Because now they are total CRAP!
Of what do I write? Why modern Duracell copper top batteries MADE IN FUCKING CHINA of course.
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| What I have found time and again in anything that still has these P.O.S. batteries in it |
I am not the only one. Read the reviews about Duracell batteries at PissedConsumer.com
Once upon a time, Duracell copper top batteries were made in the USA, and you could leave them in anything battery powered and not ever worry about them leaking and damaging devices. Even after they were long dead. Now you can find them looking like those pictured above when your devices suddenly stop working as well as while STILL IN THE PACKAGE and well prior to the use by date.
What prompted this post are what I found on my wife's night table when I was examining her failing alarm clock the other day. A decent 2 D-Cell halogen flashlight that was half dim when turned on. I pulled the batteries and found these inside:
Two like new D-Cell batteries dated 2010 that still had a little life in them and looked like brand new. The versions made 17 years ago (because the shelf-life was at least 5 years back then) that held up like I remembered. I have swapped out all Duracell batteries in my battery powered anything for Energizers and have not had a single problem. In the fire service, there is a bulletin from our equipment provider about NOT using Duracell copper top batteries in any life safety equipment, particularly SCBA packs.
I had been buying the large multi-packs at BJ's for my emergency supplies. I now buy the slightly smaller multi-packs of Energizers at Lowe's. There has not been one instance of leakage in any of my devices since.
UPDATE 19:10 - When I wrote earlier about the bulletin to not use copper top batteries in our Scott SCBA air packs, I did not mention that Duracell "ProCell" batteries were supposed to be OK. HA!
We had a late day fire call for an electrical problem in a single family residence, and DAMMIT! my flashlight on my bunker coat was dead. Convenient to have but they always get accidentally turned on and ya find it dead when ya need it. It is a right-angled head high-intensity LED unit made by StreamLight, and uses four AA batteries. When I got back to the station I grabbed some fresh ProCell AA batteries, and look what came out of the box:
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| Yup... brand new and all crusted up HARD! |
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| Duracell ProCell, "For Professional Use Only." Fuckin' joke! |
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| Well, whaddya know.... MADE IN CHY-NA! |
The rest of the batteries in the box were fine, and this is the first ProCell battery I have come across doing this. Apparently the FD is just going to have to get away from Duracell completely.
Hi, I am NOT 100% sure but I think that alkaline batteries will always leak given they are not used in a long time period and lithium batteries will never leak.
ReplyDeleteSo, I make sure to get lithium, except D size as I dont think anyone makes those.
Thanks for that. I slightly noticed that in the last year or so but wasn't really paying attention.
ReplyDeleteI buy few things at Wally World but I do batteries figuring that is the highest turnover rate so hopefully fresher as I learned in the auto industry car batteries may sit on a shelf for an extended period causing them to fail sooner than a standard warranty.
hate to burst any bubbles, but they ALL leak. i switched to coppertop b/c i had energizers leak in the package and in my gear, destroyed an expensive optic etc. and yes, lithium will leak too. i switched to them after the copper tops shit the bed repeatedly. they ruined my gps, 300 bucks. in my flashlight they went dead without ever using it. i tried eneloops, they were great, until a few months ago some of them ruined my alarm sensor. i give up.
ReplyDeleteYou will find that rechargeables won't leak. I use them in my hand held ham radios, digital cameras, and other things that a leak will cause damage to expensive electronics.
ReplyDeleteThe 5$ flashlights that we all have, I will use alkaline batteries. But to be honest, I simply buy the ones from Amazon that are on sale at the time. They usually have one of a few brands on sale, and as long as you make sure that you don't ignore them forever, either, just like any other alkaline battery.
Remember a couple of things about lithium batteries and NiCd batteries. Lithium batteries are universally liked because they don't have what is referred to as a memory effect. That is, unlike NiCd's, they can be drawn down to 40% left 25 times in a row, and then after recharging to 100%, you will still be able to get the full 100% power out of the battery.
With NiCd's, if you treat them like that, you will find that your useful power will no longer be 100%, but closer to maybe 65% or 75%. Now if you work with that battery, you can eventually get it back close to full holding power. But it is best if you use it from a full charge to draw down to at least less than 15%-20% left. You can find more information on the companies website.
But the NiCd's have one thing that makes them a useful battery for some uses. That is the fact that you can recharge NiCd's time after time, over and over again. Sometimes you will be amazed that a NiCd will last for years, with no sign of degradation or lowered holding power. That is why they are often placed into rechargeable flashlights and other similar devices that need to be recharged many times and have an expected lifespan of years, so long as they don't get damaged.
Like any other information you find on the internet, use this at your own risk. I would hate for you to damage your expensive electronics based on an internet opinion. Just use your own discretion, like with anything else.
My late wife did a study with hospital beepers. For low draw instruments, the Everyready worked best and longer. The batteries never lasted long enough for leakage to be a problem. For high draw lights, I use Lithium, and carry a spare since they "die" rather suddenly. Duracells are crap for temporary use only.or in cheap "toys" that I don't care about. Several years ago, I noticed a light getting a little dim on a thursday night. When I went to put new cell s in on Saturday morning, the light was full of liquid (electrolite). I pitched the light and the old cells. For years, I carried a Maglite with Everyreadies and never had a problem. For most things, the batteries get used soon enough that leakage has not been a problem. For things on the "back of the shelf" (e.g. camp, emergency lights) I stire the cells on the slelf, outside the device. I assume that they all will eventually leak. Rechargeables never seemed to have much power. They seem to do OK in low draw uses (thermostats, small power failure lights, etc), but have beeb disappointing in most applications. Duracells and most "store brand cells" are for last ditch use only. They make me itch.
ReplyDeleteAgree that Dura's quality and performance have gone downhill. They used to be the go-to battery. Not any longer.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to all!
Owned by the same corp. that owns Gilette: Razors For Little Bitches™.
ReplyDeleteI have multiple unopened packages of five year olds, all deader than canned tuna. As Duracell now is to me.