Ridiculous to me anyway...

  When was the last time you encountered a leaking AA or AAA battery?  Before last night I think I have encountered maybe four or five leaking batteries in my entire life.  It was never an issue.  But last night one of my remotes stopped working and I open it up and saw that both batteries were leaking... one considerably.  I cleaned it up as best I could but until I figure out how to open the remote and clean it better, I'll consider it non working.

I got curious and started checking my other remotes and battery operated devices all of which still worked and the batteries in nearly all of them were leaking to some degree.  This was both Duracell and Energizer - both AA and AAA size.  Its like a plague of leaking batteries all of a sudden at my house.  Did they change the old Alkaline battery technology?  Are they trying to push people into the new lithium AA and AAA's?

Have you checked your batteries lately?  I'm wondering if the new lithium ones leak?  if anybody knows, please let me know.  I have three remotes that I need to either take apart or throw away as I can't get all the white stuff out from the terminals.

I've been having this issue for the last year or so.  A couple of remotes had leaking batteries.  Also a few other devices with AA or AAA batteries.  All Duracell and Energizer.  I find a cotton swab with vinegar followed by one with 90% isopropyl alcohol cleans up the contacts well to avoid having to replace devices.

I think they must have changed the older technology and now they leak more.  I wish I knew what neutralized the white corrosive powder.  I understand its water soluble but you can't just wash your electronics!

I try to get as much of the corrosion out with a Q-tip and alcohol but one of my remotes is so compact and small that it may be trash.  There aren't even any screws.

17 minutes ago, sightseer said:

Have you checked your batteries lately?  I'm wondering if the new lithium ones leak?  if anybody knows, please let me know.  I have three remotes that I need to either take apart or throw away as I can't get all the white stuff out from the terminals.

 

I had one AA that leaked and corroded the inside of the compartment a few years ago. It was an electronic test meter I hadn't used for a long time. Apart from that, none of my batteries are an issue.

I don't believe lithium ion batteries leak. The entire pack is sealed. My DeWalt power tools are completely sealed units. There may be a vent hole or something but I cant see one. 

I Just threw out an expensive LED Meg flashlight. The D sized Duracell batteries leaked and corroded inside so bad that I could not even remove the batteries. 

10 hours ago, sightseer said:

I'm wondering if the new lithium ones leak?

The alkaline batteries leak because hydrogen gas is generated which pressurises the interior of the battery. Lithium batteries shouldn't leak because they don't generate any gas. 

It is recommended to keep alkaline batteries out of the flashlight, etc., when not using it for extended periods.

 

Edited March 28, 20224 yr by dmwalker

I always use rechargeable NiMH AA/AAA batteries in remotes and other devices that exhibit very low current drain.  I also use them in small LED flashlights, which typically aren't as sensitive to the lower voltages as the halogen bulbs in the older MagLites.  I've had excellent results for quite a few years with the Panasonic Eneloop rechargeables...in fact, I generally won't buy anything else now.  I've never had one leak or corrode on me.

One problem with traditional alkalines is they do degrade over time just sitting on the shelf...so if you buy batts that sat in a warehouse (especially a hot one) for years and years before hitting the shelf, it might at least partly explain them leaking much quicker than in the past.  The demand destruction that occurred the last few years has really backed up the supply chain in places.  I recently went to look at some tires for my motor home and by inspecting the manufacturer date codes on the tires they wanted to sell me at fully inflated (pun intended) retail prices, it was clear that those tires were already 2-3 years old.