Recurring Problem for me: How to get stuck batteries out of a MagLite?

[xdalaw]

I've liked MagLites for years.  And, I like them more with the LED bulbs.

But, over the years, I've often had dead batteries get stuck in the barrel of the flashlight and I couldn't get them out.  Leaving me with paperweights or trashed lights.

I know I can't be the only one with this problem, and someone must have a simple fix/solution.  Care to share?

Thanks.

[jzmtl]

Never had this problem myself, but heard using a big wood screw to screw in the battery and pull them out. On most mag you can remove the light module too to push the battery out (pop the plastic ring under bulb on AA, remove the rubber switch cover to loosen the set screw in the push switch on C/D).

Also if you use duracell/energizer they have warranty on things damaged by their battery, they even have some sort of agreement with mag that you can directly send the flashlight to mag for replacement.

[tattoosteve99]

Another option to clean the tube out is a cylinder home used for brakes. It's smaller and fits a mag light just right. I've used it in mine as it did the same thing.

[gregozedobe]

I'm guessing the cause of the problem is leaking alkaline batteries (a.k.a. "alkaleaks").  These commonly leak their contents, swell etc, often getting jammed in torch bodies, ruining electronic circuits etc.

Vinegar (being a mild acid) may help clean up the light body after you have removed the offending batteries.

Some possible solutions:

1  Don't use alkaline batteries

2  If you insist on using alaklines, remove them when they are getting low on charge or nearing their use-by-date

3  Only use good quality alaklines (eg Duracell coppertop)

4 Never put alkalines in something you aren't prepared to throw away without any regrets

(notice the common theme ?    

[xdalaw]

Thanks for the great suggestions.  Will give them a try,

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[Farmman]

Wd40 and centrifugal force worked for me.  Also launched the offending battery right up the garden.

[Outback in Idaho]

  You can gently tap the bottom of the flashlight on a soft wood plank, or rubber pad, and hopefully get the battery to budge. Often you'll want to spray some WD-40 around the edge and let it try to soak in. You can also use a rubber mallet to gently bounce against the side wall.

  Most the time this will fail. One fellow used an easy out on a long drill bit, as he'd get one battery stuck all the way in. He'd either pull the battery out, or rock the easy out bit back and forth with a reversible drill. Using the same oil/solvent technique.

  Dad would use the mallet on the side wall, and then run a wooden dowel inside to gently convince the battery to loosen.

[nuphoria]

Wd40 and centrifugal force worked for me.  Also launched the offending battery right up the garden.

Excellent tip!

[Farmman]

Wd40 and centrifugal force worked for me.  Also launched the offending battery right up the garden.

Excellent tip!

thank you

[xdalaw]

I'm guessing the cause of the problem is leaking alkaline batteries (a.k.a. "alkaleaks").  These commonly leak their contents, swell etc, often getting jammed in torch bodies, ruining electronic circuits etc.

Vinegar (being a mild acid) may help clean up the light body after you have removed the offending batteries.

Some possible solutions:

1  Don't use alkaline batteries

2  If you insist on using alaklines, remove them when they are getting low on charge or nearing their use-by-date

3  Only use good quality alaklines (eg Duracell coppertop)

4 Never put alkalines in something you aren't prepared to throw away without any regrets

(notice the common theme ?    

Do you like NiMH rechargeable batteries, or something else?

[xdalaw]

Never had this problem myself, but heard using a big wood screw to screw in the battery and pull them out. On most mag you can remove the light module too to push the battery out (pop the plastic ring under bulb on AA, remove the rubber switch cover to loosen the set screw in the push switch on C/D).

Also if you use duracell/energizer they have warranty on things damaged by their battery, they even have some sort of agreement with mag that you can directly send the flashlight to mag for replacement.

Aside from wearing safety goggles and gloves, anything else to worry about when screwing a wood screw into a battery in this situation?

[AimlessWanderer]

To be honest I've never been a maglite owner, but the first solution that comes to mind after reading this thread, is consider getting another flashlight  If I had a light (or any other tool for that matter) which kept giving me problems, I wouldn't be looing at how to fix tem everythime they happened, but avoiding them happening in the first place 

Either way, I hope you come up with a workable solution that you're happy with

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Two simple steps to solve this problem.

1) Never, EVER, use alkalines.  They're simply not worth it.  The amount of power you get for the cost, combined with the fact they regularly puke their guts out inside of anything you put them in, means that you'll pay more for them in the long run than if you go with an alternative chemistry.  If you want to stick with primaries, get Energizer Ultimate Lithium cells; they are more expensive than alkalines, but they hold at least three times the power of even the best alkaline batteries.  Otherwise, invest in Eneloop rechargeables and a good charger.  The best one on the market right now is the Maha C9000 which goes for about $55.  Read the manual, and use it on your cells regularly, and they'll give you cheap, guilt-free lumens for years to come.

