Should we not keep batteries in flashlights?
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Trancersteve
Newly Enlightened
:welcome:
What batteries are you using in your flashlight?
Alkaline batteries are very prone to leaking when left inside a device for long periods of time.
You could go down the route of using rechargeable batteries: Low self discharge Ni-Mh rechargeable batteries such as Sanyo Eneloop or Uniross Hybrio would be suitable and will not leak over time.
Disposable Lithium batteries would be an option to look at if you don't want to go down the route of using rechargeable batteries.
What batteries are you using in your flashlight?
Alkaline batteries are very prone to leaking when left inside a device for long periods of time.
You could go down the route of using rechargeable batteries: Low self discharge Ni-Mh rechargeable batteries such as Sanyo Eneloop or Uniross Hybrio would be suitable and will not leak over time.
Disposable Lithium batteries would be an option to look at if you don't want to go down the route of using rechargeable batteries.
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march.brown
Flashlight Enthusiast
My AA and AAA Lithium Primary cells (Energisers) have a date on them (March 2023) so I can leave them in their torches for another thirteen years and they should be OK ... I would suggest that you try them rather than the Alkalines ... I doubt very much that you would be able to leave your alkalines for thirteen years and still have a useable torch.
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rushnrockt
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Lithium batteries (especially newer ones) would do well for an even longer time. Alkaline are anywhere between 3-8 years depending on their size (larger = longer life) and manufacturer.
qqqqqqqman
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Up to this point, I've only used alkalines and usually just leave them out until I need them. No use letting them discharge for nothing. I haven't ever run into a situation where I needed light "immediately".
With my likely upgrades coming to flashlights that use 18650, I need to check out that issue with those, too
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With my likely upgrades coming to flashlights that use 18650, I need to check out that issue with those, too
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carrot
Flashaholic
Lithium batteries do not leak like alkalines do.Up to this point, I've only used alkalines and usually just leave them out until I need them. No use letting them discharge for nothing. I haven't ever run into a situation where I needed light "immediately".
With my likely upgrades coming to flashlights that use 18650, I need to check out that issue with those, too
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qqqqqqqman
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On that note, for instance, how long can you keep 18650s reliably in a flashlight without recharging them or using them? A month? 3 months? A year?
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KiwiMark
Flashlight Enthusiast
On that note, for instance, how long can you keep 18650s reliably in a flashlight without recharging them or using them? A month? 3 months? A year?
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With no parasitic drain a year should be no problem whatsoever. If you have a light with anodised threads that will not light with the tailcap loosened then I would store it with the tailcap loosened to eliminate the possibility of a parasitic drain.
On that note, for instance, how long can you keep 18650s reliably in a flashlight without recharging them or using them? A month? 3 months? A year?
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depends on the flashlight. If the light does not have an electronic circuit in it that drains a small amount of current waiting for you to hit the button you may have to charge it once every month or three, but if the light doesn't have any vampiric drain to it I would say you could leave it in for a few years as lithium ion doesn't self discharge very fast at all. If you have a dmm you could put it on the lowest scale and remove the tailcap and test to see what current it is drawing WHILE OFF, don't turn it on while doing this you will zot your meter. If the draw is even 1ma then it will drain 24ma/day or about 150ma/week 600ma/month etc.
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Battery Guy
Enlightened
Wow, they must have been really old cells. Modern NiCd and NiMH cells are built with an electrolyte-starved design. If you ever happen to open one you will find that it is barely damp inside, with no visible liquid. This is why you hardly ever hear of a NiCd or NiMH cell leaking. They may vent and release gas, but rarely if ever do they leak liquid electrolyte.
NiZn cells are a different story. These appear to have a flooded design and leak like sieves when mistreated.
Cheers,
BG
Dude Dudeson
Enlightened
On that note, for instance, how long can you keep 18650s reliably in a flashlight without recharging them or using them? A month? 3 months? A year?
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Personally if I were to own any flashlight that might see no usage for many weeks at a time, yet wanted to keep it equipped with batteries, I would settle for nothing but lithium primaries. With a usage rate like that I am of the opinion that the advantages outweigh the drawbacks.
Unless there was literally a situation like "every last Saturday of the month I need to run the light for several hours"...
If I had a flashlight that could be expected to sit in storage for a YEAR I would not keep any battery in it. I'd keep cells on the side, regardless of type. I'd also have to question whether I should keep the light at all. I may be a flashaholic, but I'm not a flashlight collector (at least by CPF standards lol!).
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rushnrockt
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I've had same alkaline batteries in my 3AA Maglite for the past 2 years. The light is always in the car, mounted on the dash and I live in Arizona. Batteries are yet to leak. This is basically my experiment on how long it can last.
vali
Enlightened
I had some very old NiCads (maybe from the 80's) that had some kind of "leak". Near the cathode they developed some kind of whit crystals, but not the kind of leak you can get with alkalines (like a corpse bleeded to death).
I have some old generic nimh cells I pulled from cell phone packs that when charged fast will do the same thing. a little white powder around the top seal which is no big deal as they kept on working and you just scrape it off and go on.
Rechargeable cells and lithium primaries (CR123, L92, and L91) don't leak. If you have to store a light with cells in it, find a way to use these. Otherwise, either store the cells next to the light or make sure the light is disposable.
I bought some battery upsizers so that I could store my 4D beater with duraloop AAs in it and I keep a box of D cells next to it under the sink. I also have some $1 throw-away 2D lights with cheap cells in them as loaners.
--flatline
I bought some battery upsizers so that I could store my 4D beater with duraloop AAs in it and I keep a box of D cells next to it under the sink. I also have some $1 throw-away 2D lights with cheap cells in them as loaners.
--flatline
leonar
Newly Enlightened
Buy good quality batteries and it will be fine to keep the battery in your flashlight
I wouldn't keep alkalines in anything unless I was sure to check it often for leaks. I have had way too many things ruined by them.
