Has anyone had issues with Rayovac Alkaline batteries leaking

[Per Hansson]

Originally Posted by momaka

Heck, the first one that opened here was right next to a Wallmart. Just imagine the nerve to do that.

While we are on the subject of off topic: look at this picture, setting up a sign infront of the other stores sign.
Yea I can imagine that not ending well if they start trying to once over each other lol!
On the topic: Biltema branded batteries that I've used in the past have fared ok.


Source: https://www.google.com/maps/@59.2016...7i16384!8i8192

[Topcat]

Ive been seeing a lot of leaky duracell's lately. I was given some TV's and a box full of remotes... quite a few leaky duracells...

[BigTroll]

I like others have had more duracell leakers then any other brand, also a couple of kirkland and enegizers. I bought lots of harbor frieght alkalines the orange ones and they expired in 2020 and still no leaks and powering devices, also tried harbor frights blue alkalines to good results and rechargeable units. However I did buy some eneloops and they are the best by far.

[eccerr0r]

I had a red HFT alkaline PP3 that actually *exploded* leaving bits of the cell nearby...

Speaking of batteries, I have a bench DMM that uses 6xC (UM2) batteries, I wonder what's the best retrofit... Think I could probably do 2xLi-ion and no converter needed, just need to figure out how to charge from the AC adapter...

[momaka]

Originally Posted by momaka

So thanks for the tip, I'll check out their alkaline batts if I need any (probably some 9V soon for a few smoke detectors - there is always at least one that starts beeping on me right around fall-winter time when the temperatures start dropping.)

And I called it out right!

Just as I was taking a shit today, one of the smoke detectors stated going off beeping once a minute to indicate it's got a low battery. Fortunately, I was just about done with the biz when that rolled. Otherwise, I hate loud noises breaking my concentration while on the toilet!

So I go out and start listening for which one of those bastards is beeping. I find the alarm and take it down (not in a rogue way, though. ) Open it and see it's got an Energizer alkaline with an expiry date of late 2020. Since we are close to the end of 2021, I can't say it did bad. And in any case, at least it wasn't bulged, unlike the Duracell 9V always seem to do. But IIRC, this Energizer was from the "newest" / last batch of my 9V batteries... meaning I must have put it in that detector probably no later than 2018 or 2019. I guess 2 years is OK, considering this detector doesn't use an external power source. Then again, I know I've found ancient Zn-C batteries in a few of these in the previous years. So a low self-discharge battery might be a better fit overall.

What's funny is that just last week as I was cleaning a bit in the closet, I found the last of the Energizer alkalines with that 2020 expiry date, and it hadn't leaked or bulged. Rather than keeping in on the shelf and taking a chance with it going bad without ever getting used, I decided to put it in my primary (Radio Shack) multimeter that's been complaining about a low battery for almost a year now. So I put this last Energizer in it... until today - had to open it again and steal its new battery, so I could get the smoke detector sorted out. A bit of Murphy's law there, I suppose.

Anyways, I compared the "used" battery from the smoke detector with the "new" one that I had just taken out of the RS multimeter. The used one measured about 7.3V with no load and dropped to 7.1V with a 19 mA load (Harbor Freight Tools red multimeter battery test load feature.) The "new" 9V was at 8.45V and dropped down to about 8.3V with the same load from the HFT meter. So let's see how long it's going to last. Seems to me that this detector is a bit picky - I mean 7.xV for a 9V battery, loaded, is not too bad IMO. The one I took out of the RS meter was around 5V and dropped to 4.x with same load. So at least I should get some good useful life on the multimeter out of that "used" 9V from the detector.

Originally Posted by lti

I do that too, except I have a huge pile now.

I'll take a few, lol.
My stash of working 9V batteries is always low to non-existent.
Then again, I don't go changing the batteries in my smoke detectors every month or whatever ridiculously short time some homeowners mags suggest - that's just wasteful, IMO. I change them when they start beeping, instead, and right away. Ticks me off when they start beeping. On that note, I don't understand how some people can actually ignore them and not get bothered, even in their bedrooms where they sleep (had a friend from high school like that.)

Originally Posted by Per Hansson

While we are on the subject of off topic: look at this picture, setting up a sign infront of the other stores sign.
Yea I can imagine that not ending well if they start trying to once over each other lol!

LOL! That's so funny.
They could have easily put that ad board under the other and still be properly visible, but no. I guess we can say the two store managers there aren't the best of friends.

Anyways, before I go further off-topic anymore... I might go to Lidl either tomorrow or on the weekend to see if they have some groceries I need... and while at it, I'll check what kind of batteries they have, at least here in the US stores.

[stj]

arent you supposed to use lithium in smoke detectors?

[PeteS in CA]

Originally Posted by stj

arent you supposed to use lithium in smoke detectors?

[stj]

in europe they have stickers saying to use a lithium pp3,
the latest models are sealed with a 10year life, then you throw it away (or mod it!)

i use these:

[lti]

Originally Posted by momaka

Seems to me that this detector is a bit picky - I mean 7.xV for a 9V battery, loaded, is not too bad IMO.

The batteries I pull out of my smoke detectors measure around 8.9V with no load. Under load, they seem to vary a lot. I think they're extremely lightly loaded in the smoke detector.

