Reliability of batteries and their damage to equipment

[Ed in Tx]

I generally replace old NiCads with NiMH too, but some NiCad chargers won't charge NiMH properly. Maybe not up to a full charge, or the trickle charge current might be too high for NiMH.

[Reece]

MaxHifi asked....Here's the top of the 1945 EverReady. The metal cap on top of the positive carbon has EverReady stamped into the metal around the periphery. The top seal around that is some kind of hard black composition. The bottom of the cell is the actual zinc cylinder and is just a dull gray color. The DVM says it still has about 0.1 volt of potential.

My uncle who was in radio in the late twenties and thirties as a kid said he would round up old No. 6 "dead" dry cells, punch holes in the top, and submerge them in a bucket of water overnight. They would come back enough to be useful for a while strung together to light up some 01A's. I have some of his old tubes and equipment.

[AUdubon5425]

I had the same problem with "new" batteries leaking a little while ago - made a video of it: http://youtu.be/Exv61hUTblA

[AndrewM]

Like everybody else I have seen plenty of leaking alkaline and zinc carbon cells. Since they are normally user accessible, as long as you are careful to not leave batteries in equipment the problem is manageable.

The more serious issue is NiCad cells and batteries. I collect old computer gear and the first thing I do now is open them up and remove the NiCad batteries as they are VERY corrosive when they start gassing. The problem is these batteries were soldered in as they were expected to last the life of the equipment. 1980's TV's, some test equipment and anything else that relies on battery backed up memory is at risk. A lot of 1990's era computer equipment is now scrap due to severe damage caused by gassy NiCads.

So far I haven't seen any problems with old Lithium cells as used in later computers and old Apple Macs. I still pull the cells whenever I can though as a precaution.

[Ed in Tx]

Another one, from a radio controlled clock that just quit working, took off the wall and discovered a mess. Cleaned it up, put in a new battery and all OK.

[kvflyer]

Boy, does this hit close to home. We all now have lots of battery operated equipment. You just can't avoid it. I have a Nikon Speedlight that my daughter gave to me for the Nikon digital camera. I had installed Eveready Energizer batteries in it. It started to act flaky so I checked the batteries. They had leaked all inside of the device. And still, they had over a year left on the expiry date. Now, the expensive flash is ruined and Eveready could care less. I suspect that the batteries are being purchased "Off Shore" and are just junk. I will never use Energizers again...

[CoogarXR]

I have had 4 of my Mag-Lite flashlights ruined by duracell batteries. The Mag-Lite + swelled battery combo has been well griped about all over the 'net. There is such a small gap between the batteries and the side wall, when they swell the least bit, they get stuck. If they swell alot, they get VERY stuck, heh. I have had to drill a hole through the batteries, and make a corkscrew out of a thick coat hanger and thread it through the battery and pull like a slide hammer until it comes out. All of these batteries swelled before they were totally dead. The flashlights still lit, just kinda dim. These weren't just drawer flashlights either, these were flashlights I used daily for work. Something has definitely changed where these batteries swell and leak before they are even dead!

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by kvflyer

Boy, does this hit close to home. We all now have lots of battery operated equipment. You just can't avoid it. I have a Nikon Speedlight that my daughter gave to me for the Nikon digital camera. I had installed Eveready Energizer batteries in it. It started to act flaky so I checked the batteries. They had leaked all inside of the device. And still, they had over a year left on the expiry date. Now, the expensive flash is ruined and Eveready could care less. I suspect that the batteries are being purchased "Off Shore" and are just junk. I will never use Energizers again...

I seriously doubt that your Speedlight is actually ruined. Have you tried cleaning the battery contacts? My best guess is when the Energizers leaked they just deposited a lot of electrolyte on the terminals. The only way I can imagine your light could be truly ruined or destroyed is if the electrolyte remained on the terminals for an extended length of time; this of course will corrode and eventually eat away the contacts. Get to the terminals in time, however, and you may have a good chance of salvaging the flash unit.

I bought a digital multimeter several years ago; when it arrived here at my apartment (I had bought the meter from Amateur Electronic Supply in Milwaukee and had been delivered here via UPS), it wouldn't work. I took it back to the store (a local branch of AES some 15 miles from me) and was told the internal battery (don't recall what type of cell) was dead; in fact, it had leaked in its compartment.

I picked out another, better meter, signed the warranty forms, and brought it home. Not five minutes worth of trouble with the new meter since; in fact, it still has its original 9-volt battery which is still going strong, but for how much longer is anyone's guess. I am not sure of the make of the battery in that meter (I think it may be Eveready, and maybe an Energizer at that), but if it is an offshore brand I just might replace it on general principles.

There is no telling these days where any kind of battery may have been made. Just because the battery has the Energizer name and logo on it does not necessarily or in fact mean they are true Eveready Energizers; in fact, the chances are good they are offshore garbage with the Eveready name hastily slapped on them.

[zenith2134]

I've had good luck reviving the maglite bottom(neg) spring with light sandpaper and isopropyl.
Thats crazy how some can swell inside the shaft and get stuck!

[Kevin Kuehn]

I went and looked at a vacuum tube voltmeter today at the local auction house(pre online auction viewing). One look and I walked away. The poor thing had corrosion seeping out all around the bottom case seam. I don't even want to know what it looks like inside. I also recently was given a TV tuner sub that's all messed up from someone leaving the batteries in it.

[Celt]

Seeing that old Eveready reminded me of this old ad a friend once sent me.

[zenith2134]

aw,, as someone who has lost a dog, that is a very sad picture. But a great advert for sure.

[Eric H]

My Programmable Thermostat blanked out on me this morning and started flashing "Low Batteries"
I had forgotten it even had batteries in it!

Popped it open and changed them out, they were Duracells but they weren't leaking, just tired.

[mrflex65]

Just dug out my old trusty micronta cat. no. 22-214 multimeter from over 20 years ago!I forgot i even had it and still had the original batteries in it! no signs of leakage that i can tell. The 9v. still has about a volt left on it....

[zenithfan1]

Let us not forget about these batteries either.....LOL http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/...tches_fire.php