Battery leakage on Mag-light

S

Saberman

Joined
Nov 14, 2000
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I was just cleaning out my the trunk of my car and came across my 6 d-cell mag-light. Thinking it was cool to find it again I tried it out. It didn't work. So checking out the batteries, I find them stuck in the body due to the fact the batteries have leaked :mad: I've tried lots of ways of getting them out.

I was wondering if anyone may have some sugestions for me? Help please.
 
I wish I could.......my 4D is apparently so corroded I can't even get the endcap off. I've kept it sitting on a towel on top of my dryer for probably a year now, giving it a shot of penetrating oil occasionally and working the cap with a pair of channel-locks!!

Larry S.
 
Mag-lites are a thing of the past. I tossed all of mine for the same reason Larry states. I had some 6D's, 4C's, and about 1/2 dozen Mini's. I got rid of them all once I discovered Surefires.
 
I can make a suggestion for corroded threads and frozen parts Look for an aerosol penetrant with the name of "PB Blaster" at most auto parts stores. I know of one more rust/corrosion penetrant that works every time BUT you must flush the affected surfaces upon separation. Plain old brake fluid! It will attact plastics in a heartbeat and some rubber products also. I say this since the reflector is plastic and the bulb bulkhead is plastic also. For extracting corroded batteries I use a homemade mini slide hammer with a coarse threaded screw at the business end , just thread it in (following proper safety practices) and pull one ,then in to the next and on it is usually one cell that puked its guts, murphys law says it will be the other end your working on. To clean out the barrel after the batteries are out use a brake hone with a long shank and some penetrant for lube. Don't go overboard they are not that thick.
 
Yeah, but a (2)123 light won't smack somebody like a 6D cell will. .

It's been ages since I've gotten batteries stuck in something. Maybe you could vibrate them loose, like on a paint can shaker or something?? Maybe drill into them and pull them out that way??
 
From what I've heard, Maglight's warranty will cover you. Probably just replace it. Shipping a 6D Maglight (with the 6 D's in there) might cost as much as a new light though.
 
How about if you remove the head and the switch? Then you'll have a tube that's open at both ends so you can drive the batteries out.

Pull the rubber boot off the button and you'll see a kind of nut -- which kind depends on how old it is, but either way see if you can unscrew it. Once you remove that the switch is free to come out.
 
Thanks guys. I'm going to try Cougar's idea. Just take it all apart and see what happens. I have some 123 lights but they just don't have the heft when you need it....
 
I had some Energizers leak in a 2-AA cell Maglight once, maybe five years ago.

I sent the flashlight with the batteries still stuck in it back to Energizer (they have a waranty). I really honestly didn't expect to receive anything.

About two weeks later, I got a check for the full manufacturer's suggested retail for the flashlight (which is like $19.95 plus some amount like $10 for postage) and also a letter explaining that this was a known defect in some 2-AA Cell Maglights. Maglight had made a whole bunch of these to short so that they put pressure on the batteries in excess of specification causing the batteries to leak. According to the letter, Maglight had reached an agreement with the major battery manufacturers and, while the check was actually from Energizer for customer-convenience, Maglight was actually paying the bill.

I had originally received the flashlight for free as some sort of advertizing promotion. And I mailed it via the slowest service for like three bucks. So, I made out pretty good on that deal.
 
The ones I have had leak also had Energizers batteries. Is it just these batteries that leaked??



Blades
 
I have had Duracell's, Rayovac's, Energizer's, and no names leak.
 
All the battery manufacturers (except the brands you never heard of, possibly) are willing to replace any device their batteries ruin with leakage, but I've always found I could clean up the corrosion with a few minutes work and I've always preferred that to sending it off and waiting. Maybe I've just never encountered really bad corrosion.... Anyway you'll have to get the batteries out to see what brand they are.
 
I got the batteries out, but the switch and the lamp housing were all ugly too.

Had to get another one, just for the heft factor ;)

Alex
 
Cougar Allen said:
How about if you remove the head and the switch? Then you'll have a tube that's open at both ends so you can drive the batteries out.

Pull the rubber boot off the button and you'll see a kind of nut -- which kind depends on how old it is, but either way see if you can unscrew it. Once you remove that the switch is free to come out.
Click to expand...
The switch comes out the bottom (at least all of them that I've seen), although I think the newer models come out the top. So it should still work, but you will have to remove the lamp assembly and pound on the bulb post so it can push out the batteries through the end. You'll need an allen wrench to remove the switch. You have to stick the wrench down the middle of the nut and loosen the screw at the other end. It's a 5/64 size Allen wrench. And don't forget to put the switch in the on position or it won't drop out.

All my Mags have been converted to LED. You can put a 5 watt LED in a 6D Mag and direct drive it off the 6 D batteries. For the most part, though, I've been going with a 3D conversion with the Lux III LEDs which work really well and are easy to do. Check out this thread on CPF for instructions on how to mod a Mag as well as disassembly isntructions.
 
Yeah, the only Mag I have that's not LED is my old Solitare. It's nice to not have to worry about the bulb when you're smacking the flashlight around. .
 
MAG Instruments use to have an agreement with certain battery mfgs. I sent in my Maglite with bad Duracells and they sent me a new Maglite. Call them.
 
Funny this topic is being brought up. About a month ago I was at my parents house helping them strip out my old room so they can remodel it. I took apart my brother's and mine old bunkbeds apart and found wedged between the bed and wall my old 3D maglite. Now I hadn't seen this light since I was in high school (I graduated in '95). Naturally I pushed the button to see if it worked and it did! I opened it up to inspect it and there was no corrosion inside at all.
The batteries were energizer. I was pretty suprised that there was no corrosion after almost 10 years.

Jamie
 
Blades said:
The ones I have had leak also had Energizers batteries. Is it just these batteries that leaked??
Click to expand...

As I understand the problem, Maglight was making the flashlights a fraction of an inch to short. As a result, when you screwed 'em shut, they applied more compression force to the batteries than the official spec for a AA cell battery (probably an EIA specification) allows. So, it was all battery manufacturers.

It was not the battery manufacturers' fault.

The problem was so prevelant, that Maglight had agreed with all the major battery manufacturers to just handle the problem through them.
 
I just remembered--even if Mag doesn't cover it, I think a lot of times the battery manufacturer will. That is, if you can figure out what kind of batts are in there.
 
Years ago I worked at a liquor store and we kept a big beat up Maglite behind the counter. I needed a flashlight one night so I pulled it out and, of course, find that the batteries are past the leaking stage - they're just powder. I was going to try to clean it out and fix it but the owner grabbed it and set it back on top of the bags. That's when the light came on inside my head and I realized that the Mag wasn't there for light. That was in the early or mid '80s. It's probably still sitting back there with more dents in the barrel.
 
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