# How to stop batteries from corroding



## alfred10 (Feb 21, 2010)

How can I keep batteries in my flash lights, radios, etc without corroding issues? Will lithium AA and the surefire batteries corrode? What causes this?


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## Saint_Dogbert (Feb 21, 2010)

Lithium batteries won't corrode. Nor will NiMH. As far as alkalines go, leakiness is just the nature of their chemistry. Don't use them in any device of which you are fond. Also, be sure not to mix old and new lithiums in multi-cell devices, as that can lead to nasty accidents. :duh2:


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## kramer5150 (Feb 21, 2010)

There is no perfect solution to prevent Alkaline leaks. Your best bet is to not leave them in your light when not in use. NiMH or lithium primaries is a more practical solution IMHO.


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## DM51 (Feb 22, 2010)

This belongs in the Batteries section. Moving it there...


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## ragweed (Feb 22, 2010)

I recently had two alkalines leak. They leaked when the voltage was in the red on my test meter. A freind had 4 leak badly in his maglight left in a hot car interior last summer.


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## Illum (Feb 22, 2010)

Alkalines leaking is considered an anomaly, carbon zincs leaking is a reality. 
Battery acid corrosion is inevitable unless you have a way of coating the enternal parts with a conductive, yet nonreactive substance that is acidic which will neutralize the corrosive properties of electrolyte upon contact. 

Now for the contacts of the battery itself corroding, thats just poor material selection and often should not be considered as dependable battery brands.

I've unscientifically tested Alkalines on the bench. Alkalines normally will not leak if:


Ambient temperature is below 80F [measured while fan cooled with kitchen thermometer] and away from a heat source [that means its not contacting a lamp, LED, or resistor directly at the terminals]
No excessive pressure on either contact [no rigid springs, tight battery holders]
Air is present around the battery [not stuffed in a totally enclosed space]
Not being forced to give up an half an amp or greater [AAAs]
Not dropped accidentially or intentionally from the work bench to the floor prior to being used [All batteries, including lead acids, which I've dropped one "accidently" off from second story height to see "what it would sound like," thankfully for that FLA the acid was removed previously.]
Not dented by a blunt object and subjected to give up an half an amp or greater [AAAs, AAs, Cs]


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## mrartillery (Feb 22, 2010)

Small dabs of vaseline work good


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## alfred10 (Apr 4, 2010)

Illum said:


> Alkalines leaking is considered an anomaly, carbon zincs leaking is a reality.
> Battery acid corrosion is inevitable unless you have a way of coating the enternal parts with a conductive, yet nonreactive substance that is acidic which will neutralize the corrosive properties of electrolyte upon contact.
> 
> Now for the contacts of the battery itself corroding, thats just poor material selection and often should not be considered as dependable battery brands.
> ...


 
Would I be safe if I just used Lithium in all my stuff?


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## Illum (Apr 4, 2010)

I dunno, I do not dare to push the limits of lithium to see what would happen. I also have not used enough of them to mark a conclusive list of what could occur.

using lithium will subject yourself to the hazards of lithium batteries, there is really no safe alternative. even my homemade battery-free lemon-powered LED lights have managed to corrode the legs off my LEDs:candle:


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## McAllan (Apr 4, 2010)

Illum said:


> using lithium will subject yourself to the hazards of lithium batteries, there is really no safe alternative.



I bet a home made crank light with an old step motor would come very close 
(just don't use a multi farad capacitor bank except for the small 5 v "super capacitors" which can't draw many 100 mA on a short)


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## VidPro (Apr 5, 2010)

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/266279
(why do batteries leak thread)


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