How to mark batteries

Apollo Cree

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 23, 2009
Messages
451
Location
United States of America
I like to be able to keep track of my batteries.

For instance, mark the date acquired, or mark them in groups so I can use them together and not mix old and new of the same type.

I haven't found any kind of marker that works well. Sharpies, silver ink pens, white ink, etc. simply seems to rub off on my hands.

I love my Brother TZ labeler, but stickon labels cause problems putting the batteries into certain devices, plus they tend to peel of in the worst possible space.

I've resorted to taking a scribe and scratching a few marks, such as "1 mark means set number 1, etc." That is not easy to read and I have reliability concerns about scratching the battery.

Have any of you found a good way to mark or label batteries?
 

Black Rose

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
4,626
Location
Ottawa, ON, Canada
I just use a Sharpie to mark the number on the label and/or the negative end of the battery.

All of the other information (capacity, last charge date, what device it's in) are kept in an Excel spreadsheet.

When I number my cells, I reset the numbering sequence for each brand and cell type.

i.e. Cells 1 - 44 for Eneloop AA, Cells 1 -16 for Hybrid AA, etc.
 

TakeTheActive

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 16, 2008
Messages
830
Location
Central NJ, USA
...I haven't found any kind of marker that works well. Sharpies, silver ink pens, white ink, etc. simply seems to rub off on my hands...
IME, the cell has to be GREASE-FREE when labelling it with a Sharpie.

I clean mine first with Nail Polish Remover, which also removes the smeared / worn Sharpie text. Then, I 'try' not to handle them where they're labelled. :eek:
 
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
852
Location
O'Fallon, MO
I haven't personally tried this, but what if you mark it with your Sharpie and then cover with a small piece of clear packing tape? The packing tape is bound to last longer than the label maker sticker.
 

PeaceOfMind

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
301
Location
Ontario, Canada
I got ("borrowed" from work) an "industrial" sharpie, that is supposed to not wash off under some pretty extreme circumstances, save for a few chemicals that can be used to remove it.

Once that ink is dry, it doesn't go anywhere. Works great for batteries.

However I've never had any trouble using normal sharpies on batteries either, as long as it's given time to dry...
 

Apollo Cree

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 23, 2009
Messages
451
Location
United States of America
Maybe I fondle my batteries too much or something. I've never had much luck with Sharpies. I'll try the pre-cleaning suggestion.

I'd be afraid of the same problems with cello tape as with the TZ labels.
 

spencer

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
785
Location
Saskatoon, Canada
I tried with Sharpie but it would eventually wear off on me.

The solution I used...marker and nail polish (saw this somewhere too so I can't take full credit). So I marked my battery with Sharpie but when I go to apply the clear nail polish, the Sharpie starts to run. The solvents or something in the nail polish caused it come off. So that idea is out.

Next idea. I had some whiteboard markers that said water based on them. I had tried them before on the battery but they just rubbed right off. But they were water based so when they were covered with nail polish the solvents didn't smudge or smear the writing underneath. This has been working well for me.
 

e_dogg

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
107
I just use a Sharpie to mark the number on the label and/or the negative end of the battery.

All of the other information (capacity, last charge date, what device it's in) are kept in an Excel spreadsheet.

When I number my cells, I reset the numbering sequence for each brand and cell type.

i.e. Cells 1 - 44 for Eneloop AA, Cells 1 -16 for Hybrid AA, etc.

I've been wondering about cell marking too...only moreso about the concepts behind it rather than the mechanics. Forgive me if this is a bit of a thread highjack.

Do you find it useful to mark them in matched sets? If so, do you get better runtimes out of your battery powered devices?

Most of my devices use 2 batteries (lights, wireless mice, etc). Right now, all of my batteries are either in a "charged" or "discharged" Ziploc bag. When I need new batteries, I just grab a couple out of the charged bag and away I go.

I've been thinking that I might match them in pairs. Two batteries with 1's, two with 2's, etc. Then make sure I grab both of the 1's when I get a new set of batteries.
 

Conte

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 15, 2009
Messages
734
Location
Canada
I have a colour coding system.

I buy rolls of various coloured electrical tape, cut little strips, and stick them to the side of the batteries. Kind of like resistor codes.


I dont' have HUGE amount of the same kind of batteries, so for the ones that I do use this it basically allows me to discern which is which.
 

45/70

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 9, 2005
Messages
2,800
Location
Rural Ohio
I've mentioned this before, in similar topic threads, but if you use any kind of tape, it can eventually end up making the battery tube sticky, as well as your cells. This is especially true if the light you use it in gets very warm. The adhesive tends to ooze out under such conditions, and can make a real mess.

I use a Sharpie as Black and others do, also I've found that laundry markers work well. Both work fine for me.

Dave
 

Muddquez

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
144
Location
Bakersfield, CA
I use a Dymo labeler, only I use the paper labels so they're not very thick. I haven't had any problems with them fitting in any of my lights
 

Kremer

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
391
Location
Dayton, OH
For my NiMh if I mark them I use a sharpie and put a piece of scotch tape over the mark to keep it from being rubbed off.

For my 18650's I use a P-touch and have not run into any battery tubes anywhere tight enough to have problems with the label.
 

mitro

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 19, 2009
Messages
115
Location
Montgomery, IL
P-touch here. I just put the capacity reported from a Break-in on the c-9000. I should probably include more info on the labels (ie. purchase date and capacity test date).
 

snakebite

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Messages
2,721
Location
dayton oh
i use a paint pen and mark the + insulator.
mostly to make sets of the same cells for a certain device.
for instance i have 3 sets of 8 duraloops for my ft-817.
one set red,one yellow,one gold.
keeps you from mixing up cells from different sets when changing them.the paint pens also do ok on the jackets but they wear off on the spares that i have in my pocket.
 

jhellwig

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Nov 23, 2008
Messages
182
Location
Ottumwa, Ia
Use a blue sharpie instead of black. For some reason the black ones rub off easier. Blue on a clean cell is the only thing I can get to stay.
 

malow

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
144
Location
Brazil
i use small dots around top metal (eneloop and sony cycleenergy have a white "paper" around) so its easy to mark
 

DiverDn

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 24, 2008
Messages
50
i use small dots around top metal (eneloop and sony cycleenergy have a white "paper" around) so its easy to mark


I hope this isn't too far off topic, but could folks share their marking codes? For example do you simply use 1,2,3,4 etc or like malow use a series of dots?

Pictures would be great.
Thanks
 

Paul_in_Maryland

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 27, 2005
Messages
3,191
Location
Maryland, USA
Don't use tape to mark batteries

Tape also can make the cell too thick. My Eneloops would get stuck in my Dereelight Javelin's tube until I removed the skinny address labels I had applied.

I've mentioned this before, in similar topic threads, but if you use any kind of tape, it can eventually end up making the battery tube sticky, as well as your cells. This is especially true if the light you use it in gets very warm. The adhesive tends to ooze out under such conditions, and can make a real mess. Dave
 
Top