need help removing corroded batteries from maglite

I have a Maglite led 2d cell light and I can not remove the batteries from it but the light still works and even has a bright beam. I called Maglite and they told me to call the bettery company for a refund. so I did call energizer and they only offered me 1/2 of the value of my light if I just left the batteries in it and take a picture of them showing that its a energizer battery but if I remove them from the Maglite and show the exp date on them they would give me a full refund of my Maglite. I have been looking on here and other web pages and I have tried banging it on a hard surface and tried coke and wd40 to try to loosing the batteries but no luck. so I would appreciate any help and info about getting the batteries out.

Do this outdoors: 3 techniques I have used.

For all, I have soaked with penetrant oil overnight.
A) Come from the front (head) pushing out back. You can remove the switch with a Allan wrench. Google how to do that.
B) If you can't do that, the next move is using a big screw, screw it in to battery then grab with pliers and start pulling.
C) Or use a huge drill bit and start drilling. Then using needle nose pliers start removing nastiness.

Wear thick leather gloves and eye protection. Use baking soda to clean up and neutralize battery acids.

Hope those ideas help you out a little.

The leakage from an alkaline battery is a caustic, potassium hydroxide and as such is not neutralized by using another base like baking soda.

I have had some luck with a dilute acid like white vinegar mixed 1:1 with water. I reccomend a slow application of the acid solution, outdoors and then use the baking soda to neutralize the vinegar.

The potassium hydroxide is quite corrosive to aluminum so there will be a loss of material depending on how long there has been contact with the body of the light.

I am not a chemist so try at your own risk.

Buy another light and use that one for parts.

Do a search. There are quite a few threads on this subject.
I'd go the vinegar route first. If they come out easily good. If not go the more aggressive route.

Str8stroke said:

Do this outdoors: 3 techniques I have used.

For all, I have soaked with penetrant oil overnight.
A) Come from the front (head) pushing out back. You can remove the switch with a Allan wrench. Google how to do that.
B) If you can't do that, the next move is using a big screw, screw it in to battery then grab with pliers and start pulling.
C) Or use a huge drill bit and start drilling. Then using needle nose pliers start removing nastiness.

Wear thick leather gloves and eye protection. Use baking soda to clean up and neutralize battery acids.

Hope those ideas help you out a little.

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thank you ill try to have it sit over night. if that does not work ill have to try the drill as a last resort.

BULLYBOY13 said:

thank you ill try to have it sit over night. if that does not work ill have to try the drill as a last resort.

Click to expand...

If the batteries aren't stuck too bad, you can try to knock them out. I did one about 10 years ago. I took the head and switch out. Then mounted the tube in a vise and used a wooden dowel to knock them out. One was stuck so bad that I had to drill the core of the third cell. Then used a long screwdriver to collapse the cell in on itself.

from the videos that I have seen are over 4-5 years old and showing the Incandescent versio. the videos only show it being removed from through the tube where the batteries are stuck in. so the switch can be removed out the head in of the tube?

I start with a good rubber mallet trying to break the bond before adding any liquids...and when that doesn't work go with the disolver.
If that doesn't work I set about destroying the batteries from the center using a drill and right angle tools to attempt to tug them out.
But usually when it's that bad it's time for a new light. And what's left of the busted one goes in the parts box.

But...if one wants to go the warranty route, start out with a rubber mallet. You may get lucky.

thank you for the help and info.. so does the switch can only be removed from the tail or can it be removed from the head too?

There is an retaining ring that is embedded in the tube of the main body that keeps the switch from pushing towards the head. Unscrewing the Allen screw allows the switch to move but only out the tail end unless that retaining ring is removed. From what I saw its in pretty solidly in there and trying to get it out may damage it.

If it was me I would try destroying the batteries then pulling them out trying to preserve the battery skin. I wouldn't use any solutions personally as they might eat the battery skin. If you can get the batteries out with skin preserved and get a good shot of a date, get a full refund and still salvage the flashlight... that would be the best result. Bingo 2 Maglites and a story to tell.

Look at how a bullet puller works using inertia of the bullet to remove it from the brass.
You could do about the same if you come up with a way to strike the light sharply without damaging it -the aluminum tube will be accelerated, while the mass of the batteries will resist acceleration, moving them out of the tube, probably a bit at a time.
If you could find a short pvc pipe that had the same internal diameter as the light, then duct tapping the pipe to the end and sharply striking the pipe should do the trick, speed is needed without smashing the pipe, so maybe a section of 2x4 or a small piece of firewood would make an appropriate mallet.