Flashlight Batteries: Inside or Out?

I have two categories of flashlights: EDC, and ones that I store and use if I'm going camping or hiking and need really good lights.

My EDC's I keep with the batteries inside, ready to go at a moments notice. I store the higher end ones without the batteries as I don't want to compress the springs inside for long periods of time, and also to protect them should a battery go sideways and leak or something.

Therefore, I'm curious as to how some of you guys store your "non-everyday", more expensive lights. Batteries inside or out?

I store the majority of my lights locked up in a peli case, and except for two of them all with batteries removed. I store some batteries separately in the case, so I always have them ready to go, but not all of them. Mostly 18- and 16650s. I dont bother removing lithium primaries or NiMHs tho, I usually just leave those in the light. The case currently stores 18 lights. Two Malkoffs are always on my desk. 6 more lights are kept elsewhere throughout the house. Those all have their batteries installed.

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Alkalines outside the light(s) or those with a bad case of parasitic drain and no circuit cut feature to halt the drain.
The rest have batteries inside them.

I do keep a few Maglites loaded despite having an alkaline fuel source. I've had very few Rayovacs leak in the last few years. But if you absolutely positively need it to work 24/7 then it would be a smart move to use non alkine batteries as a fuel source. They have improved greatly yet are still not 100% certain not to ever leak. Probably none are really but the non alkaline fuel sources have a really good track record of not leaking.

Good idea about the springs though. I had not considered that.

I store most of my lights loaded with batteries, NiMH or Li-ion mostly with a few stored in my vehicle with energizer ultimate lithium primaries. I like to have everything ready to go when I want it and I don't want to store a bunch of batteries. I don't own any lights expensive enough to worry about, though I never store anything with alkalines, in fact many of my lights have never had alkalines in them.

Don't worry about springs being compressed – if the spring is any good to begin with, it can stay compressed for centuries with no harm at all.

I agree as lights I have with batteries in them for 20 years the springs are plenty springy but the batteries often aren't any more (leakalines).
I only leave leakalines in stuff that I can afford to replace if damaged for the most part if I can afford lithium primaries the alkaleaks are tossed in a storage box for $3 plastic lights.

Ya this has really never been a thought to me. No Alkalines in any lights. They all have primary cells or lithium ion in them.No way are your springs going to lose temper unless it's a cheap light to begin with. I have had primary cells in a few of my lights for 5-6 years. Never had a problem.

UFO said:

I don't want to compress the springs inside for long periods of time

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xxo said:

Don't worry about springs being compressed – if the spring is any good to begin with, it can stay compressed for centuries with no harm at all.

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Cycling is what wears out springs. I would only unload lights for the sake of minimizing cell damage.

Anecdotal, but an acquaintance relayed a time in the Army when they were clearing out a warehouse in the 1980s and came across some unexpected crates of loaded M1911 magazines. Best they could tell they'd been stored in the interwar years, so those springs had been continuously compressed some 40-60 years. Since the crates were off the books they went out the range and experienced zero malfunctions across all the many dozens of magazines they shot.

My flashlights always work better when they have batteries inside them

Always loaded

Good to hear that about the springs as I have batteries in all my lights and had thought about removing them for the sake of the springs.

vicv said:

My flashlights always work better when they have batteries inside them

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Well said.

Glad to hear most folks keep them loaded.

Because most of my lights run on rechargeables, and I more or less have one cell for each light plus a couple spares, it makes sense just to keep things organized.

I've never felt the need to remove batteries from my flashlights, until it's time to replace them.

If you use alkaline batteries, I suggest to remove them when is not in use.
Alkaleaks may ruin your flashlight or other devices.
For flashlights without parasitic drain, any li-Ion or NiMH batteries are OK to keep them inside.
BTW, normal operational flashlights no need to worry about spring compression.
I have many rechargeable flashlights inside car, garage and bedrooms ready to use.

Most of my flashlights are stored without batteries. The ones that have batteries are only those that I use most often. I do test the stored lights from time to time or sometimes I change my the ones I use