Re: Anyone else having problems with Duracell batteries?

On Saturday, 18 December 2021 at 01:02:19 UTC, Your Name wrote:
> On 2021-12-18 00:11:19 +0000, Wade Garrett said: 
> > On 12/17/21 11:14 AM, Larry Hornsby wrote: 
> >> On Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 4:31:09 PM UTC-5, Elaine Sigo wrote: 
> >>> On Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 11:18:12 AM UTC-4, jtmpreno wrote: 
> >>>> On 8/5/2020 5:51 AM, Wade Garrett wrote: 
> >>>>> On 8/4/20 11:08 PM, [email protected] wrote: 
> >>>>>> On Monday, 2 April 2012 04:40:21 UTC+5:30, AS wrote: 
> >>>>>>> From some of my devices, I am taking out Duracell batteries that I had 
> >>>>>>> installed back in 2003 and 2004 with no problems; yes, they used to be 
> >>>>>>> that good. I normally mark dates on the batteries with a black marker. 
> >>>>>>> The thing is, Duracell is not going back to be close to any of my 
> >>>>>>> devices. After replacing the older batteries, new Duracell batteries 
> >>>>>>> with power left in them, and within months of installation, have been 
> >>>>>>> leaking. So far the crappy Duracells have ruined the following items 
> >>>>>>> for me, both at home (h) and in the office (o); the prices for the 
> >>>>>>> damaged items are approximate to what they cost: 
> >>>>>>> 
> >>>>>>> 2 Small adding/printing Canon calculators (o) $15 both 
> >>>>>>> 1 TI-89 Calculator (h) $150 
> >>>>>>> 2 300g x0.01 g jewelry scales (o) $20 both 
> >>>>>>> 1 Craftsman Engine Analyzer (h) $130 or so 
> >>>>>>> 1 Gilmour Garden Watering Timer (h) $38 
> >>>>>>> 2 "9 LED" flashlights (h) $6 both 
> >>>>>>> 1 2D cell Maglite Flashlight (h) $35 
> >>>>>>> 1 3D cell Maglite Flashlight (o) $45 
> >>>>>>> 1 2AA cell Maglite flashlight (mom's) $20 
> >>>>>>> 1 Analog Multimeter (h) $20 
> >>>>>>> 1 Garmin GPS12 (h) $150 
> >>>>>>> 1 Remote for HDTV top set box (h) $40 for the box and remote 
> >>>>>>> 
> >>>>>>> In most cases, the devices stopped working not because the batteries 
> >>>>>>> were dead, but because the leak had corroded and ruined the device's 
> >>>>>>> battery contacts. 
> >>>>>>> 
> >>>>>>> The batteries affected are AA, AAA, D and 9V types. A couple of 9V 
> >>>>>>> batteries, with less than one year of installed in smoke detectors, 
> >>>>>>> were replaced as soon as the detectors began beeping. Those batteries 
> >>>>>>> were swollen and had open seams. About a month ago, I took one from a 
> >>>>>>> smoke detector dated 2004. 
> >>>>>>> 
> >>>>>>> The defective batteries have come from different large size packs 
> >>>>>>> bought both at BJ's club or local reputable retailers. 
> >>>>>>> 
> >>>>>>> I wonder why Consumer Reports continues to say that Duracell 
> >>>>>>> Batteries are good. Are they blind? Is Duracell selling the crappy 
> >>>>>>> batteries in the south east US only? 
> >>>>>>> 
> >>>>>>> Thanks for paying attention to my rant. 
> >>>>>> 
> >>>>>> It is happening with me also and has let to a loss for remote mouse 
> >>>>>> keyboard wall clock alrm clock and many more 
> >>>>>> 
> >>>>> +1 
> >>>>> 
> >>>> Yes it happens to me, too, and has been for several years. I switched to 
> >>>> Duracell because Kirkland (Costco) batteries were much worse. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> When I am not going to use something for awhile I take the batteries out. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> When they do leak in the device I use one or more Q-Tips soaked in 
> >>>> alcohol to remove the electrolyte. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> Then I use 0000 steel wool to clean the battery contacts. I have always 
> >>>> been able to bring a device back to life that way. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> About the 9V batteries in smoke alarms. Your problem might not be the 
> >>>> batteries. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> My house came with several old Kidde smoke alarms, the type that run on 
> >>>> 120VAC, have a backup battery, and are all connected together so that 
> >>>> with one alarm goes off they all go off. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> They would do that occasionally, always when I was sleeping. Even when 
> >>>> it was in the middle of the afternoon. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> When I checked the batteries one of them would be much higher than 9V, 
> >>>> like 10 Volts. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> The smoke alarms were putting current *into* the battery. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> Generally most batteries are rechargeable but recharging a battery 
> >>>> produces some heat. The heat causes the pressure in the battery to 
> >>>> increase. If a battery is designed to be rechargeable it is designed to 
> >>>> handle the heat and also has a pressure release valve if it gets too hot. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> Batteries that are not designed to be rechargeable do not have to handle 
> >>>> the heat from recharging so they don't. They also don't have the 
> >>>> pressure release valve. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> The Kidde smoke alarms were "charging" the battery, making it hot, which 
> >>>> increased the pressure inside the battery until the case burst. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> I had one that outright exploded. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> I ended up replacing all of the Kidde smoke alarms with a newer model. 
> >>>> It doesn't do that anymore. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> (All smoke alarms come with at least some reviews that say they go off 
> >>>> occasionally for no reason. Some of those reviews come from shills who 
> >>>> are hired by companies to praise the company's products and trash the 
> >>>> competitor's products.) 
> >>>> 
> >>>> When my new(er) Kidde smoke alarms need to be replaced I will replace 
> >>>> them with the ones that operate solely on their battery and come with a 
> >>>> 10-year battery. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> Smoke alarms are so loud they don't need to be networked. 
> >> Yes i bought a 10 pack of the AA batters and when i opened the pack 
> >> they were all bad and everyone had leaked out . I just got some AAA 
> >> the same time when i opened them they were the same . Don't BUY 
> >> DURACELL BATTERS!!!!! 
> > 
> > Yeah, especially if you buy ones dated 2008 from the back of a gypsy 
> > wagon passing though town ;-)
> If you're buying piles of Duracell AA or AAA batteries to use in your 
> Subaru, then you shouldn't complain when you get what you paid for. Get 
> a proper car battery instead. ;-)
AAA Duracells bought out of a reputable shop, used 3 the rest died in the box after 5 months, $ods aren't cheap either...