Flashlight batteries

[gmerkt]

I suppose many members here have fancy flashlights with fancy batteries. If you're one of those, read no further. This is for legacy flashlights that take D dry cells.

The other day, I was visiting one of my daughters. She came out with her purple Maglite that I gifted her long ago. She said it no longer worked and she was unable to get the batteries out. I volunteered to "take a look" at it.

A number of times over the years, I've taken apart a Maglite to find a corroded battery. I try to check them all once a year. If the batteries are beyond their expiration date, I am tempted to change them. I've saved several Maglites with corroded barrels from battery leakage damage. I met my match with my daughter's. None I've worked on previously have been so badly corroded. It appeared that both batteries had failed but I never did get the second one (of two) out. The barrel was corroded so badly that it probably wouldn't take much force to push all the way through the thinnest part of the aluminum where it was eaten away.

I haven't had a chance to ask her, but the question in my mind is, "When did you last use that thing??" The extent of that damage doesn't happen overnight.

Looking through my pile of Maglites, I found another purple one and I left it over at her place yesterday. It is a three cell light. The batteries are dated 12-2025. I emailed her to change them in December to avoid recurrence of the recent problem with the other light.

There were several three cell Maglites in my stack. And now I wonder, why did I obtain those? Because batteries are mostly sold retail in packs of two, four or more. You nearly always wind up with an extra battery when you change them in a three cell light.

Read More

 

[po18guy]

The more power packed in batteries, the less space there is for sealing that will prevent leaks. Alkalines do damage when they leak, but it is a base rather than an acid. Different damage, but still damage.

 

[P7M13]

I've lost one three cell Maglite to DuraLeaks. The DuraLeak brand (and relabeled DuraLeaks like Costco batteries) are the absolute worst.
Over decades, it's been my observation:

• It's not how long, but how long after the leakage, when crystals form. KOH, what leaks out, is used as an etchant in some industrial processes. It's similar to lye.
• The leak starts catastrophically, if the battery will leak at all, when the cell voltage drops below a threshold.
• With the old Maglite incandescent flashlights, when you turn it on, if the light cycles through dimming and brightening, it's time to change the cells.
• I learned to store electronics with the batteries pulled and in a baggie. If it was super inconvenient to remove the batteries and I used the electronics frequently enough, I would store the gadget so any fluid would not hit the circuits. For example, a remote with the LED and keypad oriented in the up position.

 

[boattail]

My wife picked up a three cell mag light from a garage sale a couple years ago for a buck. I spent hours getting the old batteries out. Once out I could not get the light to work....it is still in the bottom of the drawer where I tossed it.

My new welding helmet instructions said to take the batteries out if not used for extended periods. I used that helmet at least monthly so I left them in it. Yup, they leaked and almost ruined the thing. Now everything gets batteries pulled when not in use.

My MIL was funny about lights. Years ago when she got older and the power went out at night she would pull four or five D cell flashlights out and turn them all on at once and sit there wondering when the power would come back on. She would kill all the batteries in the house at the same time. I suggested she only turn one flashlight on at a time in case the power stayed out a while. Nope, they all had to burn at the same time

My wife likes having lots of lights around but luckily she only turns one on at a time....she still lets them burn when not needed but at least it is not five at once.

 

[Joe13]

I still have my 4 D cell mag light next to my quick access safe. Both for light and as a club if I were to need it. (Also my 2x AA battery that came with my Leatherman Wave maybe 25 years or so ago in my backpack)

My daily work and after hours flashlight is about the size of a medium cigar and I only charge it every other month or two and it easily twice as bright as my big mag light. It's been thru the washing machine at least twice and dropped from different heights more times then I would like.

I was a diehard maglight fan but there are just so many other affordable, reliable, adjustable, brighter and rechargeable light out there that mag lights just aren't my go to anymore.

And as far as my daily carry goes, it's at least 6 years old and will run off of the rechargeable battery or an equivalent disposable one so you could bring an extra if you need to. I have yet to have it run out on me though and it gets used almost everyday for a variety of things.