2) Ditch Mags.  Even their newest torches can't hold a candle (pun intended) to the newer LED flashlights available now.  Look at companies like NiteCore, Zebralight, Spark, Jetbeam, FourSevens, Klarus, just to name a few, and you'll be able to get a torch that can run off of 2xAA that no mag-lite in production can come close to matching.  There's a new torch by NiteCore out that uses 4xAA with a max output that's a match for a car headlight! 

I used to use Mini-Mags regularly, but then I discovered the new breed of LED torches, and I haven't looked back since.  I'll never buy another Mag-Lite again.

[Essexman]

I hate alkaline batteries, they are terrible things.

Use eneloops (or similar LSD type battery) and you will never have this problem again.

[xdalaw]

I have been using Eneloop's lately.  I do like them and am glad to avoid most alkalines, 

Is the Eneloop 4 AA or 4 AAA charger no good?

Thanks for the torch recommendations! 

Sent from my AT100 using Tapatalk 2

[gregozedobe]

Do you like NiMH rechargeable batteries, or something else?

LSD Sanyo Eneloops with a Maha C9000 is my preferred battery and charger combo. 

If I have a light that is going to sit for a loooooong time unused (eg car glovebox) I'll put a primary lithium battery in it. 

I prefer single cell lights to avoid all matching/balancing/reverse charging problems - if I need more oomph than I can get from a Zebralight single AA light I use a rechargeable li-ion 18650 battery (but I treat them with the respect and caution they need to be used safely).

I do have a 4 x D Maglite (with an LED conversion) sitting by my bed, but it's more for it's size, weight, shape and "heft" than it's light output    I run Duracell alaklines in it (I'm too cheap to buy  D sized NiMh batteries), but I change them out regularly.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I have been using Eneloop's lately.  I do like them and am glad to avoid most alkalines, 

Is the Eneloop 4 AA or 4 AAA charger no good?

Thanks for the torch recommendations! 

Sent from my AT100 using Tapatalk 2

It'll do the job for basic charging, but if you're going to make a serious investment in rechargeable cells, a better charger will get you the maximum usage out of your cells.

That's why the C9000 is such a great charger; it has several features that will help maximize both the output and the longevity of your cells.  For example, it has a break-in feature to use with new cells, you tell it how much mah they have and it runs them through several charge/discharge cycles to condition them to be as close to their rated mah as possible. 

Another feature it has is a 'refresh' mode, where it basically does the same thing, but its designed for cells that have lost some capacity because of age or from sitting in a discharged state.  I've brought old non-LSD nimh cells back from the dead with this feature, and turned them into useable cells again.

Yet another nice feature of the C9000 is that each charging bay is its own independent circuit, so you can charge cells one at a time, in any combination, using any of its functions.  So, you don't have to charge cells in pairs, you can charge both AA's and AAA's at the same time, have a couple on break-in, one on refresh, and the fourth on just a standard charge.  It's also very well ventilated so it minimizes heat build-up in your cells which also helps to extend their life.  Its display is also very well laid-out and the UI is easy to learn.

It is a pricey charger, but there isn't a better nimh charger on the market that I know of.  I took the plunge with mine not only because I wanted to be able to use it with the cells I have for my torches, but also because I've converted our entire household over to LSD nimh's now; we don't have a single household device anymore that's using primaries, and we've easily saved the price of the charger and LSD cells in the last year alone because of it.  The only time we use primaries anymore is for emergency back-up and some outdoors/camping types of uses; even then, those devices are loaded with nimh's first, before we break out the L91's, and even then, I also have a simple 'dumb' charger I keep in our camping gear that we can use with an inverter in our car to recharge the nimhs when possible.

[xdalaw]

Thanks Heinz (again), for the advice/info. 

Just added the C9000 charger to my Amazon wishlist.  Will keep an eye on the price and see if it goes down a bit, or if I just get too impatient, it'll be right there to buy. 

P.S.  I just got my REI pack today.  Great size and features.  Just what I wanted at a good price.

I have been using Eneloop's lately.  I do like them and am glad to avoid most alkalines, 

Is the Eneloop 4 AA or 4 AAA charger no good?

Thanks for the torch recommendations! 

Sent from my AT100 using Tapatalk 2

It'll do the job for basic charging, but if you're going to make a serious investment in rechargeable cells, a better charger will get you the maximum usage out of your cells.

That's why the C9000 is such a great charger; it has several features that will help maximize both the output and the longevity of your cells.  For example, it has a break-in feature to use with new cells, you tell it how much mah they have and it runs them through several charge/discharge cycles to condition them to be as close to their rated mah as possible. 

Another feature it has is a 'refresh' mode, where it basically does the same thing, but its designed for cells that have lost some capacity because of age or from sitting in a discharged state.  I've brought old non-LSD nimh cells back from the dead with this feature, and turned them into useable cells again.

Yet another nice feature of the C9000 is that each charging bay is its own independent circuit, so you can charge cells one at a time, in any combination, using any of its functions.  So, you don't have to charge cells in pairs, you can charge both AA's and AAA's at the same time, have a couple on break-in, one on refresh, and the fourth on just a standard charge.  It's also very well ventilated so it minimizes heat build-up in your cells which also helps to extend their life.  Its display is also very well laid-out and the UI is easy to learn.

