Alkaline batteries

[camfused]

I am really tired of throwing alkaline batteries into the landfill. I am just starting to switch to using rechargable lithium batteries (AA and AAA). Unlike NiMh, these are full 1.5 volts. It's too early to tell how long these will last on a charge or how many times I can recharge them. They are pricey, about $5 each, but I am trying to do my bit for our Mother.

From what I have read, don't bother with cheap versions of these. Buy EBL brand, or similar.

 

[Qs Laptop]

I am really tired of throwing alkaline batteries into the landfill. I am just starting to switch to using rechargable lithium batteries (AA and AAA). Unlike NiMh, these are full 1.5 volts. It's too early to tell how long these will last on a charge or how many times I can recharge them. They are pricey, about $5 each, but I am trying to do my bit for our Mother.

From what I have read, don't bother with cheap versions of these. Buy EBL brand, or similar.

Good luck with that. Tried it, didn't work for me.

 

[MBSC]

... they are part of our hurricane preparedness. This past weekend I was cleaning and saw all of the remaining batteries had leaked. The package holds 32 and had 16 still unused. They were stored in a cool humidity controlled area.

I switched to Energizer Ultimate Lithium after having hurricane prep alkalines leak in the package. No problems after 5 years. The package says 20 years shelf life and guaranteed not to leak when stored properly. At the time, I found research saying Lithium was less likely to leak. Studies show they run flashlights longer so you can buy fewer batteries. They are more expensive so the cost balances out.

 

[camfused]

Good luck with that. Tried it, didn't work for me.

Can you please elaborate, before I put a bunch of money into these?

 

[Jerry1]

I am really tired of throwing alkaline batteries into the landfill. I am just starting to switch to using rechargable lithium batteries (AA and AAA). Unlike NiMh, these are full 1.5 volts. It's too early to tell how long these will last on a charge or how many times I can recharge them. They are pricey, about $5 each, but I am trying to do my bit for our Mother.

From what I have read, don't bother with cheap versions of these. Buy EBL brand, or similar.

I’ve never had anything that my rechargeable batteries didn’t run. I use Eneloop NiMH batteries. What type of equipment or condition would require the full 1.5 volts?

 

[gauss]

it's very weird that some are reporting consistent problems with Duracell batteries while I and others have had just the opposite experience. I tend to buy my AAA and AA batteries at Costco, too...larger packs and a good price. Very strange.

I think that Duracell is a very popular brand of battery in the US. Statistically some will leak.

What you may be seeing with the large number of reports of Duracell leaking is a shadow of the sheer number of them out there. Others might leak just as much but with much less presence in the market, less leaking would likely to be reported.

Might make an interesting "Hidden Brain" episode.

-gauss

 

[target2019]

No problems with the standard Duracell packs bought at BJs.

We store then in a cookie tin after spending a day opening the package and visiting nearby emergency room to stop the bleeding.


It could be that the cookie crumbs are keeping them fresh.

 

[jollystomper]

I use alkaline batteries about 80% of the time. I now mainly buy Kirkland brand from Costco, they seem to be the cheapest in bulk, and have never had a leak. I have have Duracell, I can recall one or two leaking after several years. Interestingly, I have never had a leak (Duracell or other brand) in a device in "active" use; almost all were in flashlights that had sat in a drawer and not been used for a while.I am migrating to using rechargeables more.

 

[Sunset]

I've also started to buy flashlights with rechargeable lithium batteries inside, I am hoping they don't leak as my phone and laptop don't leak.

I find they hold a charge for a long time and can be recharged via a usb cable. Some are incredibly bright, one turns night into daylight it's so bright, it's 2,000 Lumen

 

[Qs Laptop]

Can you please elaborate, before I put a bunch of money into these?

I bought some of the highest rated rechargeable batteries along with a highly rated charger (with lots of charging rate options, LCD readouts, auto shutoff, etc.) If I recall correctly the charger cost $34.99 and was for AA and AAA sizes only.

I used them in kid's toys, remote controls, flashlights, etc.

