Michigan Radio & TV Buzzboard

How much $$$ is lost, and how many devices end up in landfills every year, just because someone allowed 'the coppertop' alkaline batteries in them?



PLEASE: Do yourself, your friends and relatives, and the world a favour:

Stop buying ANY of this company's batteries - Durasell or Prosell (mis-spelled intentially).





If these device-destroyers are provided with a device you are giving this holiday season, include a set of other-branded replacements for the recipient, and request they immediately swap them.

What do you suggest as a replacement?

A friend of mine says they run all different makes of batteries on the same line in China.

One spring, after I got back home from Florida, I discovered I had left My Walkman radio behind in Florida with the batteries still in it. The radio has a tiny onboard chip and a digital clock display that draw power even when the unit is turned off.

After sitting in a baking hot mobile home all summer, I expected the batteries to be fried and leaked out by the time I got back there in January. To my surprise the clock was still displaying the correct time. Of course, as soon as I turned on the radio, it went dead.

But there was no battery leakage. They were Walgreen's alkaline.

If batteries leak, try this:

Get some plain old household ammonia, dip in a Q-Tip, and swab the affected area. With a half dozen Q-tips, you will return the battery compartment to near pristine condition. Just after high school, I worked in a camera store, and we brought hundreds of devices back from the dead with this method.

Batteries do NOT like warmer room temps. Keep the spares cool and dry. Freezer works. Inspect the devices in use often.

I'll try that ammonia trick next time. I've always used baking soda.

When it is really important and I don't want batteries to fail, I usually buy Energizer.

But for less crucial applications, I generally just buy the store brands. Some are better than others. Harbor Freight's are garbage. Costco's are garbage. Home Depot's are not bad. There is a hardware chain in Canada called Home Hardware. Their Reactor brand is great. Canadian Tire's are just so so. I've always been pretty satisfied with Walgreen's.

I got some at a Flea Market once. They looked like Eveready, but looking more closely at the label they ware called Get Ready.

kager wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 20, 2021 11:35 am

How much $$$ is lost, and how many devices end up in landfills every year, just because someone allowed 'the coppertop' alkaline batteries in them?



PLEASE: Do yourself, your friends and relatives, and the world a favour:

Stop buying ANY of this company's batteries - Durasell or Prosell (mis-spelled intentially).





If these device-destroyers are provided with a device you are giving this holiday season, include a set of other-branded replacements for the recipient, and request they immediately swap them.

Usually only get Energized anyways, but I have zero problems with Duracell. They work a ton better than Kroger batteries.

Matt wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 20, 2021 12:04 pm

What do you suggest as a replacement?

Anything But Durasell **.

Energizer I've had pretty good luck with, as well as Panasonic, and Fujitsu. Many of the off-brands, such as those included with low-power consumption devices like TV / AV systems remotes, have lasted 10 years or more before giving up their charge without leaking.

I would (and do) recommend rechargeables, but they come up short of the 1.5v alkaline requirement of many device mfrs. I have yet to have one leak... Unfortunately, their typical 1.2v nominal will not work for many devices designed for 1.5v, and - especially if the cell-type is li-ion - their charge ends rather abruptly, and with little to no warning.

No product is perfect in all applications.

If you must use a Crusted Everwhere! product in a device, visually check its battery compartment status frequently if the batteries are installed in it.

If you get Dura batteries as a holiday gift or accompanyment to one, ask for a gift receipt.

If that's not an option, re-gift them to someone you don't like very much.

Or, if you must keep them, use'em up quickly in a high-discharge device & yank 'em out.

Or, put the package of batteries in a box that provides protection against leakage to the outside of it and label 'Emergency Use Only'.

Whatever you do, if you must keep these crap batteries, keep them out of the device until you need them.

If you believe their 10-year 'storage guarantee', reserve your spot for bricked Maglites (which, unfortunately, often come predisposed for death with these batteries in the blisterpak) now.


** Unless you own a company paid to repair or dispose of devices wrecked by Durasell alkaline batteries.

Strange that there are no problems with the D cells usually, just the AA and AAA. I have a Sony Battery that came with a 4.5 V 3 C Cell Sony Radio our family won as a Company Safety Prize circa 1968. The other two leaked and were discarded, but the third had no leakage after DECADES.

I'm not disputing the OP. I am interested in electronics and perform minor repairs on vintage equipment. I use lots of battery-operated devices, so because of that, I'm curious if there was a specific incident that prompted the creation of this thread that may help me assess my choice in batteries?

I do have a vintage radio that requires 6 AA batteries. Seemingly no matter the brand, ONE battery in one spot in the battery compartment repeatedly leaks, and I'm trying to determine how or why this happens, so this topic is interesting.

I've had many batteries leak, not just Duracells. Don't know if there are any that significantly better than other though. I've had to repair a lot of small devices and toys that have had battery corrosion issues.

audiophile wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 20, 2021 2:07 pm

A friend of mine says they run all different makes of batteries on the same line in China.

The same holds true for lithium-ion batteries in our cellphones. Samsung smartphones are also manufactured in China with leaking and bloated batteries. If it's from China you don't know what you're getting.

I'm curious if there was a specific incident that prompted the creation of this thread

A lifetime of experience and observation, corroborated by the experiences of close family and friends. The closest to specifically prompting the posting was a 'last-straw' wrecking of two items you cannot buy anymore, plus, yet another welded 4D Maglite (yes - the C- and D-cells leak, too). Note that I do not mix battery types, or brands. I even try to keep the date codes the same.

If you have the time (and get joy from expending it) for bringing things back to life from Duradeath, good for you. I used to have some of that, but no more. People pay a premium for the D brand, and need to stop paying anything for it.

I also started this thread in Chatterbox, because it isn't political...

Rick Grenon wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 22, 2021 5:19 pm

audiophile wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 20, 2021 2:07 pm

A friend of mine says they run all different makes of batteries on the same line in China.

The same holds true for lithium-ion batteries in our cellphones. Samsung smartphones are also manufactured in China with leaking and bloated batteries. If it's from China you don't know what you're getting.

They do the same in the US. Ain't private labeling great?

I heard Samsung shut down smartphone production in China 2 years ago, and prior to that sold most of those made there to that market. Bias much?

kager wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 23, 2021 10:09 am

I'm curious if there was a specific incident that prompted the creation of this thread

A lifetime of experience and observation, corroborated by the experiences of close family and friends. The closest to specifically prompting the posting was a 'last-straw' wrecking of two items you cannot buy anymore, plus, yet another welded 4D Maglite (yes - the C- and D-cells leak, too). Note that I do not mix battery types, or brands. I even try to keep the date codes the same.

If you have the time (and get joy from expending it) for bringing things back to life from Duradeath, good for you. I used to have some of that, but no more. People pay a premium for the D brand, and need to stop paying anything for it.

I also started this thread in Chatterbox, because it isn't political...

Rick Grenon wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 22, 2021 5:19 pm

audiophile wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 20, 2021 2:07 pm

A friend of mine says they run all different makes of batteries on the same line in China.

The same holds true for lithium-ion batteries in our cellphones. Samsung smartphones are also manufactured in China with leaking and bloated batteries. If it's from China you don't know what you're getting.

They do the same in the US. Ain't private labeling great?

I heard Samsung shut down smartphone production in China 2 years ago, and prior to that sold most of those made there to that market. Bias much?

My Samsung Galaxy AO2s is made in China. It is stamped on the back, but you have to hold it to the light in order to see "Made in China".

Could be just the plastic of the phone that is made there. The company doesn't publish country of origin for that model.