Is it safe to store AA/AAA batteries reversed inside devices?

[809]

Example: I have LED flashlight that takes 1xAA battery. The battery I'm using is Ni-MH (Eneloop type). I don't use this flashlight often and the switch is on the tailcap that could accidentally turn on while I'm moving stuff AROUND the flashlight.

Is reversing the battery a safe way to store it?

 

[Lwel9226]

no....

LW

 

[landrover bodger]

take the battery out as it can still leak

 

[HenryAZ]

take the battery out as it can still leak

Or use Lithium primaries. They do not leak, and have a long shelf life when not being drawn on.

 

[GeoBruin]

Most (not all) flashlights with such a tail switch mechanism have a tail cap which, if unscrewed a half turn or so, will effectively lock out the circuit. It's easy to do and easy to undo. Try it.

 

[shadowen]

Just to elaborate a bit: when you reverse a battery like suggested, depending on the circuit design it may do one or more of the following:
1. Do nothing because the circuit was designed with that in mind to protect itself and you (the device likely won't work)
2. Damage the circuit components (sometimes in a dangerous way)
3. Rapidly discharge and/or damage the battery (also, sometimes in a dangerous way)

Don't do this, don't risk your device and your own safety.

 

[barrysuperhawk]

For all of the items that I store batteries in, I use a bit of electrical tape on each battery to isolate contacts. A bit of cardboard would also work for anything that you can guarantee won't get wet.

 

[5ubtle]

take the battery out as it can still leak

Do you have experience of NiMH batteries leaking? Sure, alkaline batteries leak, but I've never known a MiMH to leak. A Google search suggests that it does happen, but it seems very unlikely.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Reversing the batteries can cause damage to electronics, and may encourage leaking. It's bet to remove them, or in the case of flashlights, you may be able to unscrew the tail-cap enough to prevent contact.

All alkaline batteries will leak, but Duracell and Rayovac are more prone to leakage than Energizer. I've seen Rayovacs leaking while still on the store shelves.

It's rare for NiMH to leak, same with Energizer Lithium batteries. Those are generally better options than alkaline. Good NiMH batteries can hold a charge for a good while, and are generally safe to use. Energizer Lithiums are not rechargeable, but are great for high drain device, and devices that sit for long periods of time without being used.

For things like remote controls, and clocks, use Carbon Zinc batteries. They are great for low drain devices and last a long time, and are less prone leak. Plus they are cheap. You can often find them at dollar stores.

 

[MarvinBerry]

No not safe.

I'm in the habit of once a year rounding up all the flashlights & changing batteries. Primary lamps see more changes but all the random stuff that doesn't get used all the time? Those are the target.

 

[landrover bodger]

Do you have experience of NiMH batteries leaking? Sure, alkaline batteries leak, but I've never known a MiMH to leak. A Google search suggests that it does happen, but it seems very unlikely.

i just don't trust any batteries not to leak. it's easier to just take them out.

 

[Lassen Forge]

IIRC when the Lithium batteries leak, they do so in rather catastrophic fashion... as it's all the electricity leaking out at once, making things a little, um, warm...

 

[BlackHorseSaga]

Or use Lithium primaries. They do not leak, and have a long shelf life when not being drawn on.

I would avoid the Energizer Lithiums. I have about 16 of them sitting in delicate devices, and randomly they just short out. They don't appear to leak, but I made Energizer send me about $50 in replacement batteries because it happens so often.

Virtually zero voltage on the battery when checked.

 

[barrysuperhawk]

I would avoid the Energizer Lithiums. I have about 16 of them sitting in delicate devices, and randomly they just short out. They don't appear to leak, but I made Energizer send me about $50 in replacement batteries because it happens so often.

Virtually zero voltage on the battery when checked.

Part of that is actually all lithium batteries act that way. They run it full output until they're dead and then **** they go down to next to no voltage. It takes a lot of effort to pull too many amps out of them to actually make them vent but I was able to get some Energizer double A's to catastrophically vent in a Chinese led headlamp with faulty electronics. Lithium is no joke and allegedly one of the byproducts of a catastrophic lithium battery failure is hydrogen fluoride, which is super nasty stuff.

