check your batteries

[styx]

ladies and gentlemen, please check your batteries. just learned this the hard way. wanted to see which brand of batteries were in my Maglite AA and had quite a sight - they leaked. the light was still running normally so i wouldn't have noticed until it was really too late. as it stands now, i just need to clean the inside a bit

[powernoodle]

As the opportunity presents, I am transitioning completely away from alkalines and to NiMH rechargeables (Eneloops), in all lights, tv remotes, clocks, etc.  NiMH have a very low self-discharge rate, and don't puke out their insides like alkaline batteries do.

[styx]

seems like a great move. on the other hand, anyone got suggestions on how to clean the residue?

[captain spaulding]

seems like a great move. on the other hand, anyone got suggestions on how to clean the residue?

In the past I have just used baking soda and water which has worked great for me.

It does depend on what kind of battery has leaked. May want to give this a read.


http://www.instructables.com/id/Save-your-Gameboy-Color-and-other-small-electronic/

[zoidberg]

As the opportunity presents, I am transitioning completely away from alkalines and to NiMH rechargeables (Eneloops), in all lights, tv remotes, clocks, etc.  NiMH have a very low self-discharge rate, and don't puke out their insides like alkaline batteries do.

I should do the same...

[Aloha]

I run eneloops in my lights.  I do have a few AAA cells that I monitor closely but so far so good. 

[powernoodle]

how to clean the residue?

I use a toothpick, and hold the device so gravity makes the debris fall out.  If there is anything left, I hit it with an old toothbrush.    I have used WD40 on the toothbrush - and it seems to work - but I tend to put WD40 on everything.

[powernoodle]

  NiMH have a very low self-discharge rate

I should clarify that Eneloops have a very low self-discharge rate, but not necessarily all NiMH batteries.

[Joe58]

Yeah, they'll do that. On my pocket lights, or my more "important" stuff, I've switched to lithiums.

Mixture of baking soda, Ballistol, old toothbrush. There's lots of helpful methods out there.

Just try and get as much crud out as you can and hopefully it'll still work for you.

[gregozedobe]

I've had success using household cleaning vinegar to clean up the mess left by leaking alkaline batteries. 

I'm another a great fan of eneloop batteries, and use them almost everywhere. 

I do have a couple of uses for litium primary (non-rechargeable) 1.5 AA and AAA batteries.  If something has very low drain but it is awkward to replace the batteries is one application, the other is for emergency use torches (flashlights), particularly if they unused for a long time (1 year+) and/or are stored in hot or cold conditions.

I do use good quality 9V alkalines in my smoke alarms, but self-test them regularly (every couple of months) and once a year I take them out and test them on my fancy load-tester battery tester. 

If you haven't tested your smoke alarm batteries for a while please do so ASAP - you might save a few lives (including your own).

[styx]

never really bothered to think about switching to enloops since the last pair of rechargeable batteries i've gotten was with my camera. as you can tell by the plethora of pictures that i post those are usually drained so sadly this was an assumption. apparently not a good one

If you haven't tested your smoke alarm batteries for a while please do so ASAP - you might save a few lives (including your own).

Thankfully the cooking skills of my former fiance tested the smoke alarms every time she made a meal. Perhaps she was on the safe side, although I suspect that she might have mistaken them for some sort of a cooking time alarm

[Joe58]

I run eneloops in my lights.  I do have a few AAA cells that I monitor closely but so far so good.

I know that batteries are a subject that get debated and discussed for pages and pages, especially over on Candlepower, but just a quick question on the Eneloops.

Are you guys that run them finding they hold a charge in say, a single aaa light, that may only see use once in awhile, but carried often? I run the lithiums for laziness sake, and also that I've heard they slowly discharge and may go dead pretty quickly in use if they've been sitting for maybe a month or something. True or BS?

I carry a single aaa light daily, but may only use it once in three weeks for example when the need pops up. I don't want it going dead in 45 seconds.

Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread but I thought the question may help those deciding what they want to use.

[gregozedobe]

I run eneloops in my lights.  I do have a few AAA cells that I monitor closely but so far so good.

I know that batteries are a subject that get debated and discussed for pages and pages, especially over on Candlepower, but just a quick question on the Eneloops.

Are you guys that run them finding they hold a charge in say, a single aaa light, that may only see use once in awhile, but carried often? I run the lithiums for laziness sake, and also that I've heard they slowly discharge and may go dead pretty quickly in use if they've been sitting for maybe a month or something. True or BS?

I carry a single aaa light daily, but may only use it once in three weeks for example when the need pops up. I don't want it going dead in 45 seconds.

Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread but I thought the question may help those deciding what they want to use.

As long as you are prepared to swap in a freshly charged battery (or charge up the one in the light) then the regular (low self-discharge) eneloops should be fine for what you've described.  The high capacity eneloops do self-discharge much quicker than the regular ones.

IIRC the regular eneloops are supposed to retain more than 75% of their charge if left sitting (in not too hot or too cold conditions) for 12 months.  That said, a AAA eneloop idoesn't have a large charge capacity to begin with.  I've just taken 3 off my charger this evening and they were all around 800mAh capacity.