The batteries worked pretty good for about a year or so. However, after a while the batteries would not last very long. I was careful to charge them at a relatively low rate and not use the fast charge feature. I would guess the batteries lasted maybe 20-25 charges? Eventually they wouldn't last more than a day or two after charging, even if I wasn't putting a load on them. This was perhaps 2 to 2 1/2 years after I bought them. I would guesstimate I had over $150 invested, including the charger.

This was 15 years ago so maybe the tech has improved.

 

[MichaelB]

I think that Duracell is a very popular brand of battery in the US. Statistically some will leak.

What you may be seeing with the large number of reports of Duracell leaking is a shadow of the sheer number of them out there. Others might leak just as much but with much less presence in the market, less leaking would likely to be reported.

Might make an interesting "Hidden Brain" episode.

-gauss

In my case there were 16 batteries remaining in a 32 pack and all of them leaked. I don’t know if batteries are like apples in that one bad one will ruin the lot. If not, I think it goes beyond statistical fluke.

After reading the many responses I’m going to find a way to move all our battery needs to rechargeable.

 

[braumeister]

Wow! I have never seen an entire package leak like that. Must have been a bad batch.

Out of curiosity, what was the "best before" date on them?

One other thing -- I have had a lot more leakage problems with Eveready batteries than any other brand, so I tend to stay away from them.

 

[Alan]

I’ve never had anything that my rechargeable batteries didn’t run. I use Eneloop NiMH batteries. What type of equipment or condition would require the full 1.5 volts?

Nest smoke/CO alarms. Take 6 AA batteries and rechargeable just won’t do and alkaline batteries last only a few weeks. Has to be Lithium batteries unfortunately. They do last at least 6 months.

 

[REWahoo]

FWIW, BIL spent his engineering career working for Eveready. He stores his alkaline batteries in his refrigerator until he needs them.

 

[jimbee]

Nest smoke/CO alarms. Take 6 AA batteries and rechargeable just won’t do and alkaline batteries last only a few weeks. Has to be Lithium batteries unfortunately. They do last at least 6 months.

Yep, they probably have a wifi transceiver. The energy usage increases a lot when the wifi is active, lithium primary cells handle that much better than alkaline or NiMH.

 

[Freedom56]

You can buy rechargeable alkaline batteries also. However they also leak. They also required a different type of charger. Low discharge NiMH batteries have worked the best for us.

 

[MichaelB]

Wow! I have never seen an entire package leak like that. Must have been a bad batch.

Out of curiosity, what was the "best before" date on them?

2023

 

[MBSC]

The batteries worked pretty good for about a year or so. However, after a while the batteries would not last very long. I was careful to charge them at a relatively low rate and not use the fast charge feature. I would guess the batteries lasted maybe 20-25 charges? Eventually they wouldn't last more than a day or two after charging, even if I wasn't putting a load on them. This was perhaps 2 to 2 1/2 years after I bought them. I would guesstimate I had over $150 invested, including the charger.

This was 15 years ago so maybe the tech has improved.

Here is a recent review of Li-ion rechargeables supporting your results.

Updated August 31, 2022

None of the Li-ion batteries we tested passed muster in our long-term capacity tests—their performance had plummeted by the 50th charge cycle—but their measured voltage averaged well above 1.5 V, making them suitable for any device that needs the extra power. In general, NiMH batteries start out at 1.5 V but quickly drop down to 1.2 V while in use...

Our lithium AA picks’ short-term capacity measurements were promising, and they even slightly exceeded their listed capacity ratings at first. However, like all the Li-ion batteries we tested, their long-term capacity measurements were dismal. The black EBL batteries averaged 2,411 mAh after three charge/discharge cycles and 752 mAh after 50 cycles (a 69% drop), whereas the red EBL batteries averaged 2,360 mAh early on and 596 mAh long term (falling 75%).

Our Li-ion AAA picks—the black-labeled EBL Li-ion AAA 900 mWh and the red-labeled EBL Li-ion AAA 1,200 mWh—are the miniature versions of our Li-ion AA picks. Like their larger siblings, they exceeded expectations in our short-term capacity tests, with the black ones retaining 934 mAh on average after three charge/discharge cycles and the red ones averaging 1,192 mAh. Both performed abysmally in our long-term tests (which, again, was disappointing but in line with the performance of other Li-ion batteries we tested), averaging just 244 mAh (a 74% decline) and 241 mAh (an 80% drop), respectively, after 50 charge/discharge cycles.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-rechargeable-batteries/

 

[NW-Bound]

I never heard of rechargeable lithium cells in AA format. And I did not know there was a lithium chemistry that put out 1.5V.

