22 year old AA batteries still working

[liketotallyrandom]

These JVC "UM 3 DJ" AA batteries I got with my JVC RX-750V receiver on December 26, 1987 are still working in the receiver's remote. I used them daily from 1987 - 1999, and still use them on at least a monthly basis.

 

[was.lost.but.now.found]

Do you happen to have an analyzing charger such as LaCrosse BC 900 or Maha 9000? I'd be curious to see what their useable capacity is.

 

[Black Rose]

...and here I thought I was doing good with a set of 13 year old Duracell D cells I recently found in the basement.

 

[liketotallyrandom]

These are not rechargeables. Doesn't the analyzing function discharge the batteries? I mean I've only used these for 22 years. I wouldn't want to throw them away early! :laughing:

Do you happen to have an analyzing charger such as LaCrosse BC 900 or Maha 9000? I'd be curious to see what their useable capacity is.

 

[Patriot]

That's truly amazing if you've been using it on a daily basis. I'm dumbfounded, but it's an interesting example of how reliable alkalines can sometimes freakishly be.

 

[matrixshaman]

Remotes seem to use very little power but just laying there most alkalines would have probably died by now. :twothumbs

 

[Beamhead]

Nice, I have cells leak long before 22 years, you should bronze those guys.

 

[paintballdad]

They might not even be alkalines. Most remotes in that era just came with "Super Duty" or "Heavy Duty" batteries which i think were zinc-chlorides.

 

[liketotallyrandom]

I'm also wondering if they're zinc batteries. I'm not an expert, but I read somewhere that zinc batteries can have very long lives when discharged intermittently and gently. Is that true? The ends of the batteries also don't look like most alkalines. They seem to remind me of the end caps on "heavy duty" cells.

Of course, I think the remote control must also get some credit. I suspect JVC must have made the remote unit consume very little power.

 

[Lightcrazycanuck]

lovecpflovecpflovecpf

 

[ltiu]

Museum pieces.

 

[Nubo]

Sure it doesn't say MIB anywhere?

 

[MiniMag_Crazy_Greg]

They might not even be alkalines. Most remotes in that era just came with "Super Duty" or "Heavy Duty" batteries which i think were zinc-chlorides.

When I used to work for a shack that sold radios and real parts and stuff........we called them dry cells. I think I might have some of the AA green dry cells that we gave away one per month per customer and punched their battery club card. I'll have to look and put a meter to them. Been in my closet for over 16 years in my old-parts-bin. Beyond what we called them as "dry-cells," I do not remember their chemical composition, you maybe right PBdad.

Or maybe they were red.....I forget alot lately........

 

[paintballdad]

If i remember correctly, "General Purpose" cells are carbon-zinc and "Heavy Duty" cells are zinc-chloride. And i do remember the "battery of the month club" from that certain "shack", i used to have my dad take me so i can get my freeee battery.

 

[batmanacw]

Throw a multi tester on those and see what voltage they are putting out.

 

[tylernt]

My vote goes for something-zinc cells. I have a generic no-name carbon-zinc 9V of undetermined age but I've had it for at least 6 years old (and that's not counting the time it sat in a warehouse and on the shelf at the store), still reads 9.4V even after intermittent use.

 

[Turbo DV8]

Or maybe they were red.....I forget alot lately........

And before the red cells? Drum roll, please... remember the gold, red and white cells? At least the 9 volts were, 35 years ago. I still have a gold, red and white 9 volt sealed in it's clear cellophane wrapper. "Iron clad!" And they said, "New Formula" for years! Every now and then a prick my DVM probes through the cellophane to make sure it still has 9 volts. Yup, sure 'nuff, ready for the next power outage!

About those free battery of the month cards. I was naughty. Our Rat Shack's did not punch the cards, but rather checkd the month off with a ball point pen. As a crafty kid (as opposed to the crafty adult I became) I ran a strip of scotch tape across the months. When they penned the card, I just erased it off the scotch tape and went to the next store, or went back a few days later. Seems like a lot of trouble, but the batteries were like gold to a kid with no allowance, and one cell a month just wasn't going to cut it!

 

[liketotallyrandom]

Throw a multi tester on those and see what voltage they are putting out.

Both are 1.45 volts (!) Energy crisis? What energy crisis? And the label does say "JVC Dry Cell".

 

[Mark620]

The Remote buttons might break before the batteries die...

 

[Conan]

Both are 1.45 volts (!) Energy crisis? What energy crisis? And the label does say "JVC Dry Cell".

Wow! Amazing! :candle: