Goodbye Duracell

WayneF

Senior Member
Rant...

I've always imagined Duracell Coppertop AA alkalines were a quality battery, but the last couple of years, I'm seeing serious leakage problems from them. Like I never saw before. I would never consider alkaline in the speedlights, but there still are plenty, in TV and other remotes, computer mouse, thermostat, standby flashlights, clocks, etc, etc. Things that ought to often last a year two, but they leak! I thought leakage was about when they were almost dead, but another Duracell discovered leaking today, in a weather radio, three years old, AC powered but with backup batteries. The three remaining still measured 1.4 volts, but one was leaking badly. A LCD thermometer before that. A clock before that. This basically used to just never happen.

Anyone else notice this? I think it's a very good plan to inspect them periodically.

An online search shows similar opinions about Duracell. For me, it's time to switch.

I'm going to try the Amazon Basics Performance AA batteries, great price, great reviews, and said to have "Improved anti-corrosion components and new zinc composition resulting in 10-years anti-leakage shelf life". Might be hype, but I'm thinking it can't be worse. The other Amazon Basics stuff I've tried has been great.
 

nickt

Senior Member
I've had them leak every now and then. Seems for no reason at times. A good recipe for me for alkaline leakage is to run them down partially at a very high drain rate and then store them away. But I've had duracells leak even in low drain devices.
My high power AA flashlights are all eneloops now and no problems.
Years back I used to buy CVS (drugstore) branded alkalines. Big time leakers.
 

Woodyg3

Senior Member
Contributor
This is a good reason for me to start the switch to Eneloop rechargeable. I hate throwing batteries away, but I haven't found a consistent place to recycle them. Anyone know the best place to look for deals on Eneloops?
 

WayneF

Senior Member
I'm not aware that alkalines are recycled anywhere, but all types of rechargeables are. Our public libraries here accept them. Radio Shack and Home Depot do too, or at least used to.

Eneloops are great anyway, IMO best choice for a flash, and flash performance will be noticeably increased over alkaline (recycle time and number of flashes per charge).

If shopping lowest price, be aware Eneloops are currently in 4th generation. 3rd is also still available (nothing wrong with it IMO). Maybe older some places? Currently, the ID words are 3rd is 1800 cycles, 4th is 2100 cycles.

My notion is Amazon is really hard to beat, on price and on selection.
 
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aroy

Senior Member
I never use Alkaline batteries in remotes and clocks. Alkaline are great for high current discharge, but last same as normal cheaper batteries in remotes.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
Continuing my rant, Goodbye Duracell. This picture of unused Duracells. A crummy picture because of reflection glare from still being in the original package. Date on them is March 2016.

duracell.jpg




I was playing with a radio trigger, and discovered one Duracell was leaking in it. So I went here for another one, and discovered this. Never seen it in the original package before.
 
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hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Yes, I had the same problem...in my Nikon SB 910 flash. They corroded the metal inside the battery compartment (both top and bottom). Fortunately I can get rechargeable batteries to work in it, but surprisingly Duracell's will no longer allow the unit to turn on.

I've had Duracell batteries corrode in clocks as well. The thing is the clocks continue to work despite the batteries leaking--I only found out when we had the bi-annual time change. And that is a big problem. When a device continues to work despite the batteries leaking, the device can sustain some serious battery compartment damage until we physically look.
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
I'm stunned that you haven't changed to all re-chargeable Ni-MH batteries... Ni-MH batteries don't leak like Alkaline batteries. I'd never put an alkaline battery in any device I paid for...:shame:
 

WayneF

Senior Member
So I have been thinking of ordering the Eneloops for awhile now, which version do you recommend?

My notion is that Eneloop version is not important, they are all good. Might as well be the latest one, but I'm still using those I bought six years ago, and one package was eight years ago. Actually testing them for capacity, they're still fine, like new.

But Eneloops are important for a flash.