 

[Cavedweller]

D cells are so expensive these days. It really makes D cell powered appliances uneconomical. I've pretty much gone over to AA for everything. But even they are rising in price. Priced the Eveready lithiums, which I have found to be very reliable and long lasting, at FM the other day and they were $24.99 for an 8 pack. That's more than double the $11.99 I paid last time I bought them (last year as I recall). Yikes!

 

[Koda]

I used to have one of those 3 cell Maglights and wish I never parted ways with it. Those classic flashlights set the standard in their day and are still functional.

Ive been using USB rechargable batteries for legacy battery equipment thats extending their practical use with more modern tech. You dont need a recharging kit or station for these battery cells just plug the batteries themselves into your cell phone charging cable.

https://www.amazon.com/Batteries-Re...2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

 

[Koda]

D cells are so expensive these days. It really makes D cell powered appliances uneconomical.

See my post above for a link to buy...
Note, they sell these in every size except AAA.

 

[Bacchus]

I've had problems with counterfeit batteries on Amazon, at least with some brands. I prefer to buy my batteries from Home Depot or Costco. I can sometimes get AA batteries for around 33 cents each.

The one place I don't buy them any more is the grocery store, where they want about a dollar a battery.

 

[made in china]

For my D cell lights, I bought adapters that take 3 AA batteries, then I use authentic Eneloop rechargeable AA batteries.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Flash light batteries...
Are easier to find than Chem Light batteries...

It is wise to check and change batteries out from time to time.
As for expense...yep....Just like everything else nowadays
Andy

 

[GrayGoose]

Just make sure you store them properly.

 

[Aught Six]

I suppose many members here have fancy flashlights with fancy batteries

Nope, LEDs and 5000m AH batteries, nuttin special at all.

 

[tdemore1743x]

I carry an 18650 fueled light that's interchangeable from my pocket to my ARP.
I decided to go with lithium ion since I already use 18650s for my vapes.

 

[64MercurysRule]

Just make sure you store them properly.

Same here ...... so far the energy pills work when called into action .

 

[gmerkt]

Priced the Eveready lithiums, which I have found to be very reliable and long lasting, at FM the other day and they were $24.99 for an 8 pack. That's more than double the $11.99 I paid last time I bought them (last year as I recall). Yikes!

Yes, they are expensive but I've been using them in a legacy digital camera for ebay stuff. The batteries make money, therefore they are justified.

Ive been using USB rechargable batteries for legacy battery equipment thats extending their practical use with more modern tech. You dont need a recharging kit or station for these battery cells just plug the batteries themselves into your cell phone charging cable.

https://www.amazon.com/Batteries-Re...2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

Just put some in my Amazon cart. Thanks for the tip. Wonderful invention. We'll see how long they last.

 

[Koda]

Yes, they are expensive but I've been using them in a legacy digital camera for ebay stuff. The batteries make money, therefore they are justified.


Just put some in my Amazon cart. Thanks for the tip. Wonderful invention. We'll see how long they last.

I have several I use in some older motion lights for maybe a year now and they work really well. They seem to last pretty long but my guess is the internal charger takes up some space inside...

 

[gmerkt]

Nope, LEDs and 5000m AH batteries, nuttin special at all.

LED's, Maglites come with LED "bulbs" now, I think I only have one or two, the rest have the typical older filament bulb. But I'll keep using them as long as they work.

Fancy = anything with a proprietary, rechargeable battery.

I seem to recall buying an LED light that mounts on my Glock 19. I tested it out when it first landed, then never looked at it again. I can't remember what powers it.

Somewhere I've also got one of those cheap, Chinese LED lights with the strobe option. I had some idea that the strobe feature might deter invaders - but nothing like a gun would.

Do the fancy batteries ever leak like the old zinc compound, ordinary batteries?

 

[edzz]

Many years ago I worked for an FBO in Santa Barbara, company decided to save a few bucks by buying cheep battery's. Was common that we'd go thru more than one set a night. Well come Monday after they started supplying these cheap battery's they found EVERYONE spending about an hour cleaning our Maglite's due to leaky batteries. They decided ponying up for good battery's was better than having all of us working on flashlights instead of airplanes...