How to Change LED Light-Up Football Batteries:

We get an email every couple of days asking how to change the batteries in our LED lighted footballs. It's very easy to do, and it requires no tools that you don't already have sitting around, so here's how it's done:

Step 1: Gather Necessary Equipment

You will need one (1) ball point pen and one (1) dime. Any items of similar shape and strength will be fine. You will also need a light up football and batteries.

!!! IMPORTANT !!!
If it is hard to turn the button with a penny, use a large screwdriver instead. This problem is mostly only seen with the older, Friefly balls.

Step 2: Remove Button

Use the dime to unscrew the button by putting it in the button's slot and turning counter-clockwise without putting downward pressure on the button. Most of the buttons will come out this way easily. You don't have to remove the rubber grommet; it will come out with the button.

***If you turn and turn and turn, but the button doesn't seem to be coming out, and you're certain that you are not pushing the button down at all while you turn, then get a screwdriver. It needs to be a large screwdriver that more or less fills the whole slot in the button; otherwise it will damage the plastic. As you turn the screwdriver, also push it down pretty hard. Keep pushing down on the button while you turn. This only happens with older balls.

Step 3a: Turn Football with Button Hole Facing Down

Turn the football so the hole for the button is pointing down...

Step 3b: Tap the Light Out of Its Hole

...tap it a few times until the LED falls out.

Step 4a: Poke the Old Batteries Out

Push a pen, pen cap, screwdriver, popsickle stick, or anything else handy through the small hole on the LED assembly to push the batteries out. NOTICE THAT ALL THE BATTERIES POINT WITH THE FLAT, + END TOWARD THE BULB.

Step 4b: Put the New Batteries In

This is the part that is often done incorrectly- LEDs are diodes, so electricity only goes one direction through them. If you put the batteries backwards, an LED won't work. Put the batteries in with the flat POSITIVE (+) SIDE towards the LED LIGHT and the SEAMED, NEGATIVE (-) SIDE towards the BUTTON. The last battery is kind of hard to push in, so be careful not to break the plastic in the process. The easiest way to get it in there is to push it between the other 2 batteries.

Step 5: Reassemble Football

Drop the LED assembly back into its hole in the football with the light pointed inward and the little microbutton pointing outward, and push on it with your pinky finger to make sure it went all the way in. Then put the button back in and screw it back together with the dime. BE SURE TO SCREW THE BUTTON ALL THE WAY IN OR THE LIGHT WON'T TURN ON. Put a little bit of pressure on the button and turn it until there is a faint click. You don't have to worry about over-tightening it because it never reaches a stop.

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