My only actual thought is that the Eneloop Pros are not a bargain. They work of course, and have maybe 25% more capacity (and fewer recharge cycles), but cost about double. So we can buy two sets of the regular Eneloop for same money, and have 100% more capacity. That is the bargain.

Do get a decent charger, meaning NOT the cheapest one. Best are those chargers with four status LEDs, which is basically four chargers in one, so that each battery is individually monitored and charged depending on its own needs, not affected by what others need. Maha is a good brand.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
It has nothing to do with brand. Any battery will leak eventually.

Swing! And a miss. They're talking about an unusual amount of battery leakage from this brand, Duracell, of battery.

Interesting thing is that in repeated school science experiments the students have year after year found many third party batteries that last longer than the ole copper top. Personally, I use rechargeable and on occasion alkaline, but I try to remember to remove them when not being used just because they still suck off energy and of course the potential for leakage.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
It has nothing to do with brand. Any battery will leak eventually.

My notion is that the current Duracells are very much worse than they used to be, and my bet is worse than other brands. It used to be, leakage might happen, but it was actually a rare event. Most cells were replaced uneventfully, no dramatics. Now it seems like every Duracell is going to leak. These now were still in the original package.

Speaking of alkalines, I've never seen a rechargeable cell leak.
 
Rant...



I'm going to try the Amazon Basics Performance AA batteries, great price, great reviews, and said to have "Improved anti-corrosion components and new zinc composition resulting in 10-years anti-leakage shelf life". Might be hype, but I'm thinking it can't be worse. The other Amazon Basics stuff I've tried has been great.

I don't use my flashes often enough to pay for multiple sets of rechargeable batteries. I consider batteries for my flashes as disposable. I just recently bought 2 boxes of AmazonBasics AA Performance Alkaline Batteries and at 27¢ a piece I can afford to use them and throw them away. Well I use them in my flash and then put them aside and my kids can use them for whatever they need. I recently shot a wedding and used the flashes a lot and the recycle time was never a problem.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I don't use my flashes often enough to pay for multiple sets of rechargeable batteries. I consider batteries for my flashes as disposable. I just recently bought 2 boxes of AmazonBasics AA Performance Alkaline Batteries and at 27¢ a piece I can afford to use them and throw them away. Well I use them in my flash and then put them aside and my kids can use them for whatever they need. I recently shot a wedding and used the flashes a lot and the recycle time was never a problem.

Wow! I"m surprised you don't have a number of other items that require AA batteries. I use them in several clocks (both wall clocks and small nightstand clocks) as well as my computer's mouse and small flash lights. I'm sure there are other items, too.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
I don't use my flashes often enough to pay for multiple sets of rechargeable batteries. I consider batteries for my flashes as disposable. I just recently bought 2 boxes of AmazonBasics AA Performance Alkaline Batteries and at 27¢ a piece I can afford to use them and throw them away. Well I use them in my flash and then put them aside and my kids can use them for whatever they need. I recently shot a wedding and used the flashes a lot and the recycle time was never a problem.


I bought those new Amazon alkalines too, not for the flashes, but for all else. Don't know who makes them, it could be Duracell, they have a "Quantum" version now too, also supposed to be more resistant to leakage. But the Coppertops have become terrible now, IMO.

I suppose it is about this:
Hitachi Maxell to Release 'Leak-free' Alkaline Battery - Nikkei Technology Online

Article is nearly seven years ago. Says 55% of leakage is caused by over discharging... I thought that too, dead batteries caused it, but my new batteries in the original package seemed affected too.
 
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Wow! I"m surprised you don't have a number of other items that require AA batteries. I use them in several clocks (both wall clocks and small nightstand clocks) as well as my computer's mouse and small flash lights. I'm sure there are other items, too.

I don't like clocks and we only have one in the house. Also no nightstand clocks since the wife and I both had different times we have to get up to go to work we both use out iPhones as alarm clocks. All my TV remotes sit in recharge cradles. Only recently starting using flash lights since the iPhone has a good one built in and it is always with me. I am exploring a old factory now at least once a week and many of the areas are very dark.
 
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