[R-390] OT Battery Leakage

[Charles Steinmetz]

Steve wrote:

>Has anyone noticed the quality of alkaline cells these days? They 
>are supposed to have a shelf life of ten years, but some brands leak 
>far before the dc voltage drops off.   *  *  *   I would gladly pay 
>a little more for a leak proof brand. What's a good brand?

I haven't noticed any change -- alkalines have always been prone to 
leakage.  All brands, all types, no exceptions (though some are worse 
than others).  They also outgas something that turns copper alloys 
brown or black, which is painfully evident if you install them in a 
confined space like a waterproof flashlight.  It doesn't matter if 
current is drawn or not (to my observation, it may even be worse if 
no current is drawn, as in an emergency flashlight).

I"ve switched to Energizer "Ultimate" and "Advanced" lithium 
batteries exclusively.  I've never had one leak (knock wood), they 
have higher energy density than alkalines, and they have the added 
benefit of much lower leakage current so they have a much longer 
shelf life.  I still have some "C" cells frozen, but I think all they 
make now are AAA, AA, and 9 volt.  (I use the "C" cells in adapters 
to replace "D" cells in things like multimeters.  You can get 
adapters for AA batteries to replace "C" and "D" batteries.  Because 
of the greater energy density, this often works just fine, certainly 
for low-drain devices such as multimeters and the like.)

Best regards,

Charles