[styx]

this is MTo. there is no thread hijacking because every discussion evolves and takes it's own path through sharing our interests, experiences, concerns, questions and often humorous commentary on all sorts of subject. if one were to write a love letter to MTo it would be a sin not to mention the fact that every idea and topic becomes a living, breathing thing that can flow as it were just a few old pals shootin' the breeze over a cold one

[Joe58]

this is MTo. there is no thread hijacking because every discussion evolves and takes it's own path through sharing our interests, experiences, concerns, questions and often humorous commentary on all sorts of subject. if one were to write a love letter to MTo it would be a sin not to mention the fact that every idea and topic becomes a living, breathing thing that can flow as it were just a few old pals shootin' the breeze over a cold one

Well put......

[Marcellus]

Invest in some eneloop batteries, if you can

Also invest in a smart Charger, A Powerex Maha C9000 if you can
The La Crosse BC 700 is not a bad choice either

The above two suggestions are for NiMH and NiCD batteries, not
the rechargeable lithium type
So if you have both types you may want to find a charger that supports both chemistries
But if you have both, you don't need my suggestions anyway, do you?

That Maha C9000 has been around for a while, but its not just smart,
it's a genius ( well it's smarter than I am at least )


My 2 cents

[Gryffin]

I've learned (the hard way!) to keep an eye on my batteries.

I'm forced to keep alkaline in the house for the Love 'O My Life and her son, who don't entirely grok rechargeables.    I have a couple of 50 round MTM cartridge cases for AAs and AAAs, and I also keep some D and C cells in a case for WTSHTF.

Every battery that goes into any of MY devices are rechargeables, Eneloops or Lithium Ion, and about once a year I got through them all (in light and in storage) with a ZTS Battery Tester, mark any iffy ones for "beater" use, dispose of any that have less than 60% of capacity, and top off any that need it.

Then there are the lithium primaries I keep for WTSHTF emergency use; these get checked yearly as well. Actually had to get rid of a few CR123A cells that were about ten years old, this time.

[Lardlad]

I switched from alkaline to lithium primaries after an alkaline battery leaked inside my old EDC Arc AAA led.  I had that light for five years - no issues with it, took the abuse like a tank.  I tried for a week to get the battery out but it wasn't possible.

[Toolslinger]

I use Eneloops in all my devices that will take them. My daily carry lights use 18650's though and I'm running the Olight brand for those. Use a Nitecore D2 charger for the Lithiums and the Eneloops I got came with their own charger.

[styx]

Actually it might even be quite a bit cheaper to switch. Even if we disregard the possibility of having to buy a new light

[Blackbeard]

lithiums should hold charge unless the light you have them in has an electronic switch, they drain a small amount from batteries over time.

i mostly use all eneloops for aaa or aa. only issue ive had with them is in 2 aa configured lights where one battery discharges faster than the other, which causes nimh to emit gas and may puff up boot switch rubber cap.

[SAK Guy]

Was wanting to add some freqs to my scanner and looked for the programming cord. Found this in my radio bag:



The only batteries I didn't have in a poly bag...    They were older (expiring this year) and I was trying to use them up.

[jzmtl]

FYI CR123a will leak too after going through too many freeze/thaw cycles.   

At least whatever leaked doesn't seem to be corrosive.

[gregozedobe]

They are often called "alkaleaks" for good reason. That white stuff is quite alkaline, so a mild acid (eg vinegar) wash/brush followed by a plain water rinse should help clean things up.

[Gryffin]

Was wanting to add some freqs to my scanner and looked for the programming cord. Found this in my radio bag:

(Image removed from quote.)

The only batteries I didn't have in a poly bag...    They were older (expiring this year) and I was trying to use them up.

UGH. I feel your pain.

Above I mentioned that I inspect ALL my batteries about once a year. The last time was about two months ago. Just his past weekend, I had to go into the Big Drawer O' Batteries, and *still* found 2 Energizer AA alky-leaks had gone bad: One full-on leak-o-rama, like yours; the other just starting to go.

Thankfully, the MTM cartridge case I keep 'em in was easy to clean out. In your case, that PowerPax should clean up well, too, I just hope the expanding cell didn't split it.

[SAK Guy]

Was wanting to add some freqs to my scanner and looked for the programming cord. Found this in my radio bag:

(Image removed from quote.)

The only batteries I didn't have in a poly bag...    They were older (expiring this year) and I was trying to use them up.

UGH. I feel your pain.

Above I mentioned that I inspect ALL my batteries about once a year. The last time was about two months ago. Just his past weekend, I had to go into the Big Drawer O' Batteries, and *still* found 2 Energizer AA alky-leaks had gone bad: One full-on leak-o-rama, like yours; the other just starting to go.

Thankfully, the MTM cartridge case I keep 'em in was easy to clean out. In your case, that PowerPax should clean up well, too, I just hope the expanding cell didn't split it.

I was just in that bag a couple of weeks ago and I had put two of those Energizers in my Scanner. Tossed all those batteries, they were expiring this year. Just glad the ones in the scanner didn't decide to blow up as well!  Checked the rest in my other bags and they are either new or Lithiums.

That Bearcat scanner is great but it will use one set of (2) batts a day so there is usually a fresh set in it.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I lost a nice Princeton Tec headlamp to exploded batteries.  That really sucks.

Def

[SAK Guy]

I lost a nice Princeton Tec headlamp to exploded batteries.  That really sucks.

Def

Sorry to hear that!!!  I have new alkalines that will be used for the scanner/shortwave but they will put in before use and removed afterwards. All my long term storage batteries in my Trouble/Wildfire/Weather bags are now lithium. I hate battery blowups.