Battery Removal for Storage

PaPaT,

   I use to take the battery out of my P2 engines when I stored them, I recommend replacing the battery with a BCR when the battery needs replacing, my P2 engines now have a BCR, no worries about storage with the BCR and they work after prolonged storage, just recharge on the tracks for a minute or so, before firing the engine up.  No more Batteries for me, and the new P3 engine actually comes with

BCR type technology engineered into the engines.

PCRR/Dave

PaPaT,

I'm sure others will disagree, however, I have never removed a battery unless it had to be replaced, and have never had an issue with over 100 different PS2 engines, both 5 volt and 3 volt types.

If you want to replace a battery with a BCR, I suggest waiting until the battery has to be removed for replacement. Personally, I find BCRs to be too expensive, unless you build your own, as others have proposed and done.

Every time one opens up an engine one also opens up an opportunity for self-inflicted damage.

PaPaT,

   I totally agree with Barry on this, wait till you need to replace the battery, then switch to the BCR, some batteries last a long time.  His advise on opening the engine is right on the money also.

PCRR/Dave

I tend to agree with Barry, but in other applications I have encountered batteries which started leaking. I especially have had this occur with alkaline batteries after they've been dead for a week or so.

Trouble is, when you store the loco, you may intend to reopen it again in 6 months, but years could go by.  If I were storing a loco for a period of a year or more, removal is the safest course.  Any battery can build up internal pressure and leak.

I also agree with Barry's comments.

For really long term storage, I remove batteries.  For sure you want to remove primary batteries like the ones in Lionel RailSounds equipped locomotives, they will leak as soon as they are depleted!  Rechargeable ones don't seem to leak as readily, though I've found a couple of them with some leakage as well.

Oh they will leak....and if they don't leak, they might corrode.

I found this one the other day while changing some out.

Greg

I suspect that the visible corrosion is the result of leakage, or at least seepage.  I can think of no other reason why a battery terminal would be corroded if the rest of the loco's innards are not.

Seepage?  Leakage by another name?

They will leak, just not as bad as a primary cell.  I've seen them worse than that, though not the total mess a primary alkaline cell will make!

Gentlemen,

   Even more reason to replace the battery with a BCR.

PCRR/Dave

I believe it is actually gassing out.  Similiar to the effect on car terminals when the seal cracks around the battery post.

I also have only seen this on the older NICAD, not the newer batteries.  If you look closely inside the battery terminal you see a hole in the rivet, vice a solid rivet.  That is the only area gas can seep out when the internal battery cell gasses out.  G

GGG, don't batteries have some means of releasing excessive pressure to prevent more serious results?

Ni-Cad batteries can vent, but even that is corrosive, as you can see on the picture of the terminal.  The real issue is when the battery is at the end of it's useful life and chemical changes start to take place.  You can get leakage at that point.