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Comparison

CR2450 vs LIR2450

The CR2450 and LIR2450 share the same 24.5 by 5 mm case. The CR2450 is a single-use 3 volt lithium cell holding 550 to 620 mAh. The LIR2450 is the largest common rechargeable lithium-ion coin, at 3.6 volts nominal and 4.2 off the charger, with 100 to 120 mAh per charge.

CR2450 and LIR2450 drawn side by side at the same scale: CR2450 is 24.5 mm across, 5 mm thick; LIR2450 is 24.5 mm across, 5 mm thickCR2450LIR2450 CR2450 3V + ⌀ 24.5 mm 5 mm LIR2450 3.6V + ⌀ 24.5 mm 5 mm
CR2450 vs LIR2450 at the same scale: both 24.5 mm across, 5 mm thick.
CR2450LIR2450
ChemistryLithium manganese dioxide (Li/MnO2)Lithium-ion (rechargeable)
Voltage3 V3.6 V
Diameter24.5 mm24.5 mm
Height5 mm5 mm
Capacity550-620 mAh100-120 mAh (rechargeable)
Also sold asDL2450, ECR2450, CR2450N (Renata, flanged)–

Per charge, the gap is about fivefold. A CR2450 in an LED tealight or a proximity key fob has 550 to 620 mAh to spend; an LIR2450 in the same holder has 100 to 120, and the device has no way to top it up. So the rechargeable runs out in roughly a fifth of the time and then has to come out for an external charger. The argument that it pays for itself only holds across hundreds of cycles, around 500 in gentle use, and only in hardware that does the charging.

The voltage is the part that can do damage. A CR2450 device is designed for 3 volts, and a freshly charged LIR2450 delivers up to 4.2. In a candle that can mean a brighter flicker for a while and a stressed LED driver. In a BMW or Land Rover fob, a thermostat or a glucose sensor transmitter, it means feeding electronics a voltage they were never specified for. Those are exactly the places where the primary cell belongs.

The LIR2450 earns its place in hardware built around it: solar-charged sensor nodes, USB-rechargeable wearables and maker projects with a proper lithium-ion charge circuit that stops at 4.2 volts and limits current to around 50 mA. In that kind of device the reverse mistake is the dangerous one. A CR2450 dropped into a position that charges its cell can leak or rupture, because a primary cell cannot take charge current. If the cell you removed says LIR, the replacement says LIR. Mind the suffix too: Renata's flanged CR2450N is still a primary 3 volt cell, not a rechargeable variant.

All about CR2450 All about LIR2450

Frequently asked questions

Can an LIR2450 replace a CR2450?
Only in a device made to take it. In an ordinary CR2450 device the LIR2450 delivers 3.6 to 4.2 volts against the expected 3, which stresses the circuit, and it holds 100 to 120 mAh against 550 to 620. It runs down in about a fifth of the time, with nothing to recharge it.
Can I use a CR2450 in a gadget that takes an LIR2450?
No. Solar and USB-charged devices built around the LIR2450 push charge current into their cell, and a primary CR2450 is not built to accept it. It can leak or rupture inside the device. The identical case is what makes the mistake easy, so read the old cell's code and replace LIR with LIR.
Is an LIR2450 worth it for LED candles?
Usually not. The candle cannot charge it, so every cell has to come out for an external charger after running about a fifth as long as a CR2450, and the higher voltage stresses the LED driver. A quality primary CR2450 runs a typical flickering tealight 150 to 200 hours, which is the better deal.
How do you charge an LIR2450 safely?
With a lithium-ion charger that terminates at 4.2 volts and limits current to around 50 mA, such as a dedicated coin cell charger or a TP4056-class module set for low current. Never wire a holder straight to a power supply, and never put a CR2450 on any charger at all.

⚠️ Keep away from children. Swallowed button batteries, especially 20 mm lithium coins, cause severe injury within hours. If a child swallows one, call the 24/7 National Battery Ingestion Hotline (US) at 800-498-8666 or poison control at 800-222-1222 immediately. What every parent should know.