15 Year shelf life for Lithium batteries... Don't bet on it...

[Stereodude]

Tonight I got out a brand new still in the package a Energizer 2CR5 Lithium battery for my camera. It had an expiration date of 2010 on the package. I put it in the camera, and the camera doesn't turn on. I get out my multimeter and it measures a whopping 4.6V instead of the expected 6V. I bought the battery probably 12 years ago when I was in high school, and have kept it all along never opening the package or using it. Maybe lithium cells have gotten better since then, but it clearly was worthless prior to the date on the package.

 

[greenLED]

I thought it was 10 year shelf-life...

 

[husky20]

12 years is a long time I'm pretty sure they only have a shelf life of about 8-10 years and thats in a perfect room temperature control.so your probably a few years to late.

 

[Stereodude]

I thought it was 10 year shelf-life...

The E91's I bought around Christmas of 2007 have a date of 2022 on 'em. That's 15 years. :thinking:

 

[Stereodude]

12 years is a long time I'm pretty sure they only have a shelf life of about 8-10 years and thats in a perfect room temperature control.so your probably a few years to late.

I guess they shouldn't be putting a date 15 years out on the package then. :shakehead

 

[dave w]

Tonight I got out a brand new still in the package a Energizer 2CR5 Lithium battery for my camera. It had an expiration date of 2010 on the package. I put it in the camera, and the camera doesn't turn on. I get out my multimeter and it measures a whopping 4.6V instead of the expected 6V. I bought the battery probably 12 years ago when I was in high school, and have kept it all along never opening the package or using it. Maybe lithium cells have gotten better since then, but it clearly was worthless prior to the date on the package.

Seems like the 10 year or 15 year question is moot. By dates stamped on your package, the battery should still be good. Perhaps you have discovered the manufacturers secret. The "good to" or "use by" date they print on the packages is pure "pee-pee, poo-poo, ca-ca" and the manufacturers are betting we will never keep a pack long enough to find out(?) :sigh:

 

[husky20]

Perhaps you have discovered the manufacturers secret. The "good to" or "use by" date they print on the packages is pure "pee-pee, poo-poo, ca-ca" and the manufacturers are betting we will never keep a pack long enough to find out(?) :sigh:

Its called marketing you hit the nail right on the head.:naughty: I wouldnt feel to confident in a batt that ive had lying around for more than a few years lithium or not.

 

[Mr Happy]

Perhaps it went to sleep? Lithium batteries can do that (no, I'm not kidding).

Find a 4 cell flashlight bulb and connect it to the battery for a few minutes. You may find that the bulb starts out dim but after a while increases to full brightness. The battery is then woken up and can successfully be put back in your camera.

You may find this doesn't work, in which case your battery really is a dud, but you should do this test to make sure.

 

[Stereodude]

Perhaps it went to sleep? Lithium batteries can do that (no, I'm not kidding).

Find a 4 cell flashlight bulb and connect it to the battery for a few minutes. You may find that the bulb starts out dim but after a while increases to full brightness. The battery is then woken up and can successfully be put back in your camera.

You may find this doesn't work, in which case your battery really is a dud, but you should do this test to make sure.

It won't light a 2 cell, 3 cell, or 4 cell maglite incan bulb.

 

[Stereodude]

Seems like the 10 year or 15 year question is moot. By dates stamped on your package, the battery should still be good. Perhaps you have discovered the manufacturers secret. The "good to" or "use by" date they print on the packages is pure "pee-pee, poo-poo, ca-ca" and the manufacturers are betting we will never keep a pack long enough to find out(?) :sigh:

Based on this experience, I certainly won't be buying any close to expiration date 2CR5's off ebay either.

Here's a good example. It's even older than mine.

 

[Edwood]

Its called marketing you hit the nail right on the head.:naughty: I wouldnt feel to confident in a batt that ive had lying around for more than a few years lithium or not.

Nope. It's called fraud if they don't stand behind it. They should honor their printed date. Call or email for an RMA.

 

[Illum]

Nope. It's called fraud if they don't stand behind it. They should honor their printed date. Call or email for an RMA.

I think your too hard on yourself...If false marketing is considered fraud then the state of capitalism here wouldn't work too well would it? Fair competition is a term that exists only on paper, unfortunately I too have been pretty ticked by "guarantees" on many appliances, batteries included:shakehead
first 12W LEDs then flashlights that lasts thousands of hours...yeah you could call that fraud too, good luck getting a RMA on those

 

[husky20]

Nope. It's called fraud if they don't stand behind it. They should honor their printed date. Call or email for an RMA.

What they fail to tell you is that if its not stored in a perfect never changing room temp controlled 72 degrees the time stamp means very little.:naughty:

 

[WildChild]

I think only AA lithium have a shelf life of 15 years. Standard 3V or 6V (2 * 3V) have a shelf life of 10 years...

 

[Black Rose]

Was it stored anywhere near that modded Sylvania lantern that looks like a nuclear blast? :laughing:

Seriously, since it says 2010 on the battery, contact Energizer and tell them their advertised best before date is not accurate.

 

[paulr]

I bought a new Maxell DL223A battery (plastic capsule with two CR123A's inside) a few months ago and pried it open and found that both cells were corroded and one of them was dead. I took some icky looking photos that I may get around to posting here.

 

[Marduke]

Tonight I got out a brand new still in the package a Energizer 2CR5 Lithium battery for my camera. It had an expiration date of 2010 on the package. I put it in the camera, and the camera doesn't turn on. I get out my multimeter and it measures a whopping 4.6V instead of the expected 6V. I bought the battery probably 12 years ago when I was in high school, and have kept it all along never opening the package or using it. Maybe lithium cells have gotten better since then, but it clearly was worthless prior to the date on the package.

What was the storage temperature??

 

[Illum]

Was it stored anywhere near that modded Sylvania lantern that looks like a nuclear blast? :laughing:

Seriously, since it says 2010 on the battery, contact Energizer and tell them their advertised best before date is not accurate.

both duracell and energizer has the issue...I have a set of duracells that expired Sep 2006 and still tested 100% on ZTS and a package that expires in 2009 and most of died or halfway discharged after storing them for 2 years.

I don't have any Energizer Alkalines, only lithiums but they are used in lights lke L0D-CE or E01 where I can't keep track of its state of charge accurately

Alkalines have been known to be stored in fridges but personally It doesn't matter as long as your not storing them in the garage. As to Lithiums I store them in the fridge beside the eggs until mom complained about the "odor" around the eggs

 

[paulr]

What was the storage temperature??

My 223? I didn't store it, I opened it up just a little while after receiving it from the dealer.

 

[Stereodude]

What was the storage temperature??

Room temp. :shrug: