Managing Alkaline Batteries

555

555

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Feb 5, 2007
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I use a lot of flashlights and try to stay on top of battery maintenance by limiting the number of flashlights loaded with batteries. Even then I have lights that get ruined from leaking batteries.
Not so much with EDC lights, but more with lights used and kept in areas for convenience or for power outages.

How do you manage Alkaline Batteries.
 
I just bought some battery for my remote control. I read on the package it has a shelf life of 1 year. Can you get some of them and just keep your flashlight close by and put the batteries in when you need them??
 
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Leave the batteries installed and cover the contacts with a ittle tape. When you need the light, remove the tape and reinstall. Works for me. Also, use a Sharpie and write on the battery itself when it was purchased or installed in the device.
 
I keep one drawer for all my batteries and go to that drawer whenever I need some... Also yesterday I went to Radio Shack and bought a bettery tester ...really pleased .... took the guess work out of if the batteries are good or not.
 
555 said:
I use a lot of flashlights and try to stay on top of battery maintenance by limiting the number of flashlights loaded with batteries.

Even then I have lights that get ruined from leaking batteries.
Not so much with EDC lights, but more with lights used and kept in areas for convenience or for power outages.

How do you manage Alkaline Batteries.
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I find that they leak on the end cap seams.
The first thing I do is lube the inside of the flash-light/remote control/ whatever and also the ends of the batteries with a generous coating of Silicone grease - Electrolytic grease, or just plain Vaseline.
If the batteries do leak, they won't corrode the insides of the light and even if the batteries do swell, you can get them out easier.


I also change them once a year and as above, put a note on it with the date and tape it on.
I buy a new battery stash and change them all on a certain date of the year - like the wife's birthday, don't worry she will remind you.
They put best before dates on Energizers and Duracells now so it's easy to rotate them by date.


I keep my extra battery stash in the deep freezer, it slows down the chemical reaction and keeps them fresher longer.
I also know where to find them, no searching, no plundering of the stash by others.

This goes for all alkaline batteries, for every reason.
I have a stash of every battery size, AAA, AA, D, 9 volts and the button batteries for computers, clock timer backups, whatever.
When the blackout or storm hits, you are ready.
Good brands, not the dollar store ones.

New ones in the device and old ones to the disposal.
No drawers full of half good batteries.


The new lithium are supposed to be good for a 10 year shelf life, maybe good for the car, or go bags or something.
High $, so not EDC, but in places where when you want one, you want it to work.
 
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Thank you for the help and ideas in preventing leak damage.

Use Energizer & Duracell the most. Energizer seems to be more prone to leak than Duracell. I also use a multimeter to check for bad or low voltage batteries when installing new ones.

I like the dielectric grease idea, I don't why I didn't think of this since I use it all the time in the shop on everything with and without wheels. ( 555 slaps himself on the head. Duh! :D)

Thanks Rev. I'll put the Tape & Sharpie into action asap.

BTW The most recent battery fail, failed with batteries marked 2013 from the factory in a light that is hardly used.

Off the top of my head counting devices (40+easy) that are loaded with and use this common battery and not counting tools that require these same batteries, no wonder it gets neglected over time.

Thanks again.

-555
 
ive had bad experiences with alkalines leaking... therefore my alkalines are stored outside of electronics and i use sanyo eneloops as they are less prone to leaking (has never leaked on me yet).
 
Jaiofspam said:
ive had bad experiences with alkalines leaking... therefore my alkalines are stored outside of electronics and i use sanyo eneloops as they are less prone to leaking (has never leaked on me yet).
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+1 on the eneloops (you'll recover the cost of the batteries eventually just in the cost of alkalines, sooner if they destroy something pricey)
I use them in everything I can...lithium primaries for back up and everything else
 
I've lost too many aluminum flashlights to leaking alkaline batteries over the years. Haven't lost much of anything else. I think that's because for other items, I use up the batteries before they go bad.

So these days I keep Lithium batteries in my flashlights.
 
Lithiums are the way to go for long term low use and storage devices. The 7 year shelf life helps with the power out situations when you reach into the stash for a light. I also have not had any leak.
 
Jaiofspam said:
ive had bad experiences with alkalines leaking... therefore my alkalines are stored outside of electronics and i use sanyo eneloops as they are less prone to leaking (has never leaked on me yet).
Click to expand...

Yeah, honestly, the best way to manage alkaline batteries is to do without them altogether, except maybe for your TV remotes. Alkalines leak, they have crappy performance in high-drain devices like flashlights, and even worse performance in cold weather. Of couse, that doesn't always work, since lithiums or NiMHs (and the appropriate charger) aren't always available in the size you want, such as C or D, but these days, there's really not much benefit in having large multi-cell flashlights (except as a bludgeon) over smaller multi-level LED lights.
 
My AA lights are lithium only, for this very reason. My 2D LED Mag is the only one that I have to use alkaline cells for.
 
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