Code Red Batteries—Practical?

[CLHC]

I don't know if this has already been addressed here, but I was wondering what your thoughts are on these Code Red Batteries. There isn't much information that I can find other than that these have a 20 year shelf life BEFORE being used. Here's an excerpt:

It remains un-energized until you twist the top and mix
the chemicals inside. We have all opened a flashlight or other battery
operated device and found battery acid. You won't have that problem
with the "Code Red" battery. Non-toxic, waterproof(even in salt water), unaffected by extreme heat or cold, and less than half the normal retail price. Once the battery has been energized, it then acts like a normal D cell.

Any experience with these?

 

[LuxLuthor]

Any links about them? This sounds more useful than Duct tape on the color coded terrorist alert scale. Use these when it goes to Code Red.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

I think they were developed for remote sensors.

 

[Sigman]

"Code Red" or "Red Cell"?

I can tell you "Red Cells" are garbage - I stocked up on some for emergency purposes ---> leaky, leaking, leaked, leakers...

 

[LuxLuthor]

So back to the Duct tape then.

 

[barkingmad]

But lithium cells have 10 year (or more) lifespan and I would suspect greater capacity anyway...

 

[ACMarina]

I've got some in D variety that were distributed with my gov't pack, but I never used them (Only D lights I have are Maglites and I don't carry them very much)

 

[CLHC]

How I came upon these batteries was when I was looking for an earthquake preparedness kit. Looks like we've been having "earthquake weather" as of late. :huh: Not that I know what that means; but that's when I ran across Code Red Batteries.

Code Red Batteries I found with little or no information are/were found here in the following links:

http://www.majorsurplusnsurvival.co...n=PROD&Product_Code=0511861&Category_Code=134

http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=10996

http://www.iprepare.com/100l33.html

http://www.e-firstaidsupplies.com/s...en=PROD&Store_Code=FPI&Product_Code=922-10708

http://reddyornot.com/Merchant2/mer...tore_Code=R&Category_Code=CT&Product_Code=L33

Maybe I'm not looking in the right places, but still couldn't find any information on the company that either distributes or manufactures said batteries called Envirotron.

 

[Cydonia]

I've come across the Code Red batteries before also. Searched and searched to find more information, all to no avail. I say to hell with them, they sound like bunk to me. Where is the makers web site? Stock up on Energizer AAA and AA's which are Lithium-Iron Disulfide chemistry with 15 year shelf life.

As an aside, a fun project is to build your own crank generator light from high quality geared DC motors from ebay or surplus shops! highly recommended project...
Also, source high efficiency bright LED's in yellow, green or white, and solder directly onto a small HQ DC motor. Attach a rubber tube or grip onto the motor shaft. Now, to get a burst of blazing free light, spin the motor with your fingers. Hey, better than a match or lighter! Done correctly this could be an extremely robust light solution that could be in every emergency kit bag.

 

[mahoney]

We bought a few of these (size D) for the earthquake kit at work. I tested a set and was not overly impressed with the performance. The voltage seemed low, I don't recall if I tested it, but I do remember that the flashlight lamp was dim and yellowish, even for a 2 D incandescent light. Runtime was adequate. Being able to store them for twenty years is impressive, some light would be better than no light, and they might work fine in an LED flashlight. But the bulk of the flashlights in our kit use lithium AAs.

 

[CLHC]

We bought a few of these (size D) for the earthquake kit at work. I tested a set and was not overly impressed with the performance. The voltage seemed low, I don't recall if I tested it, but I do remember that the flashlight lamp was dim and yellowish, even for a 2 D incandescent light.

Hmmm. . .So you would not recommend these for looong storage for an earthquake survival kit then. I was looking for another practical long duration storage of "as of yet unused" batteries other than lithiums.

Thanks!

 

[Sub_Umbra]

I looked around on Google trying to find a real review of them but struck out. (I don't have much use for most customer reviews, especially when I don't have anything else to go on.)

Quite a few outfits are packing them in kits they sell.

 

[CLHC]

Yes indeed! I've tried searching for the company (Enivrotron) on Google, Metacrawler, and Yahoo, but to no avail. Interesting I must say.

