I posted about this elsewhere but I recently found that a pair of Duracell AAs destroyed the battery contacts in a portable dictation recorder. One of the spring contacts was almost completely dissolved.
Sometimes I've had luck sourcing, por making replacement springs to replace the damaged ones like You have described.
It simply is crap having a quality piece of equipment's battery compartment spewed with the caustic leakage of alkaline batteries, and rendering them inoperable. Baking soda can only go so far.
Some of the major brands offer warranty cleanup and replacement. I don't recall anyone who has had a positive experience getting their device fixed or replaced due to their companies cell's leakages.
I've had several flashlights ruined from it.
All my emergency/standby lights now contain Lithium Primary cells, and the more frequently used ones have either NiMh's or USB Rechargeable Lion powered cells, both that are unlikely to leak. Nice part about the Lion cells is that that have a true 1.5V output that some devices, not including most flashlight's, simply can't function without the true 1.5V output, instead of the 1.2V of NiMh's.
My $600 Fluke meter, I keep the 9V cell separate within the bag to install when using it, and then I remove it after use. I just can't justify leaving any alkaline cells installed. Even though 9V alkalines leak less, but still leak or become bulged, and have the potential to ruin it.
There are a few varieties of 9V cells. Some contain 6 smaller sized 1.5V cells in series. Wikipedia has a good write up describing the different PLU's of 9V varieties, including lithium primaries.
I too have also had brand name "new" cells, well within their date, leak inside the packages before even opening them up.
I now steer clear of Alkaline cells, with the exception of 9V ones. Even our life saving smoke detectors are prone to leaking 9V cells. Thankfully they are replaced every 6 months, and have not had any mishaps with 9 Volter's, yet.
GL