So with the caveat that you should test your electronics to make sure that they're not defective before you plug lithium batteries into them The blue lithiums are the only ones that I use. Just understand that their power curve drops off a cliff when they're done for, it's not a easy linear gradual transition like it would be in an alkaline battery it's 100% 100% 100% 0%.

 

[Wrench97]

No.............

 

[byoungblood]

Best course of action to take with alkaline batteries in a device that isn't going to be used in some time is just to remove the batteries. In the case of some of my old voltmeters, I just don't install them at all since I don't use the ohmmeters on them.

Remembering to do so is another issue...

 

[n8n]

take the battery out as it can still leak

I've never had a NiMH leak. In fact I use them 100% in place of alkalines now because all alkalines seem to leak anymore. In fact I throw out new ones that come with remote controls, had the ones for my new TV remote leak before the batteries died. I don't know why they're such garbage anymore but they are.

 

[BlackHorseSaga]

Part of that is actually all lithium batteries act that way. They run it full output until they're dead and then **** they go down to next to no voltage. It takes a lot of effort to pull too many amps out of them to actually make them vent but I was able to get some Energizer double A's to catastrophically vent in a Chinese led headlamp with faulty electronics. Lithium is no joke and allegedly one of the byproducts of a catastrophic lithium battery failure is hydrogen fluoride, which is super nasty stuff.

So with the caveat that you should test your electronics to make sure that they're not defective before you plug lithium batteries into them The blue lithiums are the only ones that I use. Just understand that their power curve drops off a cliff when they're done for, it's not a easy linear gradual transition like it would be in an alkaline battery it's 100% 100% 100% 0%.

These are new batteries just sitting in a device, not being used. In this case Snap-on ATECH Torque Wrenches (five of them). The batteries are at full power new, don't get used for a few months, and when you pull out the torque wrench to use it one of the three batteries has failed. Other two are at full voltage. Also, when used the voltage on these batteries is still relatively linear.

I assume the batteries with zero charge leaked internally and shorted, but whatever outer protective element keeps them from leaking into devices was working. Had Energizer batteries leak into one of these torque wrenches prior to using the Lithiums (the MAX batteries that also aren't supposed to leak) and had to send it back to Snap-on for repair because it welded the brass cap at the rear to the entire battery compartment.

In any case, I've seen this occur in almost 20-30 AA Energizer Lithium batteries. Considering what they cost it's pretty piss poor quality. I would be irked but I made Energizer pay for them, and then some, so I'm way ahead.

 

[RalphInCA]

For devices that I don’t use often I simply store the device with the battery out inside a plastic Ziploc bag.

That way I’ve got the device, the associated battery, and if it does leak it won’t damage the device.

Easy Peezy

 

[barrysuperhawk]

These are new batteries just sitting in a device, not being used. In this case Snap-on ATECH Torque Wrenches (five of them). The batteries are at full power new, don't get used for a few months, and when you pull out the torque wrench to use it one of the three batteries has failed. Other two are at full voltage. Also, when used the voltage on these batteries is still relatively linear.

I assume the batteries with zero charge leaked internally and shorted, but whatever outer protective element keeps them from leaking into devices was working. Had Energizer batteries leak into one of these torque wrenches prior to using the Lithiums (the MAX batteries that also aren't supposed to leak) and had to send it back to Snap-on for repair because it welded the brass cap at the rear to the entire battery compartment.

In any case, I've seen this occur in almost 20-30 AA Energizer Lithium batteries. Considering what they cost it's pretty piss poor quality. I would be irked but I made Energizer pay for them, and then some, so I'm way ahead.

Nevermind, sorry.

 

[whateg01]

I guarantee somehow you're getting some parasitic draw out of that setup that's draining those batteries. Either that or there's some issues between batteries themselves.

I don't know how the batteries are arranged in that particular item, if they're stacked kind of like you would see in a maglite flashlight then you probably have one battery that is either significantly stronger or significantly weaker than the rest and it's trying to charge the others. I'm probably not describing that very well but that's why it's always a bad idea to mix new and old batteries. For something like this it might be worth checking each battery when you put it in to make sure that they're all within .01v of each other.

The same thing applies with the side by side style of installation except that it is an outside possibility that it might be wired in such a way that there is a parasitic draw on one or more of the cells, possibly to support a soft power on if the switch isn't a full mechanical switch, it's always drawing just a little bit of power so it knows to respond when you push the button.

