Alkaline Battery Failures

[Peanut]

Like many I keep alkaline batteries in the house. I go through quiet a few over the course of a year since I supply 2 households. Since I keep so many batteries of different sizes I bought an organizer for them. Almost all are duracell which are advertised as having a 10yr shelf life. They even come with an expiration date on each battery.

I’ve had a rash of battery failures in the last few weeks. Tonight I found 3 more failures.

Pertinate data…

1) storage rm has a year round constant temp of 62 degrees. Gets no direct sunlight and is below grade. Humidity around 45%.

2) expiration date… 2031. Which means I bought these batteries in 2021.

3) I opened this case a week ago and got AAA's out of it. Everything looked fine.

4) so far the failures are only AAA and AA batteries.

5) excreted liquid is water soluble, clear and feels greasy. Turns white shortly after failure.

This liquid is different than the liquid from batteries in recent years. It feels and looks different. It reminds me of crystallized sugar. Even the white color is different, more of a bright white than off white color of years ago.

Anyone else having issues?

I went through all my stored batteries tonight. I also have C & D cells stored in a plastic ammo can with cardboard dividers. I intend to check all of them every week for the foreseeable future.

 

[Bacpacker]

A guy I work with pointed out he had been seeing failures with Duracell batteries, most AA and AAA sizes. And all had leakage from them. I started watching mine and have saw the same thing. I've started replacing with energizer brand mostly. But trying some others too for comparison.

 

[Hardcalibres]

I gave up on Duraleaks about a decade or so ago.

My batteries now are:

1. Panasonic Eneloops (mostly the white ones) - which are actually a 1.2V battery
2. Energizer Lithium - genuine 1.5V
3. Li Ion USB Rechargeables - which are recent and expensive - but have the edge over eneloops in being a real 1.5V battery

 

[Peanut]

A guy I work with pointed out he had been seeing failures with Duracell batteries, most AA and AAA sizes. And all had leakage from them. I started watching mine and have saw the same thing. I've started replacing with energizer brand mostly. But trying some others too for comparison.

Well, that rules out problems with local businesses or my storage methods.

Seems to be an issue with duracell. I've used their consumable batteries for 20yrs at least. Never had a problem with them until now.

I think I noticed the first failure in early nov but it was just singles. No big deal, batteries go bad from time to time. I didn't check the expiration dates. Didn't see the need. I go through a lot of batteries. Seems every couple or 3 years I buy at least 100 batteries of various sizes. I was running low on AAA's and had been thinking I should buy more.

But I've had 5 bad batteries in the last 10 days. I checked tonight's failures closely. Now that I know others are having an issue...

 

[Supervisor42]

Like many I keep alkaline batteries in the house. I go through quiet a few over the course of a year since I supply 2 households. Since I keep so many batteries of different sizes I bought an organizer for them. Almost all are duracell which are advertised as having a 10yr shelf life. They even come with an expiration date on each battery.

I’ve had a rash of battery failures in the last few weeks. Tonight I found 3 more failures.

Pertinate data…

1) storage rm has a year round constant temp of 62 degrees. Gets no direct sunlight and is below grade. Humidity around 45%.

2) expiration date… 2031. Which means I bought these batteries in 2021.

3) I opened this case a week ago and got AAA's out of it. Everything looked fine.

4) so far the failures are only AAA and AA batteries.

5) excreted liquid is water soluble, clear and feels greasy. Turns white shortly after failure.

This liquid is different than the liquid from batteries in recent years. It feels and looks different. It reminds me of crystallized sugar. Even the white color is different, more of a bright white than off white color of years ago.

Anyone else having issues?

I went through all my stored batteries tonight. I also have C & D cells stored in a plastic ammo can with cardboard dividers. I intend to check all of them every week for the foreseeable future.

