Possible dumb Q about storing batts in lights

We are talking PRIMARY cells here.

Every electronic device, in the instructions, says to take out the batteries when you are going to store the device without use for an extended period.

I assume because of possible leakage.

Is this really an issue with modern cells, especially lithiums like CR123 and E2s?

I'd like to know I could leave cells in a few lights I have that are safe-queens, just because it is another set available.

Any thoughts on this?

lithium primaries and li-ion and ni-mhy seem to leak much less than any alkilines did.
ni-cd and ni-mhy can get this stuff on them.
i think the biggest leakage problem is from alklaines.
some lights with electroinics will waste battery away at a VERY VERY slow rate. soft switch type electronic switches should be suspected and tested, so you know what will discharge a battery for no reason.
dead batteries are what usually causes a problem.
battery expansion of a dead battery can be a problem getting them back out.

because lithium batteries can possibly have a issue, especially cheap ones, you need to still analise if you want to risk some 1-100,000 occurance happening to your overpriced light.

if i had 50+ flashlights unused sitting on the shelf, 4-5 of them would have battereis in them.

No, it goes back to the earlier days when alkaline cells were the norm and even further back into the dark ages when carbon zinc batteries were the commonly used portable energy source.

Now the all important question is ... if you're not planning on using the lights, why do you want to have batteries in them and potentially have them damaged if the batteries leak? Seems like a bit of a waste of money too if you just leave them in there to self-discharge.

Why don't you just put batteries into the lights that you normally use, and a couple that you might have in reserve and then leave your 'collectables' empty if you're not planning on using them.

Cribbage said:

Is this really an issue with modern cells, especially lithiums like CR123 and E2s?

I'd like to know I could leave cells in a few lights I have that are safe-queens, just because it is another set available.

Any thoughts on this?

Click to expand...

the lights that I DO USE theres batteries in them, even though they are not the most used lights, its good to know I can use them if i reach for it in the dark.

make sure you check on the primaries once per 1-2 months even if unused for good measure

I agree. I've got flashlights all over the place because I live in earthquake country and was in San Francisco after the Loma Prieta quake as night fell.

And I do check a few times a year, and do find alkaline cells from time to time that have started to leak --- no matter that they're dated "2012" or so.

I think once any metal flashlight has ever had a battery leak, despite being cleaned out, there may be some traces of corrosion left inside that make later corrosion likely. Old M@g AAA and AA lights seem prone to this.

I'll probably slowly switch everything to lithium AA and AAA --- but I'm one of those who bought a bunch of those early on and found some of them dead or near dead after a year or so.

The best lights I've found for longterm safety use are the PALights -- I rubber band a fresh 9v cell to each one; most of the older type have the 'find me glow' feature so need a new battery every year anyhow. The newer ones can be set to no-glow. Maybe add some glow-in-the-dark material to them to find them.

When it's dark, it's dark!

I have had many very bad experiences with Eveready Alkalines. My most recent purchase was a 12 pack of AAAs. I used a few and had to throw out the at least six because they were severely leaking. The last ones had almost two years left before the expiration date. Even twenty years ago, I ruined at least four Maglites by not checking the Eveready D batteries... I might have lost one to Duracells, too.

I have not had any problems with Duracells in many years. I have been using the Costco/Kirkland AA batteries for a few years without incident, too.

Of course, I have a few dozen Rayovac Hybrid AA/AAAs now...

I keep my emergency supply of alkalines in doubled zip lock bags (to protect against leakage). I buy a new box of 48 Kirkland AA for about $10 each year in order to prevent a compounded disaster where all the batteries failed because of a defective lot. The emergency lights are kept in zip lock bags in a toolbox with the batteries.

A CMG Infinity with 48 AAs should last much longer than my food and water supply.

I've been storing batteries in lights for a while. My glove box and bob lights all get stores for long times with batteries in them and I haven't had a leak yet. Now I do around the first of each year buy a new bulk pack of batteries and put those new batteries in the lights and pull the old out and then use the old so I'm limiting storage time to a year normally, but I have forgotten a light or two and left them in longer. I usually buy those rayovac 30 packs for $9.99.

Energizer and Duracell have noted that their storage life is based on room temperature storage. In a car, you have temperature variations, and both manufacturers recommend an annual replacement of batteries stored in a light that is stored in the car.

Tom