Again I'm probably not describing this as well as its possible to. Basically the short part of what's already a long post is that regular lithium batteries can also work about like their their rechargeable counterparts in that they have to be fairly closely matched or they will interact with each other.

For the Energizer lithiums if you have one that is at say 1.78 and then a couple that are at 1.82 or even 1.84, that's not close enough and those batteries will screw with each other. And the more batteries that are contained within the item the worst the problem gets.

Standard alkaline batteries can also have the same type of a problem but it's much less and much harder to pick up on because they're so weak by comparison. The good news is any of those options will also be helped by the same little bit of electrical tape.

Batteries in series do not try to charge one another!

 

[danski0224]

I take the battery out of the device.

Except for the lithium ones, they all seem to leak, and if I'm lucky, not destroy the device in the process.

I see above that the lithium ones can have issues too. I just don't have many of those.

 

[BlackHorseSaga]

I guarantee somehow you're getting some parasitic draw out of that setup that's draining those batteries. Either that or there's some issues between batteries themselves.

I don't know how the batteries are arranged in that particular item, if they're stacked kind of like you would see in a maglite flashlight then you probably have one battery that is either significantly stronger or significantly weaker than the rest and it's trying to charge the others. I'm probably not describing that very well but that's why it's always a bad idea to mix new and old batteries. For something like this it might be worth checking each battery when you put it in to make sure that they're all within .01v of each other.

The same thing applies with the side by side style of installation except that it is an outside possibility that it might be wired in such a way that there is a parasitic draw on one or more of the cells, possibly to support a soft power on if the switch isn't a full mechanical switch, it's always drawing just a little bit of power so it knows to respond when you push the button.

Again I'm probably not describing this as well as its possible to. Basically the short part of what's already a long post is that regular lithium batteries can also work about like their their rechargeable counterparts in that they have to be fairly closely matched or they will interact with each other.

For the Energizer lithiums if you have one that is at say 1.78 and then a couple that are at 1.82 or even 1.84, that's not close enough and those batteries will screw with each other. And the more batteries that are contained within the item the worst the problem gets.

Standard alkaline batteries can also have the same type of a problem but it's much less and much harder to pick up on because they're so weak by comparison. The good news is any of those options will also be helped by the same little bit of electrical tape.

You don't listen, and I'm not used to repeating myself over something very simple.

Three batteries. All three are brand new when placed into device. Time passes. Now two are at 1.85 volts. One at 0.00 volts. One failed. Two didn't. No parasitic draw will cause one battery in a series to have 0 volts.

Replace the defective battery, no further issue months down the road. Until you need to replace all the batteries and start over.

Multiple devices. Same situation as above. Rinse/Repeat. Always a few dead shorts out of ten (say 3).

Batteries are garbage for $8.00 / 4 a package. Would not recommend.

Have thrown out over 20 of them for dead shorts showing 0.00 (close to it) voltage.

Clear enough now?

I've also had their 9V batteries do the exact same thing. One day they work (new) and week or two weeks later they're just 0.00 volts. Replace with a non-defective one, and it can sit in the same device for a year.

Somehow the batteries are just shorting themselves out.

 

[GaryM909]

My wife and I just pulled out a large Rubbermaid bin from our crawlspace full of baby toys. Son and his wife are expecting. They were stored for over 25 years without taking any of the batteries out. There was about 20 AA batteries that were all dead and 4 leaked. I cleaned the leakage with an old toothbrush and a little vinegar. No damage done at all.
Last year I had to throw out a couple Mag lights because I couldn't even get the batteries out. One was D cell Duracell and the other was AA Home Depot brand. I don't even know why I saved them to begin with since I changed to rechargeable Streamlights.

 

[n8n]

My wife and I just pulled out a large Rubbermaid bin from our crawlspace full of baby toys. Son and his wife are expecting. They were stored for over 25 years without taking any of the batteries out. There was about 20 AA batteries that were all dead and 4 leaked. I cleaned the leakage with an old toothbrush and a little vinegar. No damage done at all.
Last year I had to throw out a couple Mag lights because I couldn't even get the batteries out. One was D cell Duracell and the other was AA Home Depot brand. I don't even know why I saved them to begin with since I changed to rechargeable Streamlights.

