That could have been an expensive lesson! Leaked batteries in Nitecore EAX Hammer

Thought I'd check the batteries on my nitecore eax, and couldn't open the tail cap. In the end had to use a pair of pipe grips to open it, unfortunately slightly denting and scratching it, but at least it unscrewed.

Reason I couldn't Un do it was due to the duracell AA's had leaked! Eventually got them out, although caused minor damage as I had to prise them out with a screwdriver and pull with long nose pliers.

Give it a clean up and thankfully it works. There is still a little residue in there, need to find something to get in there to clean out.

Just glad it still works!

That was a lesson learned!

Can an 18650 battery leak?

Hello, sorry to hear that had happened, I have had similar problems with alkaline batteries.

I have now moved to using Panasonic Eneloops which do not leak, I would recommended them.

18650 do not leak either.

Strange I never get leakers.

Big_Sam said:

Hello, sorry to hear that had happened, I have had similar problems with alkaline batteries.

I have now moved to using Panasonic Eneloops which do not leak, I would recommended them.

18650 do not leak either.

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Thanks for your reply.

I have looked on ebay and seen the pro ones 2550mah
For around £10 for 4

They look good

And you say they so not leak?

Big_Sam said:

Hello, sorry to hear that had happened, I have had similar problems with alkaline batteries.

I have now moved to using Panasonic Eneloops which do not leak, I would recommended them.

18650 do not leak either.

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Don't own a EAX but a couple of Fenix TK41's that use 8 AA batteries.

Get some of the 4th generation Eneloops an rest easy. Very little difference between the Pros and regular Eneloops since the regulars are low self discharge verses higher self discharge of the Pros.

No leakers.

NoNotAgain said:

Don't own a EAX but a couple of Fenix TK41's that use 8 AA batteries.

Get some of the 4th generation Eneloops an rest easy. Very little difference between the Pros and regular Eneloops since the regulars are low self discharge verses higher self discharge of the Pros.

No leakers.

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Are there bigger capacities than the 1900mah in the 4th generation?

No, 1900 is it. But the 1900's are low discharge. I believe the pros aren't. If the light sits which it sounds like yours does it's moot point.

Eneloops all the way, all of my AA lights have them. If you don't ant to get rechargeables look at the energizer lithiums. They won't leak either and have a better shelf life than alkaleaks (alkalines)

mcnair55 said:

Strange I never get leakers.

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Neither does one of my friends. That's because he loses the lights before they can leak, and then he just buys a new light. Fortunately he only buys cheap hardware store type lights.

Amazon sells their Amazon Basic LSD 2400 mAh NiMH cells at a very reasonable price. Many of us believe they are Eneloop Pro (XX) cells rebadged. I have used them for a couple years in my EA4W, EA41, EA8, and Energizer Folding LED Lantern with no problems, and no appreciable self discharge.

Alkaline batteries create an internal gas as they discharge.

Now you take like that gigantic Coast light that uses 9 alkalines to get 1300 lumens, they draw a lot of juice at once. That in turn causes said gas of the quick draw rate to build up quickly.
POP goes the alkaleak.

Now you take the power sipping Streamlight ems light (protac), which draws a little at a time, the gas builds slowly.

So bottom line is when you use a high draw slurper light with alkalines remove the batteries when not in use. As soon as you're done with it.
And do not leave alkalines in a hot car. Inside or outside the light.

I like the eneloop pro for high draw aaa lights as you get way more run time. Not double or stuff like that, but the Coast HP 7 for example starts to dim within seconds with alkalines. With eneloop pro you get like 30 minutes before noticable dimming occurs.

For aa lights you don't use a lot the regular eneloops as stated stay charged longer. The pro have more juice per-sae if you use it often.

I don't think panasonic reccomends charging pros with their white charger (regulars) but I believe it's ok to charge regulars on the black (pro) charger.
But definitely look that up. Or just get a nitecore intelicharger for use with all your rechargeables.

bykfixer said:

Alkaline batteries create an internal gas as they discharge.

Now you take like that gigantic Coast light that uses 9 alkalines to get 1300 lumens, they draw a lot of juice at once. That in turn causes said gas of the quick draw rate to build up quickly.
POP goes the alkaleak.

Now you take the power sipping Streamlight ems light (protac), which draws a little at a time, the gas builds slowly.

So bottom line is when you use a high draw slurper light with alkalines remove the batteries when not in use. As soon as you're done with it.
And do not leave alkalines in a hot car. Inside or outside the light.

I don't think panasonic reccomends charging pros with their white charger (regulars) but I believe it's ok to charge regulars on the black (pro) charger.
But definitely look that up. Or just get a nitecore intelicharger for use with all your rechargeables.

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I wish I could place blame with a high drain light being the cause of alkaline battery leakage, but I can't.

As I've told before, I gave my Dad a Led Lenser P3AFS AAA light. Far from being high drain light. The battery had 6 years of remaining shelf life leaked into the switch, killing the light. Duracell did pay to replace the light.

I place the blame on companies making their batteries cheaper in both materials and selling cost. The thinner casings and sped up manufacturing processes have reached a point where the failure rate is starting to climb.

Now that Berkshire Hathaway owns Duracell, I expect things to get worse.

You don't want leaks, don't use alkaline batteries.

Don't worry, mcnair55 will be by soon to tell you how that didn't really happen, and that it can't.

What???? Oh really?? He already did???

LOL

I have been very lucky, but I only use eneloop AA batteries. I once gave an Xtar light to a friend,and when I asked, 2 years later, how she was getting on with it, she told me it flickered. It turned out that she was still using the same alkaline AA, that had disintegrated. horrible mess, and I told her to throw the thing away. I was amazed that it was still giving out any light at all.

lloyd.taylor said:

Thought I'd check the batteries on my nitecore eax, and couldn't open the tail cap. In the end had to use a pair of pipe grips to open it, unfortunately slightly denting and scratching it, but at least it unscrewed.

Reason I couldn't Un do it was due to the duracell AA's had leaked! Eventually got them out, although caused minor damage as I had to prise them out with a screwdriver and pull with long nose pliers.

Give it a clean up and thankfully it works. There is still a little residue in there, need to find something to get in there to clean out.

Just glad it still works!

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Glad your light still works..but this is a known problem of the EAX Hammer. That's why my local dealer KATO never sold this light...

doesn't matter

NoNotAgain said:

[...] the Kitty Kaster isn't a high drain devise.

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I'm sure that one of our incan hotwire experts here can fix that.

I have had brand name alkaline cells leak in and ruin a few items, I never use them in anything that might sit unused for more than a week.

doesn't matter