AA and AAA batteries that won’t self destruct?

[Itsjustdirt]

Are there any aa or aaa batteries that won’t explode or leak after a few months of storage in a device? I’m sick of finding half exploded, acid covered batteries in expensive tools, remotes, and other electronics that aren’t used daily. Suggestions?

 

[laser3kw]

straight up batteries or rechargeable?
If rechargeable - what type Lithium? Ni-cad? Unobtainium?

 

[brokeboater]

Standard battery, EBL Lithium:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y64W4G4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Rechargeable, Eneloop. Keep in mind the Eneloop should be charged every six months but the are low discharge so they store well in seldom used appliances:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QVKA0IA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I buy my eneloops on ebay.

 

[JimVonBaden]

My remotes all go for a year or two between battery changes, with no issues at all. I do notice my battery flashlights that I store in the unheated/cooled garage tend to corrode pretty fast though.

 

[dave89iroc]

rayovac industrial

 

[Homerr]

I've got Eneloop batteries from Costco, they seem super stable.

 

[Colin Len]

I've got Eneloop batteries from Costco, they seem super stable.

Been using these for years and love 'em.

 

[PFSard]

Are there any aa or aaa batteries that won’t explode or leak after a few months of storage in a device? I’m sick of finding half exploded, acid covered batteries in expensive tools, remotes, and other electronics that aren’t used daily. Suggestions?

Which brands are exploding or leaking? Mainly Alkaline Duracell for me. Few Alkaline Energizers. No issues with any brand of rechargeables.

 

[Capt. Spaulding]

Look on the major battery carrier websites. They have a list of “leak-proof” batteries and if one of their “leak-proof” batteries does actually leak into a device they will replace the item for free.

Oh and I have had great luck with Li-ion battery and not leaking.

 

[Charlie51]

Ray o Vacs are, for me, the absolute worse. I've had good luck with the ones from Ikea.

 

[Showkey]

Ray o Vacs are, for me, the absolute worse. .

+2 on ^^^^^^^^^

 

[ducksface]

My remotes all go for a year or two between battery changes, with no issues at all. I do notice my battery flashlights that I store in the unheated/cooled garage tend to corrode pretty fast though.

One in 300 maybe for me.
And the only the slightest of white on the terminal.
Not enough to Call it a problem.


Amazon top of the line recharables have taken the place of almost all of our batteries.
Two eight gang chargers, maybe a and aaa 120 batteries. We use c size adapters.


I often wonder why some of us have no problem and some have disasters as common.

Nonrechargeable
There is nothing wrong with hf top line batteries.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Duracell Procells at work and home... no issues.

 

[APEowner]

I use whatever they have at the grocery store. Usually Duracell. In stuff like my borescope that doesn't get used very often I pull the batteries between uses.

 

[d.mcfarland]

rayovac industrial

I feel like I've always had good luck with the industrial ones. Rayovac, Duracell, and Energizer have never had issues.


Duracell I know has a policy that if their battery ruins your device, you send them the receipt and they reimburse you for the damaged goods.

 

[rattle_snake]

For me the heat (100*+ storage) kills all brands, duracell, energizer. Costco brand are worse. Just have to inspect and swap out yearly or less. A hot car interior is 140*. Once one is breached, replace them all in a given device.

Had to toss several mag lights now I buy plastic flash lights that won't corrode.

 

[Capt. Spaulding]

I feel like I've always had good luck with the industrial ones. Rayovac, Duracell, and Energizer have never had issues.


Duracell I know has a policy that if their battery ruins your device, you send them the receipt and they reimburse you for the damaged goods.

They do not offer this service for all their batteries (unless the policy has changed) only specific batteries that are “non-leak”.

 

[zak77]

Tenergy rechargables. I've had pretty good luck with this brand, there were a couple that leaked after they sat for a long time(3 years without use) but otherwise i've been happy with them.

 

[billfires]

Always used Duracells but seem to have problems in LED flashlights that are not used, all sizes from AAA to D's. Even had some expired ones that were out of date for 2 years let go in their package (they were in my late father's box of batteries). Am now trying to keep batteries out of devices that are not being used. Bill C

 

[4xdog]

...I’m sick of finding half exploded, acid covered batteries in expensive tools, remotes, and other electronics that aren’t used daily...

As a minor point, but one that might help remediation, the stuff that leaks from most batteries is alkaline, not acidic. (Hence the name "alkaline battery"...)

Clean up with a q-tip and vinegar works pretty well. You'll be able to see the neutralization reaction fizzing when the two materials contact each other.

My worst luck is with Duracell, by far. I've pitched all the AA Duracells in the house. Just this weekend, though, I had to clean up two pairs of leaking RayOVac and Costco/Kirkland Signature. Almost any disposable has a non-zero risk of leaking. The rechargeable Li-ion do indeed seem *much* better in this respect.

 

[redmondjp]

As a minor point, but one that might help remediation, the stuff that leaks from most batteries is alkaline, not acidic. (Hence the name "alkaline battery"...)

Clean up with a q-tip and vinegar works pretty well. You'll be able to see the neutralization reaction fizzing when the two materials contact each other.

My worst luck is with Duracell, by far. I've pitched all the AA Duracells in the house. Just this weekend, though, I had to clean up two pairs of leaking RayOVac and Costco/Kirkland Signature. Almost any disposable has a non-zero risk of leaking. The rechargeable Li-ion do indeed seem *much* better in this respect.