That's actually pretty good. Guess the quality actually was better 25 years ago. I've had alkalines that have best before dates leak several years before they technically expired.

 

[barrysuperhawk]

You don't listen, and I'm not used to repeating myself over something very simple.

Three batteries. All three are brand new when placed into device. Time passes. Now two are at 1.85 volts. One at 0.00 volts. One failed. Two didn't. No parasitic draw will cause one battery in a series to have 0 volts.

Replace the defective battery, no further issue months down the road. Until you need to replace all the batteries and start over.

Multiple devices. Same situation as above. Rinse/Repeat. Always a few dead shorts out of ten (say 3).

Batteries are garbage for $8.00 / 4 a package. Would not recommend.

Have thrown out over 20 of them for dead shorts showing 0.00 (close to it) voltage.

Clear enough now?

I've also had their 9V batteries do the exact same thing. One day they work (new) and week or two weeks later they're just 0.00 volts. Replace with a non-defective one, and it can sit in the same device for a year.

Somehow the batteries are just shorting themselves out.

Ok, I am truly not trying to argue with you, but I did read what you wrote, and based on my own experiences, I came to a different conclusion than you did. Because you obviously have an emotional investment in this, I am going to bow out and stop replying. I apologize for disagreeing with you, I am 100% certain that your conclusions are correct.

 

[BlackHorseSaga]

Ok, I am truly not trying to argue with you, but I did read what you wrote, and based on my own experiences, I came to a different conclusion than you did. Because you obviously have an emotional investment in this, I am going to bow out and stop replying. I apologize for disagreeing with you, I am 100% certain that your conclusions are correct.

There's nothing to apologize for, and no emotional investment from me in this aside from when I thought $1800 worth of torque wrenches burned up over defective batteries.

I'm just letting people know the Energizer Lithiums leave something to be desired considering their expense.

At least when they short out they don't leak or explode. That's a positive.

 

[Moldyjim]

Sigh,
I remember when there was a warranty written on the side of batteries. It promised to repair or replace your tool if the battery leaked.

I don't remember what brand, but back then they were pre-alkaline batteries and from a major brand.

They probably wouldn't want to repair some of the expensive things that use batteries nowadays.

 

[5ubtle]

Sigh,
I remember when there was a warranty written on the side of batteries. It promised to repair or replace your tool if the battery leaked ...

 

[demarpaint]

No, take them out.

 

[vssjim]

If you care about anything take out the batteries and store them in a bag just in case they leak

 

[ronkz650]

The original post, Panasonic Eneloop will never leak. If you use alkaline, take them out now, they will leak every time, but depends on the brand. Duracell will leak and ruin everything 100% chance. Energizer, Rayovac, Harbor Freight, Interstate ect, only leak 50% of the time.

 

[Buck_nekid]

Would you reverse the terminals in a classic car because it barely gets used???

 

[whateg01]

The original post, Panasonic Eneloop will never leak. If you use alkaline, take them out now, they will leak every time, but depends on the brand. Duracell will leak and ruin everything 100% chance. Energizer, Rayovac, Harbor Freight, Interstate ect, only leak 50% of the time.

Well leak every time, only 50% of the time?

 

[pcmeiners]

As per Barrysuperhawk's mention of hydrogen fluoride as produced by destructing Li batteries, it is a considerable risk, especially in large battery packs....

Toxic fluoride gas emissions from lithium-ion battery fires - Scientific Reports

Lithium-ion battery fires generate intense heat and considerable amounts of gas and smoke. Although the emission of toxic gases can be a larger threat than the heat, the knowledge of such emissions is limited. This paper presents quantitative measurements of heat release and fluoride gas...

www.nature.com

 

[mikedodge]

The original post, Panasonic Eneloop will never leak. If you use alkaline, take them out now, they will leak every time, but depends on the brand. Duracell will leak and ruin everything 100% chance. Energizer, Rayovac, Harbor Freight, Interstate ect, only leak 50% of the time.

I've had far more energizer batteries leak then Duracell. I've also had an energizer get hot and explode in a device when it got low. Yet at the same time the oldest batteries I've ever had that really did keep going and going were energizer. Go figure.

If a flashlight can accidentally be turned on get a better flash light.