system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 Why does switching around the dying batteries in my remote make it work again?
gpt
It doesn't. Not pushing the buttons while you're messing around with the batteries makes it work again.


Your standard remote has 2 AAs or 2 AAAs in series. That means the supply voltage of the remote is the sum of the two batterries' voltages. It also means that the position of the battery makes no difference, even if they're in a different state of charge.


However, most remotes have a supply capacitor that gets charged by the batteries and that supplies the remote with power. Basically a tiny buffer battery. As the batteries get weaker, it takes longer and longer to recharge the capacitor to a level that allows the remote to function. If the batteries are weak and you use the remote a few times in quick succession, the capacitor will be discharged completely and the remote will no longer work.


The batteries are still recharging the capacitor, just very very slowly, and if you keep pushing buttons, it'll never get to a sufficient level of charge. When you switch the batteries, you're not pushing any buttons, so you're probably giving the cap 20-30 seconds of charging time, and that may be enough for it to power the remote again (for a few shots).