> ll be running my PIC chip at the absolute lowest possible speed. It > doesn't take much processor power to count... I'm sure a 32khz > crystal will be overkill in this case. It does take "some" power though, and you'll have to decide which part of the PIC you keep awake to do that I haven't hit the books, but things to consider include - Does 32kHz LP use less power than 1kHz RC ? Do you keep the PIC asleep and use WDT to count ? (if so, the suggestion is that you use a HS mode to count - awake shorter) If you asssume X years is what you'll get from the battery, that means working backwards to find the consumption to get to X years eg 87,600 hours in 10 years, 1uA Iq = 87.6mAh capacity, ignoring voltage drooping at cell end-game. If your circuit can run on eg 2V that would give you extra time -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist