowe's and bought a pack of 10 for $1.27). Be careful - you do not want to nick or cut the o-ring. 5. Reassemble and place collar around the neck of your furry friend. 6. Play fetch with furry friend.

[jeffconnelly]

Hmmm... Everyone else says that it works well... Could this by any chance be counter-counter-spam?

[sneedcb]

There is no black ring on my battery. It is completely enclosed with white plastic. If it were to open it would have to be from the other end but it looks like it is glued tight

[berick]

As far as warranty, it is much cheaper. Why? My dealer wanted $350 for a new RC21 when I got a second dog. %149 on ebay and I'll take my chances with the battery. I've been doing it for over 10 years and the o ring (treated with vaselene) is fine. And like someone else states, o-rings are cheap at Lowes. And right now I am using two 357 batteries as I could not find 1/3N's locally until today.. at Ollies Junk Stuff. Or is it Ollies Real Cheap Stuff,

Anyway, batteries keep the dealer in business, but the battery plan is made to break me for keeping this excellent system,

[presidential solutions]

I discovered this wonderful resource AFTER I had placed an order for two new batteries from my IF dealer. As usual, they did not have any in stock and they always need payment up front. I am still waiting (10 days now). I did not have a DL 1/3N on hand; but had plenty of Energizer 357's. I used two of the 357's as a temporary "fix" and they work! I have four mutts and have had an IF for 12 years. As far as warranty issues are concerned, I will continue to buy one every now and then and save an original; but my dogs are trained well to the fence and I am lucky enough to not need to buy that often. Thank you everyone for the great information!

[kate5981]

As a kind warning to everyone "making their own batteries". I was doing this too for a while until I discovered that doing this caused damage to my IF collar. I know this because my dog is gone.

[THELOVEOFGREG]

longer than the 30 dollar ones I was buying from the company

[banasiak]

I did this over the weekend after my Inv. Fence battery died and my dog left the yard. I didn't want to chase the dog all weekend, so I found this method and it worked great!!! Very easy. I went to Wal Mart and they didn't carry the battery and went to Radio Shack and they had it for 10.00 a little pricey, but 5.00 cheaper than IF plus I didn't have to wait for them to mail it to me. I found a sleeve of 10 of the batteries online for 15.00 + 5.00 S & H = 2.00 a battery....so much cheaper it is unbelievable. Very easy to do...don't be discouraged.....

[middnite03]

I think this is a great idea,l ut I do have a problem. I just looked at my battery, it is ALL gray, there is no black ring on top, and it looks to be 1 sealed unit, anyone else see this yet??

[john5410]

Mine is also all grey. The razor blade slides between the case and that grey ring cover. Look closely amd you'll see the line between the two pieces... worked exactly the same as the black ring shown in the directions... only diff is color....

[TC_ChiWolf]

I just found that https://bestbyte.net (not Best Buy - Best Byte Computers)has these online for $2.55. If you order 12 they go down to $2.35. The shipping was USPS for $3.00.

I have three dogs, so I got twelve. That should last me a year!

[Centerman]

Well I'll be... Carefully followed the directions and this works like a charm. It's extremely easy to do. Caused no damage to the cover housing like in photo 4 and it snaps off and back on just like new. I've got a bunch of old caps I can now replace the batteries in. A $5 dollar battery beats a $15 dollar one in my book.

[lmeley]

I am trying your quick fix for the first time. When I tried to removed the plastic cover, I broke into. Mine doesn't appear to be the same as the one pictured in your instruction. It seems to be a part of the entire housing, same color, and is a brittle feeling plastic. Is there anything you can replace this with, or should I just buy a new battery?

[bmen]

I know longevity fluctuates with challenges to the fence and with battery selections, but has anyone recorded how long this fix works with different batteries?

[paw]

I have a battery that is stuck - the ridges broke off when attempting to remove it from the collar. The collar is under warranty, but a tech visit will cost me $99.00. Any tips on how to remove this darn thing without voiding my warranty? Thanks, Paw

[mryouthgroupman]

You can use any sharp object (Knife, pair of scissors, etc.) to pry on it just a little while twisting it. It will come out, no worries. Also, you don't need to purchase the Duracell DL1/3N or the Energizer 2L76 battery. You can use (2) Entergizer 357 stacked in the metal 'u' shaped contact. Drop them into the 'plug' with the 'u' contact in the housing. Make sure the writing on the batter is facing down. Once you reassemble, you should only see the smooth metal.

[gwlkzl]

Have you tried 2 LR44's (lithium) instead of the 357's (silver oxide)? The LR44's are dirt cheap. I'm tempted to try them and see how long they last. At 30 cents/battery, you could save a ton.

[mikeasmel]

have you used the 357s yet and if so, how did they work?

[mryouthgroupman]

I have many years. Work great. Haven't tried the LR44 spoken of by GWLKZL.

[gwlkzl]

I didn't try - lost interest and just bought another dozen 1/3N's

[mikeasmel]

Any suggestions as to where the cheapest 1/3N's?

[gwlkzl]

I went with zbattery.com They had sanyo batteries for $3/battery. I haven't gotten them yet, so I don't know if they are reliable or if the batteries are any good. I'll post when I get/test them.

[mikeasmel]

by the way, I suspect that the 1/3N's work just fine?

[mikeasmel]

going to do the same! Thanks for your quick comment back!

[PatPend]

A little bit of silicone grease will keep the O-ring from drying out.

[BigJonBear]

Thanks for a great money saver. I'll just keep an old Invisible Fence battery (unaltered) to pop back in place if I need warranty work. Oh, and for those that say a 3v batt can't injure a dog... imagine water shorting out the collar and it getting stuck on "correction mode" (a stretch, but it could happen) and burning the skin on your dog's throat. It can happen. It's your job to make sure it doesn't by doing a very good job with the modification.