Why Didn't This Battery Leak?

Steve: The short answer to your question from me would be an emphatic "NO".

The very same brand of battery ruined one of my best 4-cell "Mag-Lite" flashlights a few years back. My latest "Duracells" say "Assembled in USA"; yours says "Made in USA". Your results may vary, but I'd say you are living REAL well in this case.

I don't put batteries in anything I can get away with no doing so anymore as quality is all over the map. And yes, I've witnessed many a Postwar locomotive with battery corrosion damage over the years.

I think it's pretty much a random thing. I have had all brands leak, but mostly after complete discharge. I dont' take chances, remove batteries in seldom used items, and replace batteries based on charge and date both.

D&H 65 posted:

The very same brand of battery ruined one of my best 4-cell "Mag-Lite" flashlights a few years back. ..

I hope you held Duracell to the terms of their warranty to repair or replace. I tested the warranty several years ago on a cheap promo office clock we got at work & I shipped it off to them - they didn't repair it or replace it... sent a check instead for $27.00 for something that cost about $6.

I wonder what I'd get back if I sent them the tender from a $1500 locomotive that has their battery leaking all over the inside?

That was kind of the point of my "test".  You'd probably get $27 back.

Have experienced many leaking Duracells, most way before the "use by" date.   Even had a "fresh" 9V literally blow the end off it. Switched to Everready, etc.  Keep an eye on batteries; any can go bad unexpectedly.

There are a lot  of counterfeit Duracells out there, too that are not manufactured to standards.

A battery that is fully discharged (dead) is more likely to leak, and to leak sooner than a fully charged battery.

As to why yours did not leak? You just got lucky.

ADCX Rob posted:

There are a lot  of counterfeit Duracells out there, too that are not manufactured to standards.

True, but I've had real Duracells with all the proper attributes leak big time, so it's not just the counterfeit ones that are a problem.

Just out of curiosity, did you put a meter on it to see if it had *any* charge left?  You might have a real museum piece there if it did....  ;-)

Steve,

I don't know about good or bad batteries.  I do know you ought to go out and buy a lottery ticket while you're on a roll.

Ed

Years ago at auction I bought a Lionel Santa Fe set of postwar diesels, the battery was still in the engine, I held my breath and the Eveready battery looked as good as new, I have it on display by the set of diesels.

somehow the "they don't make 'em like they used to" cliche comes to mind...

I'm trying to solve that issue for TMCC stuff, a battery that will never leak.

I have sworn off of Duracell AA batteries after having to clean a few pieces of expensive electronic/photography equipment.  9v seem OK.

GRJ, are you planning to manufacture that battery replacement?  

Should have the initial lot in two-three weeks if the production house holds to it's schedule.

I use NIMH rechargeable's in my DCS and Cab 1 remotes and use BCR's and BRLT's in my locomotives to eliminate that problem. Like Kerrigan I bought a TMCC locomotive used in ebay with the top of the Duracell blown off but fortunately it caused no damage. I been using the Dollar Tree Sunbeam Alkaline AA & AAA batteries four @ $1.00 in all my TV remotes Clocks etc for years without a single problem and always change them in January which is the best time since they get a fresh supply in after Christmas.

Ed Walsh posted:

Steve,

I don't know about good or bad batteries.  I do know you ought to go out and buy a lottery ticket while you're on a roll.

Ed

HA! Great idea!!

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Should have the initial lot in two-three weeks if the production house holds to it's schedule.

What would we have to wire up John?

The production one has one wire, to the track center roller.  Plug in the battery connector on the RailSounds card and you're off.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

The production one has one wire, to the track center roller.  Plug in the battery connector on the RailSounds card and you're off.

Count me in for a few!! Looking forward, does it work with Legacy too?

Yep, Legacy or TMCC.  One primary goal of the design was to make it fit into the form-factor of the 9V battery so you didn't have to find additional space for something that wouldn't fit where the 9V battery normally is installed.

How much will they cost John?

Still working on that, but I'm trying to keep them in the $30 range for the delivered product.  I have to find some alternate sources for a couple of the components to try to bring the costs down a bit.