It is a pricey charger, but there isn't a better nimh charger on the market that I know of.  I took the plunge with mine not only because I wanted to be able to use it with the cells I have for my torches, but also because I've converted our entire household over to LSD nimh's now; we don't have a single household device anymore that's using primaries, and we've easily saved the price of the charger and LSD cells in the last year alone because of it.  The only time we use primaries anymore is for emergency back-up and some outdoors/camping types of uses; even then, those devices are loaded with nimh's first, before we break out the L91's, and even then, I also have a simple 'dumb' charger I keep in our camping gear that we can use with an inverter in our car to recharge the nimhs when possible.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Hey Andrew, glad to be able to help.   

The C9000 is indeed an excellent investment.  Once you get one, it might be a bit overwhelming at first, but read the manual thoroughly and you should get used to it pretty quickly.  It's actually a lot easier to use than it might seem. 

The only issue to be aware of is the rate at which you charge your cells; the C9000 will let you set that every time you put a cell in for a recharge.  The general rule of thumb is that you should charge a cell at no more than its rated mah (milliamp-hour) capacity.  For AAA Eneloops, that's 800, and for AA's it's anywhere from 1800 to 2400, depending on the cell.  I generally recharge my my AAAs at 200 or 400 and my AA's at 500 or 1000.  In general, the lower the charge rate you set, the closer to max capacity the cell will be when the charger terminates it, and it'll prolong the life of the cell.

In general though, I only use my C9000 for cells I keep aside for my own devices, to break-in new cells, or recondition old cells.  In other words, I don't let anyone else use, let alone touch, my C9000...   

I also have one of the Energizer 'dumb' chargers, that we use for most of our household needs.  I keep that in our pantry, and keep a stock of cells there with it, so that any time my wife or son needs a battery, they can just go grab a fresh one out of the Energizer charger.  I keep a small box next to it as well, labelled for spent cells.  I also keep another small box with it for fresh cells out of the charger.  Whenever anyone needs a fresh cell, they just grab one out of the "fresh" box or the charger, and put the spent cell they have in that box.  Every other day or so (because I go into the pantry at least once every day) I rotate out the cells in the charger with cells from the "spent" box, and put the ones in that were in the charger in the "fresh" box.  That keeps the ones that aren't LSD with a good charge, and it helps prolong their life.  With this system, we almost always have fresh cells ready to go whenever they're needed.

It may sound a little complicated, but it's really actually pretty simple.  My system may not work for you, so you can develop your own based on your needs. In the long run, the investment you make in the charger, cells, and a system for keeping them charged, and so on, it'll pay off very well.  You'll never feel like you need to be conservative with a flashlight again, and it won't cost you any more than a few extra pennies on your electricity bill every month. 

Thanks Heinz (again), for the advice/info. 

Just added the C9000 charger to my Amazon wishlist.  Will keep an eye on the price and see if it goes down a bit, or if I just get too impatient, it'll be right there to buy. 

P.S.  I just got my REI pack today.  Great size and features.  Just what I wanted at a good price.

I have been using Eneloop's lately.  I do like them and am glad to avoid most alkalines, 

Is the Eneloop 4 AA or 4 AAA charger no good?

Thanks for the torch recommendations! 

Sent from my AT100 using Tapatalk 2

It'll do the job for basic charging, but if you're going to make a serious investment in rechargeable cells, a better charger will get you the maximum usage out of your cells.

That's why the C9000 is such a great charger; it has several features that will help maximize both the output and the longevity of your cells.  For example, it has a break-in feature to use with new cells, you tell it how much mah they have and it runs them through several charge/discharge cycles to condition them to be as close to their rated mah as possible. 

Another feature it has is a 'refresh' mode, where it basically does the same thing, but its designed for cells that have lost some capacity because of age or from sitting in a discharged state.  I've brought old non-LSD nimh cells back from the dead with this feature, and turned them into useable cells again.

Yet another nice feature of the C9000 is that each charging bay is its own independent circuit, so you can charge cells one at a time, in any combination, using any of its functions.  So, you don't have to charge cells in pairs, you can charge both AA's and AAA's at the same time, have a couple on break-in, one on refresh, and the fourth on just a standard charge.  It's also very well ventilated so it minimizes heat build-up in your cells which also helps to extend their life.  Its display is also very well laid-out and the UI is easy to learn.

It is a pricey charger, but there isn't a better nimh charger on the market that I know of.  I took the plunge with mine not only because I wanted to be able to use it with the cells I have for my torches, but also because I've converted our entire household over to LSD nimh's now; we don't have a single household device anymore that's using primaries, and we've easily saved the price of the charger and LSD cells in the last year alone because of it.  The only time we use primaries anymore is for emergency back-up and some outdoors/camping types of uses; even then, those devices are loaded with nimh's first, before we break out the L91's, and even then, I also have a simple 'dumb' charger I keep in our camping gear that we can use with an inverter in our car to recharge the nimhs when possible.