What do you think of Radio Shack brand batteries? Any problems like what I saw today?

I was working indoors for a customer today because its too cold to do any outdoor work, so at one point he asked me to look at his battery powered pencil sharpener. He said it had stopped working and he thought the batteries were dead so he tossed them and installed new ones, but the sharpener still didnt work. Then he asked me to look at it. The 4-AA batteries slide down into the unit, but when I shined my BC-10 down in there I noticed corrosion on 2 terminals but not on the other 2, which were clean. So it obviously wasnt just oxidation, or it wouldve been present on all the terminals which were side by side. This was from a leaky alkaline battery. So I got a pencil and wrapped some sandpaper around the tip and removed the corrosion from the terminals and the sharpener worked fine again.

About 6 months ago I was over there and we went through his battery box looking for some AAAA batteries, and when we found several packs of AAAA's, I ended up tossing ALL of them due to the fact that at least half of them had swollen and some had started leaking. They were all Radio Shack batteries. I asked how old they were and he said they'd all been bought within 2-3 years. He goes through lots of batteries anyway. So we tossed all of them.

Today we went back through another battery box looking for some watch batteries for an electric tire pressure gauge, and while looking through this box we found more swollen Radio Shack batteries and tossed them too. In both of the battery boxes found 6 months ago and again today, there were also Duracell and Energizer alkaline batteries present, but none of them were swollen or leaking. It seemed to only be an issue with his Radio Shack batteries.

It was also only with smaller batteries like AAAA and AAA's. However, the AAA and AAAA's were the only Radio Shack batteries, and there were no radio shack batteries in any other larger sizes. So one of two things is going on here: 1. either the smaller alkalines batteries are, are more prone to swelling and leaking they will be, or, 2. there's a problem with radio Shack batteries. I guess there's also the outside chance that my customer was wrong about the age of these batteries, but again, of all the many batteries he owns, only the Radio Shacks are having this problem, so..... I actually talked him into buying the largest Eneloop kit out there but he hardly uses them(doesnt use them)

Anyone know who makes batteries for Radio Shack, and has anyone had issues with them before?

Honestly, it could happen with any alkaline battery. I doubt all RS batteries come from the same factory.
But, as soon as I read Radio Shack, I was like "ehh, who cares."
Cuz who still shops at Radio Shack?

Alkaline = will eventually leak. No exceptions.

Go ahead and buy the big holiday combo pack of alkalines, but don't put them in anything vital, and keep an eye on them. Not a big deal if it leaks in one of your kid's toys, but probably best avoided altogether in your titanium light.

VegasF6 said:

Honestly, it could happen with any alkaline battery. I doubt all RS batteries come from the same factory.
But, as soon as I read Radio Shack, I was like "ehh, who cares."
Cuz who still shops at Radio Shack?

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There are several Radio Shacks in our area, and they are somewhat popular. I havent personally bought a Radio Shack brand battery since I was like 15, but I did buy my IPhone 4s there 6 weeks ago. I go there to buy wiring and electronic parts too.

StarHalo said:

Alkaline = will eventually leak. No exceptions.

Go ahead and buy the big holiday combo pack of alkalines, but don't put them in anything vital, and keep an eye on them. Not a big deal if it leaks in one of your kid's toys, but probably best avoided altogether in your titanium light.

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I dont use alkalines in anything except for cheap remote controls and that kinda thing. I use Eneloops or Tenergy Centuras in everything else.

HighlanderNorth said:

I dont use alkalines in anything except for cheap remote controls and that kinda thing. I use Eneloops or Tenergy Centuras in everything else.

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Good call. And check Monoprice for your cable needs.

It would be good if he could take them back to RS so they know how well thier batts are being manufactured
It might not wake anyone up in the bean counter section, but at least he could get new leaky replacements.

hey RS has to exist, even though it is loosing it.

Your customer wont use rechargables, and they probably also only replace cell items when the thing they are in no longer functions the way they want. Chances are good with the 4x series and the uses he has for them, that he is getting more than average leaking from reverse charge. 1 battery completly dead, and the person still trying to get the device to work.
All completly normal things for most of the consumers. Then they put them in a box or a drawer , when they wouldnt even run the device.
it probably is not a RS specific factor, but a fact of life No preparedness or shopping just get me a dang battery (radio shack) and use it till it burst

I used to work for Radio Shack until 1998. Worked for them for 11 years years managing stores. At that time, their batteries were made by Eveready. They were just Energizer batteries with Radio Shack wrapping on them. The brand name does not matter as I have had various brands of alkalines leak, including Radio Shacks. I have noticed, however, that I rarely have C or D cells leak.