Well, there's lithium iron disulfide chemistry that puts out 1.5V, but that is not rechargeable.

So, a quick look on the Web shows me that, son of a gun, they turn a regular 3.6-4.2V rechargeable lithium-ion cell into a 1.5V cell by embedding miniature electronics to do the DC-DC conversion. And the electronic circuit also provides charging/discharging protection function of a BMS (battery management system).

And here's a guy who tested several brands to see which ones have the longest run time.

 

[Global Wizzo]

Just a quick suggestion. The chemistry for Alkaline vs the Heavy Duty is different. The HD types tend to dry out and not leak. The Alkaline batteries build pressure and leak. For items that will have batteries for a long time or be stored, avoid the Alkaline types. If you use it frequently and wear out the batteries, ether works.

The Alkaline batteries tend to have a higher output before it falls off. The HD may not have as flat of voltage curve.

Hope this helps.

 

[youbet]

I’ve pretty much has it with these Duracell batteries, too many devices (mostly remotes) have been damaged over the years.

I'd contact Warren Buffet directly.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

I suspect that there's a lot of randomness in battery reliability. They are all made in China by one or two plants, who knows.

For what it's worth, recently I reported on finding a 9V alkaline battery with a date of 2010 in my garage door opener keypad. The keypad stopped working 2 months ago. The long life of the battery knocked my socks off.

When I measured the voltage it was still putting out 4V. Absolutely no sign of leakage. And the battery may be manufactured 2-3 years before its printed date. So, that's 14 years of service.

The brand is Rayovac - Infinity Gold. Who knows if new cells are still made the same way.

My son did a science experiment when he was 8 or so. Rayovac brand always outlasted energizer, Duracell, and a generic.
This was 30 years ago though.

 

[djdawson]

I've had so many Duracell batteries leak over the years that I've switched over to Energizer and have not had a single one leak yet in the few years since I made the switch. I do use some Eneloop NiMH rechargeables. They are only 1.2v but that's seldom a problem, though I did have one device that explicitly said not to use NiMH batteries because of the lower voltage (I don't remember what that device was). One issue I have noticed just a couple times with them, however, is that they have a slightly larger diameter than alkalines, so the fit can be too snug in some devices, such as small flashlights. And, they do gradually lose their capacity over time, but the few years that takes generally makes it worth it.

 

[Koolau]

Most of the batteries we use are rechargeable, but we do have a store of alkaline for emergency use. We get the large packs from Costco - they are part of our hurricane preparedness. This past weekend I was cleaning and saw all of the remaining batteries had leaked. The package holds 32 and had 16 still unused. They were stored in a cool humidity controlled area.

I’ve pretty much has it with these Duracell batteries, too many devices (mostly remotes) have been damaged over the years. Is this a problem affecting all the battery manufacturers or is it worse with some - like Duracell? Are there any alkaline batteries that are less likely to malfunction and leak?

If Costco batteries leak - take 'em back. I've done that and will again. I like to keep a bunch on hand but they barely last a couple of years without leaking in the original package. They are supposedly good for 10 years. Not so much.

 

[Luvtoride]

No problems with the standard Duracell packs bought at BJs.

We store then in a cookie tin after spending a day opening the package and visiting nearby emergency room to stop the bleeding.


It could be that the cookie crumbs are keeping them fresh.

For storing batteries you can’t beat The Battery Daddy. Holds 180 batteries, in a convenient and compact case. Also includes a battery tester that works very well.

I gave these to each of my SILs 2 years ago for the holidays (my grandkids go thru battery operated toys and devices like crazy) filled with batteries I bought at Costco. I also have 2 myself that I keep at each of our homes. I always have the right battery handy and the batteries haven’t leaked in 2 years of storing them.

They are available everywhere….Home Depot, Bed Bath, Costco, Amazon and are only about $15.