Is this MTH remote salvageable ?

just mix some baking soda with water and let it sit on the corrosion. I use swabs to clean them.

At the worse, you might have to change a spring or two.

I recently had some duracell batteries leak and leave a device like that.  They recommended using 50/50 white vinegar/water on a Q-tip.  Did wonders. 

The easy way is to just replace the remote back.  I have  remotes in pieces coming out my ears.  I have what you need and can send you one to help out.

Marty has the right idea.  Even after you clean up the springs and contacts, the plating has been eroded away and you'll have issues with battery contacts as a rule.

John, I have many people give me failed DCS remotes.  I would follow what you said and not waste my time with that remote the poster showed the photo of.   From time to time I will dump the box of remotes on the bench and usually can come out with a Frankenstein or two.

Part sent.

RJR, something changed with the Duracell batteries. They never used to leak until recently. Twice in the last year I've found ones that leaked. I'm moving over to EverReady. 

Did you buy them at Costco?  I read somewhere about knock off batteries.

trestleking posted:

 So today I discovered I stupidly left batteries in the remote way

back when.  Is this salvageable, and if so what's my next step, pry it apart & try to clean

things up ?   Thks. 

Happens to everyone, and don't think this is just an old battery issue. We have an unopened package of Rayovac AA's purchased this year that must be returned which has the white powder floating throughout the package. If it happened after we installed the bad ones we'd have never known until it was too late. Our Duracell batteries have gone bad like your image when installed into units, just not in the unopened packages.

Marty, Walmart. So far, so good, with EverReady but only time will tell.

Unfortunately, fake Duracell batteries are common. They are also not always easy to tell apart from the real deal. Here is a link to a website that helps you tell the differences. I've run into fakes even when buying from a reputable store.

Chris

LVHR

Dave Z, same here.  Some have leaked even though not dead. I no longer buy Duracell.  I had always bought them at Costco, so I would assume they were genuine.

Chris, on that link it says, " Duracell batteries are packed flush to the bottom of the card-stock. You should be able to stand authentic battery packs upright without them falling."  I question that.  The Duracells at Costco, in larger packs, do not stand up.  I have heard that Kirkland batteries are made by Duracell, so I won't buy them either.

I hit a very cheap sale on Ray-o-Vac at Lowes at bought a lot of AAs.  I'm not sure they last as long as Duracells, but I haven't had a leaker yet.

Marty Fitzhenry posted:

Did you buy them at Costco?  I read somewhere about knock off batteries.

Marty, I've purchased Duracell batteries at Costco, they were always the real thing.  I'd be quite surprised if Costco got fakes as they doubtless buy direct from the factory in the quantities they sell.

I agtee, GRJ, but that's the only place I bought them.  Never again.  Still have a few, and yesterday applied vinegar to another device's contacts to clean them.

BOB, the darn Rayovac's leak too. I bought a bunch when Walmart started really pushing them a few years ago. Some started leaking still in the package.

In case you haven't heard, Ebeready just bought Rayovac battery business.

I use rechargeable ones and rotate them once a month with another set. Been doing it for 5 years and never had a problem or had to replace any.

Now the EV Bunny will be toting a shop vac instead of a drum.

I use rechargeable now, but when I did buy Duracell AAA I always did the stand up test. All genuine Duracell blister packs will stand up.  Until somebody in China starts cheating that test. 

Clem, if your statement about standing up is correct, then all Duracells sold at Costco are counterfeit, and have been so for years. 

I also use rechargeables for my 4 remotes.  Back when DCS first came out, I bought 8 Ray-o-vac 15-minute rechargeable NiMHs, and, hard to believe, they are still working acceptably.  I also have 4 sets of Eveready NiMHs, but they're youngsters.

I have also heard of the stand up test and Costco Duracell's sold here don't 'stand up'. Think I saw that on the internet somewhere? I have also had some Duracells from Costco start leaking on me the last couple of years. I had not had problems before this, at least not that I was aware of? Maybe I was draining them before they could leak?

I have been watching things since and switched to the Kirkland brand (cheaper and so far so good).  The only thing here that has been ruined so far was my Ideal non-contact voltage tester, really badly corroded, couldn't hardly get the batteries out of the thing. Amazon sent me a new one for a small fee, around $20 (about the same as the original had cost).

It's best if everyone just find out themselves,...... Google...... Duracell battery fakes ....or counterfit Duracell batteries. This way you can see the other ways of spotting a fake.  Hard to believe Costco sells fakes.     

Just got off the phone with Duracell. Costco does not sell fake Duracell batteries. If you bought some there and they are suspect, I would call Duracell and talk to them. Have to protect are American companies.

Clem

Clem,

Thanks for checking and clearing that one up. I thought it would be really very odd that Costco would be selling fake Duracells. I am sure they do sell a ton of them. Doesn't change the fact that recently I have had trouble with a few Costco Duracells though. Guess it now has nothing to do with Costco though, just the batteries themselves.

Also to add to my above post, it has been only the AA's that caused problems. I also have AAA, C, D, & 9 volt Duracells from Costco that have not had any problems at all. Guess I should have stated that before. Maybe I just got a bad batch of AA's ??

I never said, or thought, that Costco sold fake Duracells.  My issue was with the statement that ALL their packs stand up.

RTR, I've had problems with AAA also.

The 'Stand Up' issue was also my concern. Costco must have special packaging? I will watch the AAA as well from now on. I still have some, but they are the 'super deluxe' models. Whatever the correct name for them is? I have those in my DCS remote right now and I checked them earlier today after reading all this.

Do a Google search, Duracell battery leaking. It's a real eye opener. I've had them leak in a flash light, batteries weren't very old. No more Duracell's for me. I wonder if they are aware of the problem?