View attachment 170702View attachment 170703View attachment 170704

I abandoned alkaline in AAA and AA and went with lithium only, years ago.
Yes, they are hella expensive, but I just hold my breath and chant: "I'm worth it ".
If you calculate their runtime, they aren't that much more expensive.
I just wish they made lithium "D" batteries. (And no, I wouldn't care if they were $10 each ).
My soldiers standing by:

 

[Hardcalibres]

I abandoned alkaline in AAA and AA and went with lithium only, years ago.
Yes, they are hella expensive, but I just hold my breath and chant: "I'm worth it ".
If you calculate their runtime, they aren't that much more expensive.
I just wish they made lithium "D" batteries. (And no, I wouldn't care if they were $10 each).
My soldiers standing by:
View attachment 170709

You can get Li Ion rechargeable D cells (1.5V) that charge by USB cable on Ebay.

They are expensive, but cheaper than any non-rechargeable over time.

I use them in my battery rotisserie for campfire spit cooking. They have been doing well.

I recharge them using foldable solar blankets.....that makes them part of my INCH gear.

Just because the world has come to an end does not mean I have to give up good barbecue.

 

[Caribou]

I had a Costco card of AA’s go bad on me. I emailed Duracel and they sent me a coupon for more batteries. It more than covered my loss.

 

[Peanut]

I had a Costco card of AA’s go bad on me. I emailed Duracel and they sent me a coupon for more batteries. It more than covered my loss.

Did some reading on the net... someone did the same as you. My problem is I don't know where are when I bought these. Or if the failed batteries were purchased at the same time or place.

I'm sure they have markings for lot numbers etc. but I tossed the other batteries. I'm saving these last 3 failures. If I get more maybe they can be traced. A refund would be nice. I'd settle for a coupon, as long as they pay for the failures I'll keep using them.

 

[Caribou]

Did some reading on the net... someone did the same as you. My problem is I don't know where are when I bought these. Or if the failed batteries were purchased at the same time or place.

I'm sure they have markings for lot numbers etc. but I tossed the other batteries. I'm saving these last 3 failures. If I get more maybe they can be traced. A refund would be nice. I'd settle for a coupon, as long as they pay for the failures I'll keep using them.

I bought the batteries at Costco. Costco would not accept the coupon so I had to get my batteries elsewhere. I don’t think that where you bought your batteries matters.

 

[Supervisor42]

I bought the batteries at Costco. Costco would not accept the coupon so I had to get my batteries elsewhere. I don’t think that where you bought your batteries matters.

Calculate in $5/hr for your labor and see what the 'free' replacement batteries cost you...
I figure that in because changing batteries is a PIA for me. My time is worth money to me.
Also, if a lithium lasts 4X as long as an alkaline battery, but costs 3X as much, is is really more expensive??

 

[Caribou]

Calculate in $5/hr for your labor and see what the 'free' replacement batteries cost you...
I figure that in because changing batteries is a PIA for me. My time is worth money to me.
Also, if a lithium lasts 4X as long as an alkaline battery, but costs 3X as much, is is really more expensive??

I probably spent half an hour sending the email. The wife bought new batteries as part of her regular shopping. The batteries had to be replaced anyway. I didn’t make much of a profit but I didn’t suffer a loss. It probably paid for the wife's gas. If I had no response from the email I’d have dropped it and eaten the cost of the batteries. As it is I got a reasonable response. I’ll keep buying their batteries.

I may look into buying lithium batteries after reading your post #5. Lately I’ve been buying flashlights with rechargeable 18650 LI-PO batteries.

 

[Supervisor42]

I probably spent half an hour sending the email. The wife bought new batteries as part of her regular shopping. The batteries had to be replaced anyway. I didn’t make much of a profit but I didn’t suffer a loss. It probably paid for the wife's gas. If I had no response from the email I’d have dropped it and eaten the cost of the batteries. As it is I got a reasonable response. I’ll keep buying their batteries.

I may look into buying lithium batteries after reading your post #5. Lately I’ve been buying flashlights with rechargeable 18650 LI-PO batteries.

I have been a big fan of the 18650 and 16340 batteries for years and have worked thahell out of them! (Both rechargeable)
Those super-bright spotlights and 250mw lasers on my rifles give them a big workout.