27 Feb 2011, 02:21
Hi.
Pulsar LED models use / used the following battery sizes:
P1, P2, P3: RW44 (large)
Men's P4, LR44 / 357 (medium)
Ladies P4: SR43 / 386 (medium)
Ladies touch command: RW48 / 393 (small)
The main problem with finding batteries for vintage Pulsars is that the large RW44 battery that was used for the P1/P2/P3 was discontinued and is larger than any silver oxide 1.55V watch batteries made today. The closest alternative in size that is made today is the 357. 357 batteries are available everywhere that watch batteries are sold - contrary to eBay descriptions, they are quite commonplace.
So, if you have a P1, P2 or P3, you'll want to use a pair of 357 batteries, preferably with spacers to take up the extra room. The 357 batteries are 11.6mm in diameter (same as the medium sized 386 batteries) so you'll probably want to make a set of spacers that are about 11mm inside diameter / ~14mm outside diameter. You can make a set by cutting up some rubber tubing or you can also buy spacers on eBay etc.
If you have a P4, then 386 or 357 batteries will work perfectly and are also quite common. 386 batteries are the same size as 357s but a little shorter. If you have a ladies P4, then you'll need to use the shorter 386s. If you have a men's model, then either a 357 or 386 will work.
If you have a touch command ladies Pulsar, then look for 393 batteries. These are a little bit less common but still easy to find.
I hope this helps. The numbering on the RW44/LR44 and the various alternative numbering schemes IS confusing. It would have been nice if the battery makers could have gotten their act together and issued easier to remember battery designations (maybe letter codes) like they they did with toy and flashlight batteries.
-abe.
p.s. My dad designed the RW44 battery for Pulsar while working at Ray-O-Vac.
