# Batteries - safe to drill?



## Glen C (Dec 18, 2006)

I have a Maglite 6D which I let sit for a while (6-8 months) with some alkaline cells in it. They leaked. Three are jammed in the battery compartment, would it be safe to thread something like a screw into them to get them out?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.


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## Led_Blind (Dec 18, 2006)

Should be fine, the stuff in there is highly corosive but generaly not explosive.


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## Glen C (Dec 18, 2006)

Thanks LED Blind


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## VidPro (Dec 18, 2006)

just a note:
if you know the manufacture of the batteries, you can mail it to the battery company, and they will fix or replace the light for you.

like Ray-O-Vac did it for me once, and people have had Energeiser do it for them, i bet durasell would do it too.

also a MAG switch can be removed easily, which would allow you to draw them in a different direction. remove the rubber cap, then look in the switch, in the hole there is a alen wrench type set screw, after you loosen it, the whole switch assembly will come out of the top.
that way you might be able to push them through?


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## IsaacHayes (Dec 18, 2006)

there is a retaining snap ring in the top you'd have to remove too to take it out the top.


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## VidPro (Dec 18, 2006)

IsaacHayes said:


> there is a retaining snap ring in the top you'd have to remove too to take it out the top.



oops, hey good thing your here.


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## Glen C (Dec 18, 2006)

Thanks Vidpro and Isaac, will try that as it sounds easier. The company just said they will send me the cheque, didn't need to see the flashlight. They answered the phone for Australia in Manilla (it is much cheaper), so the postage to the Phillipines would be as much as the Maglite


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## Norm (Dec 18, 2006)

You will find that after loosening the screw in the switch you need to be able to move the switch down a few mm., there is a lip on the top of the switch that retains the snap ring. I have just been through this process with my son in-laws 3D mag all of the corrosion was at the cap end of the light, after removing the head and globe we were unable to get enough movement to remove the clip so we knocked 2 holes in the base of the first cell with a screw driver and then pulled the base off the first cell and eventually got it out piece by piece, once the first cell was out we were able to clean away the corrosion and remove the other two cells. The only thing that would break up the crusty corrosion was a spray can of carburettor cleaner. We then removed the switch and cleaned up the inside of the battery tube with a small rotary wire brush. There was quite a bit of aluminium eaten away but not enough to worry about, gave the battery tube a good wash out, reassembled the light installed new batteries all worked as good as new.
Norm


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## Norm (Dec 18, 2006)

What brand of batteries Glen?
Norm


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## MarNav1 (Dec 20, 2006)

I don't see why couldn't drill em out. You just have to watch out for any internal part's
switches etc and mark your bit so you dont drill too deep and hit the head. But with
the prices of Maglite's these day's it's not worth alot of effort to get leaky batteries
out unless you like the challenge. Generally 5-6 holes in a cell and the inside will 
crumble and you'd need extra long needlenose plier's to get the metal shell out. If you
are able to open both end's of the light it's much easier work.


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## Norm (Dec 20, 2006)

MARNAV1 said:


> But with
> the prices of Maglite's these day's it's not worth alot of effort to get leaky batteries



Glen is in Australia where you can pay roughly Aus. $60 - $70 Aus. for a 4 cell light.

I did it for a bit of fun getting an old light working again.

Norm


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## MarNav1 (Dec 20, 2006)

I understand, thank's for the correction. Knowing myself, I would have to remove
the batteries just to see if I could get em out. Drilling has worked very well for me,
one just has to be careful.


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## Glen C (Dec 20, 2006)

Marnava, Norm is right, these tubes are expensive here! As you both guessed, I will play anyway as it is nice to fix things. I will probably put in 3 X 18650 in my nice big hollow alloy tube to save weight and running costs in future.


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## Cydonia (Dec 20, 2006)

I've left D cells in Maglites for long times and nothing happened. Probably over a year but with monthly usage. Guess I was just lucky! (I always used Duracell because I can at least get them in large cheap boxes from the supermarket.) What brand battery leaked in your 6D? I've never had an alkaline battery leak in anything so far. Luck!


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## swampgator (Dec 20, 2006)

One of Dad's old Mags (dated 1993) had 2 Evereadys leak. I drilled and beat the batteries out. Took a little while but now the light is working fine.

After I got the old batts out I took the brake hone to the tube to clean up the corrosion.


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Dec 20, 2006)

One of my lights that leaky batteries killed came back. It was a River Rock 2AAA LED that got wasted by the Duracells it came with. I used a Dorcy 1AAA "guts" to make a single AAA light out of it.

The other light was a Pelican MityLite 2AAA that got broken up by older Rayovac Alks.

Hmm? I wonder if I could do something with that lamp module... thinking cap on!


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