Exactly my experience as well. As a matter of fact, just last night I was taking the final flashlight out of a Costco 3-pack (daughter going to overnight camp this week), and three of the duracell AAAs in the package had already leaked! To be fair, the package is a couple of years old.

 

[DHCrocks]

If it takes AAA or AA I now put in energizer ulitmate lithium. It costs more but it won't leak and seems to last longer when used in a flashlight in the car glove box which will kill an alkaline. It's also much lighter.

I just wish they made them in D-cell sizes.

 

[srr]

If it takes AAA or AA I now put in energizer ulitmate lithium. It costs more but it won't leak and seems to last longer when used in a flashlight in the car glove box which will kill an alkaline. It's also much lighter.

I just wish they made them in D-cell sizes.

I just started using these, awesome batteries! Seem to last forever in my mini-mags.

 

[redmondjp]

If it takes AAA or AA I now put in energizer ulitmate lithium. It costs more but it won't leak and seems to last longer when used in a flashlight in the car glove box which will kill an alkaline. It's also much lighter.

I just wish they made them in D-cell sizes.

I do this as well. However, you have to be careful of what you leave batteries in. Anything that has a "soft" switch, which doesn't directly turn power on and off, but is a switch input to a microcontroller - that type of device will drain one or all of the batteries left in it over a long period.

I discovered this with some small two-way radios - they use one of the three cells inside to power up the controls, so that one cell always gets drained down after the radios are left in storage for several months, even while turned off.

I also have a couple of headlamps which have this same issue. So now I put the batteries and the device into a ziplock bag, separately.

 

[Citation]

I think basically all alkaline batteries can have issues. If the power draw is low you can do heavy duty batteries. Lower capacity and higher self discharge vs alkaline but no leaks. At the other end the AA lithium primaries (non-rechargeble) are great but expensive. I've just gone for AA low self discharge rechargeables.

 

[plinker]

Most of the lights I use frequently are used enough not to worry about the battery leaking as I change out they batteries often (bi weekly or so, depends).

If I'm concerned about leakage I use Energizer lithium or leave them out if it's a D-cell. Eneloop's are apparently the best rechargables, I've not had any luck with other brands of rechargeable batteries.

For leaking the worst I've had is Duracell with Rayovac not far behind. Energizer is better but not perfect. Rayovac is fairly easy to deal with regarding their leak warranty, I've not used the others. Industrial batteries seem better but I dont trust them.

I dont remember where they came from but about 10 years ago AC Delco branded AA's were nice batteries, dont remember any leaking, made in china, FWIW.

 

[plinker]

Exactly my experience as well. As a matter of fact, just last night I was taking the final flashlight out of a Costco 3-pack (daughter going to overnight camp this week), and three of the duracell AAAs in the package had already leaked! To be fair, the package is a couple of years old.

My dad had a unopened 16 pack of Duracell AAA's leak and they were only a couple months old. They were many years away from the expire date.

 

[goingtoarizona]

I've had Duracells leak on me twice, both times I got a check in the mail after calling them. The last time the batteries were several years expired (look closely and they have a date code). Ever since I take the batteries out of things that don't get used regularly. The rechargeable sound like the way to go though.

 

[Cooter Brown]

For folks in the southeast, most batteries including Energizer lithiums are on sale at Publix supremarkets for 25% off. Four packs of AAs are $5.99.

 

[Motown]

I just bought some Ikea AA rechargeables, to give a try. They are $6.99, for a 4 pack. Their suppose to be relabeld Eneloop's. Fed up with leaking Duracell's.

 

[InsanePyro]

Take one out of tools when not in use but leave it in the case. Thats what I do with my digital torque wrenches

 

[jdoe213]

I haven't put this to the test, but I have been told that if Duracell batteries leak and get stuck in a Maglight, Duracell will replace the light.

 

[Backwodsurvivor]

I'm a huge fan of the red Duracells. I get 6-8 months out of them on my flashlight at work (regular security rounds) and I've never had one leak.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Are there any aa or aaa batteries that won’t explode or leak after a few months of storage in a device? I’m sick of finding half exploded, acid covered batteries in expensive tools, remotes, and other electronics that aren’t used daily. Suggestions?

Unless it's something I use daily, I've switched to the (IIRC Energizer) lithium batteries, and haven't had one swell, fail, or die from sitting unused. Some are on their 5th year. Compared to Duracell coppertops, which seem to last a year and a half. Have a radiation detector for work, they put these in there, 2 years later I have a very expensive piece of scrap electronics.

 

[soloz2]

for regular batteries, I've had pretty good luck with Amazonbasics. I really only use regular batteries in electronics I do not check often, or could be considered throw aways. I use rechargables for everything else, specifically Eneloops or Duracell precharged (which are Eneloop rebrands)

 

[cjs1958]

I just changed batteries in 4 led touch on closet lights that don't get used much. All 4 were installed at the same time and use 2 AA batteries. I had 6 Duracells, that all had leaked bad. The light with 2 Energizers was fine. I have trouble getting any length of life out of rechargeable batteries, Might have to try some different brands

 

[4xdog]

I just changed batteries in 4 led touch on closet lights that don't get used much. All 4 were installed at the same time and use 2 AA batteries. I had 6 Duracells, that all had leaked bad. The light with 2 Energizers was fine...

Probably similar to this photo at my place from Feb 2013, yes?

 

[cjs1958]

Yes, all the duracells looked like that

 

[JimVonBaden]

Probably similar to this photo at my place from Feb 2013, yes?

Time travel is hard on batteries.