How to mark batteries

[Apollo Cree]

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]

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]

...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.

 

[was.lost.but.now.found]

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.

 

[italianboy]

Try with a CD/DVD marker pen. I did it on a few batteries; also, if you have to re-mark them you can always remove the ink with a wipe and a a little of alcohol or any other solvent.

 

[PeaceOfMind]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[Black Rose]

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

I just use the data in my large spreadsheet (18 tabs) to determine which cells get used in which devices.

 

[jhellwig]

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]

i use small dots around top metal (eneloop and sony cycleenergy have a white "paper" around) so its easy to mark

 

[DiverDn]

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]

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