Reliability of batteries and their damage to equipment

[bgadow]

I've noticed a lot more leakage from alkalines compared to a few years ago. Most recently it was with an early 60s GE transistor radio that uses D cells. For some reason I pulled the battery cover and it was a mass of corrosion. They weren't dead and the radio would still work if I jostled the cells. I had ignored the warnings in that case and installed a hodgepodge of cells, I think a mix of Duracell and some Radio Schlocks.