long term storage

Chances are the batteries will not leak BUT there are crystals forming in the 9V connector, YOu will have to take the battery off the connector and clean out those crystals. I recommend you spend the $$ and replace the battery with the BCR so you have no future worries.

Any device should have it’s batteries removed before going into long term storage. This is especially true for devices that use dry cells such as AA, AAA, C, & 9 volt batteries, but in addition NiCad & NIMH likely will leak and cause corrosion. Get your Trains and remove those batteries ASAP, if they haven’t started leaking yet, you’re lucky, but don’t worry, they will!

Bill in FtL

yeah, i get the idea about what i should have done.  i doubt if i'm alone on this, but sometimes the problem is putting them away one evening and ten years later realizing they are apparently in long term storage.  my task next week will be going through about a dozen and i'll let you know the results.

overlandflyer posted:

i have some MTH locomotives that are 90's vintage, but have not been run in more than a decade.  they have been stored in a semi-climate controlled space (not a hot attic or damp basement) but i was most concerned about what state the batteries are in.  anyone else have any experience unwrapping something that hasn't been touched in a while?  dead batteries are not my concern; leaky batteries are.

thanks...gary

I just had the displeasure of having batteries leak in an old VOM that came from of a hobby shop's repair bench to mine. Fortunately for me the only real damage was some paint loss inside the case. Modern batteries don't seem to do as much damage as old ones.

I thought I had checked the batteries not that long ago. Oh well.

As a result i went through my other battery powered things and discarded any batteries that were out of date.

You may wish to do the same.

My engines sat dormant for 8 years.  All kins all mfg.  Just checked them out 1 by 1. Now I make it a habit of running them after a check up every 6 months( news years resolution)  tales 8 weeks at least.

The MTH owner's manual states NiCad batteries "should not leak or cause any damage to your engine".  

The manual also says a battery "should last up to five years", but I have been able to extend battery life well beyond that using the Proto-Sound 2.0 battery charger in lieu of relying on track voltage.