Originally Posted by momaka

I'll take a few, lol.
My stash of working 9V batteries is always low to non-existent.
Then again, I don't go changing the batteries in my smoke detectors every month or whatever ridiculously short time some homeowners mags suggest - that's just wasteful, IMO. I change them when they start beeping, instead, and right away.

Most of mine are years past the use-by date. When I try to use them, I find that a bunch have died. Some of the "good" ones will suddenly drop down from around 8.5V to 4.5V with no load.

I usually change every smoke detector battery as soon as one starts making the low battery beep. I was always told that you're supposed to change them every six months.

Originally Posted by stj

the latest models are sealed with a 10year life, then you throw it away (or mod it!)

Some of them have a tiny amount of radioactive material in them, so it's recommended to replace them after 10 years anyway.

[eccerr0r]

Yes typically you could use a lithium thionyl chloride or lithium iron sulfide primary cell as they have much higher specific energy (but not specific power) so you never need to change them.

TBH the optimal solution is replace them when they beep. Just that if you replace it before it beeps, it's less likely you'll wait until after the beeping stops and totally forget about it...

[stj]

or use mains-powered ones

[sam_sam_sam]

And they just go bad and you would not even know it the ones that just have main power because I have them and every one of need to be replaced because they never report that the battery are dead leaking or otherwise

Yea I know what good are they if they do not work but they are expensive to replace all of them at one time so you have all the same exact model number

[stj]

mine report the battery status just fine.

[redwire]

For smoke alarms, I couldn't find stock with AC mains-only power. Had a Kidde i2020CA (120VAC only) end-of-life and it was starting to make chirps with mains spikes (or spiders), looking to change out the electrolytics the capacitive divider looked burnt so into the garbage it went.

So I went to buy a replacement and all smoke detectors in the stores are "dual power" AC mains plus battery. Either a 9V battery or 10-year lithium battery powered.

A 9V alkaline battery is $3/year and the beeping hassle because the battery gets drained during self-test, that's why they don't last even doing nothing.
So $30 operating costs over 10 year life. A mains+lithium powered unit is around extra $20 but they don't seem to last. Note there are massive recalls on many Kidde Smoke Alarms and smoke+CO alarms, millions of units. The lithium batteries go dead before 10 years on some smoke+CO models. They recently had $12M civil penalty for crappy fire extinguishers that did not work, plastic handles jammed, broke nozzle clogged.

I'm now using Panasonic alkaline batteries from Digi-Key and no problems.
Duracell batteries leak and are absolute garbage for many years now. Ray-o-vac... "Spectrum Brands sold its battery division to long-time Rayovac competitor Energizer in January 2018" so I have no idea what quality they are now.

[eccerr0r]

The mains powered smoke alarms I have check their batteries, had to replace them several times now after incessantly beeping...

... and I think they do stop beeping if I simply remove the batteries, though beeping with a weak battery can last months, driving anyone to do something, anything...

[sam_sam_sam]

Well I guess I going to have to file a formal complaint about this issue with the batteries leaking issue because I am being stoned walled about what type of pictures that they want and I am over this crap

And if you think that I pissed with this shit I am very pissed with this has been going on for over a month now going back forth with what pictures that they want

[sam_sam_sam]

Update

I have filled a compartment with the BBB about this issue and going to see what happens next with this issue request with the company in question

[RJARRRPCGP]

Originally Posted by lti

I've heard that the Energizer lithium batteries are better, but I have seen them leak. The leaking ones were past the use-by date, so that could probably be excused.

I like the Energizer lithium AA batteries. I don't know if anything can beat them in portable audio players. For non-rechargeables, they look like the go-tos!

I probably would recommend them, for people who didn't get Ni-MH or Li-ion AAs for a ton of things, including wireless game controllers.

[clearchris]

I gave up on any kind of alkaline batteries after yet another piece of equipment was ruined, and I'd buy energizer or duracell only, no off brands. Eneloops don't have much battery life to them, but I haven't had a single one leak yet. Their claim that they don't self-discharge, IMHO, is a bit overstated. Unless they are fresh off the charger, they are half flat. Maybe I got some fakes, but I don't think I did.

[sam_sam_sam]

Update on there response

Thank you for your patience.

With reference to your previous communication, after careful review of your case we regret to inform you that we are unable to verify your claim due to mixing the batteries with different expiration dates in the two devices; fluke meter & cable box remote. Mixing different expiration dates will affect the performance of the batteries and could result in leakage. As for the third device the soap dispenser, since the batteries & the device were disposed and the pictures of the batteries in the compartment that caused the leakage shown in the email dated ******were replaced by different once upon requesting further pictures to verify the batteries' information - last picture provided on ******* show different expiration dates - and hence the documentation are not correctly provided. Therefore the claim has been declined.

Appreciating your understanding.

Sincerely,

Rayovac Consumer Services

I have explained to them that I had bought several packs of there batteries with different expiration date this is more stone walling and just a way to get out of doing anything

Here is there story if you have a device that is damaged by there batteries they want you to keep the device until they decided that they have played enough with you but in the mean time you keep having more and more damage from leaking batteries really this nothing but pure crap and completely nonsense