CPS2 suicide question

Hey guys,
Well, after graduating and finding a job I finally built my supergun. (It's been a while since I asked for advice) It's still untested...I have a $10 Martial Champions pcb on the way to test it out though. Assuming all goes well I want to get a CPS2 A board and some games. I know about the 5 year battery life, but not much. Does it last five years total...or does it "suicide" only if you dont power it up for five years. A good analogy: is it like the battery in Legend of Zelda where 5 years can become 15 years if you play it every once in a while? I just dont want to buy a game that is already dead or will die in a month or two.
Thanks,
Bob

The five years is not set in stone, lithium batteries can and usually do last a little longer, but there is no warning and it will eventually die. Good news is, it can be fully revived thanks to the work done at cps2shock! Contact Raz on these boards if you need a board revived!

-Nick

Yeah but I don't believe Razoola is willing to do all of the boards, only some of them.

You can use a AA size battery instead of 1/2 AA, and this should allow the B boards to last twice as long (8 years).

NeoBob:
...I have a $10 Martial Champions pcb on the way to test it out though.

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An excellent choice for first PCB. wink

The best way to ensure the CPS-2 B boards last as long as possible is to simply replace the lithium battery when you get the board and record the date you replace it and be careful to take note of the date on the new battery also. As in if it was made 2 years ago then it’s likely to mean 2 years off it’s life span. I have done this one all my boards with 100% success. Do some research before attempting it though, so you know the risks. I dunno what to make of the AA as opposed to 1/2 AA but lets face it, the 1/2 AA is what it's designed to accept and just how long do you plan on having the board anyway? Hell ya can always replace it again down the track if you turn out to be just as much of a die hard as some of us unfortunates!!

John_Smith:
I dunno what to make of the AA as opposed to 1/2 AA but lets face it, the 1/2 AA is what it's designed to accept and just how long do you plan on having the board anyway? Hell ya can always replace it again down the track if you turn out to be just as much of a die hard as some of us unfortunates!!

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But that's more costly and more time-consuming.

Thanks for the info guys. I like the idea posted in another recent thread where you solder a 1/2 AA holder on the board.