Replacing Game Batteries

[mechaMenace]

Specifically CR2032.

I'd like something that has a wired harness soldered to the PCB contacts so I could turn on the console and replace the battery while the system is powered. I could have the wired holder dangle outside the cartridge, pop in the new battery, and preserve the save. I don't think installing this apparatus that I could preserve the save (soldering while the game is running in the console--nope. I think this could fit in a Sega Genesis cart and a SNES cart.

I think this is how JT did it but I don't know exactly what to buy. If there are some searchable terms or a link to a product page, that would be a big help.

This is what I'm imagining:

[JerryTerrifying]

I swear I just saw a device for copying saves off of carts that can then rewrite them back to the cart after replacing the battery.  I know there was something for the Gameboy/GBC back in the day that did that.  I have it in my amazon wish list still I believe.  But I think someone is making or has made something for multiple formats.  If I run into it again I'll let you know.

[JerryTerrifying]

Yes I've added battery holders that way before with wires because the holder wasn't small enough to fit snugly against the board.  But there are lower profile holders I could have bought I just used what I had on hand with some old bits of wire. I am not skilled enough to attempt swapping batteries while they're running on a console I would try to find a way to copy and rewrite the saves I am pretty sure there are devices to do it.

[mechaMenace]

I'm fine with losing the initial save. If you are looking for a device which does that, I think the Retrode line of cartridge reader adapters copies ROMs and saves. I know they have been out of stock since the giant panda started rampaging around the globe, so expect the price to be high.

I thought of just soldering wires to a holder. I though there was a pre-made solution you had used. I want something like a small sleeve that I can pull out a battery and push in the new one. The only thing I worry about is it flopping over while the game is running and shorting pins of one of the ICs or some other exposed circuit. I would probably have to wrap the whole thing in electrical tape.

The save file should remain intact if you remove the battery while running the console. You just have to swap the battery before it explodes, resulting in the existing save file not being powered.

I've been coming across more of these dead batteries lately, and they aren't just Pokemon games. One of them did some weird things to a SNES Mario Kart game. I haven't tried it yet, but I have a glitched SNES console on which I want to try running this glitched Mario Kart

[JerryTerrifying]

Nah I just used scrap wore and a battery holder.