 

[Illum]

I tested a set and was not overly impressed with the performance. The voltage seemed low,

well considering the current flow exists only in the place where the chemicals mixed, compared to the homogenous paste in "pre-activated" alkalines, I'd expect alot less output unless theres a way to shake the chemicals together

 

[CLHC]

I believe one of the sites stated that for these batteries, one would have to twist the tops then shake it to activate it. Then again, I was more curious as to its performance, other than the impressive 20 year shelf storage.

 

[Nubo]

You could probably store the ingredients for a Daniel Cell, forever

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniell_cell


http://www.popsci.com/popsci/how20/70d6cf287b550110vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html?s_prop16= RSS:how2

 

[Brighteyez]

Yes indeed! I've tried searching for the company (Enivrotron) on Google, Metacrawler, and Yahoo, but to no avail. Interesting I must say.

I believe that company went out of business quite some time ago, perhaps even before the Internet became a known commodity.

Hmmm. . .So you would not recommend these for looong storage for an earthquake survival kit then. I was looking for another practical long duration storage of "as of yet unused" batteries other than lithiums.

You'll probably be better served by just putting some alkaline batteries in your stash and then cycling them out every year or two. Generally the contents of an emergency kit should be checked at least once a year if not more and some of the contents, especially food, should be cycled out for every day usage and replaced with fresh supplies. Commercially bottled water usually has a shelf of 2 years, and shelf stable canned foods will have a manufacturer's shelf life of 1-3 years depending on the contents (though many are often usable for a period after the stamped expiration date.)

 

[CLHC]

Thanks Brighteyez! Haven't seen you in a while. I'm guessing the company probably had a shorter life expectancy than their products eh?

We worked at one of the schools in Daly City and noticed one of the rooms had a storage shelter for emergency supplies and the like. Pretty much everything in there expired some 10 or more years ago! :huh: I saw firt aid kit supplies with early 1970s dating. Batteries were leaked/-ing and corroded. I wonder if anyone was supposed to be in that room, since it looked like it hasn't been opened since stocking of shelves!

I guess the alkalines and some lithiums may be considered the "best" choices so far for survival kits (earthquake kits in my neck of the woods) then.

Thanks!

 

[Brighteyez]

Yeah, I've been kind of busy.

With regard to the school, those "supplies" may have been pre-Prop 13 , though I've seen both businesses and public agencies with similar emergency stockpiles that have been ignored for years. Some for lack of funding and in the case of the businesses, it's probably just not a priority issue. The same tends to occur with home "kits" that people may have assembled after Loma Prieta and haven't touched since. And of course, April is Earthquake Preparedness Month in California (coincides with the little tremor that occurred on April 18, 1906 )

Insofar as batteries are concerned, you're going to use them during normal circumstances anyway, so cycling them out of the storage kits each year or two also enables you get some use out of them for the money invested into them, while replacing the stash with fresh supplies, same goes for other perishables like the food.

I've seen some home kits that were assembled after Loma Prieta that have had MREs or MRE entrees in there for the past 17-18 years! Back then they were readily available rather cheaply near military bases with the entrees going for under $1 each. Saw another one that had bottled water from 1990, bulging cans of food, battery corrosion all over the box, and light sticks that were well past their prime.

In all practicality, I'd suspect that one would really be best served by just replenishing and cycling their supplies at regular intervals, just as is suggested for replacing the batteries in smoke alarms, rather than planning for long term storaged based upon their estimated useful life. It would be kind of disappointing to use 7 year old alkalines or 10 year old CR123s, just to find out that they have diminished capacity, in an emergency, after all those years of storage.

Thanks Brighteyez! Haven't seen you in a while. I'm guessing the company probably had a shorter life expectancy than their products eh?

We worked at one of the schools in Daly City and noticed one of the rooms had a storage shelter for emergency supplies and the like. Pretty much everything in there expired some 10 or more years ago! :huh: I saw firt aid kit supplies with early 1970s dating. Batteries were leaked/-ing and corroded. I wonder if anyone was supposed to be in that room, since it looked like it hasn't been opened since stocking of shelves!

I guess the alkalines and some lithiums may be considered the "best" choices so far for survival kits (earthquake kits in my neck of the woods) then.

Thanks!

 

[bones_708]

it does bring up a point that sometimes these type of "emergency" kits do end up being ignored no matter what people "should" do. For a situation like that these batteries would seem to be a great option and very useful but I would tend to think more along the lines of govt/commercial use or for those who are stocking a remote cabin or property.