Has anybody had problems with the big "24 pack" of Duracell batteries lately?
I bought a pack at Home Depot some months back, and they're pure GARBAGE!
I use them in my LaCrosse digital clock here in the radio room, and they not only go dead in a month, but they LEAK!
I've never had problems with "AA" size Duracells before, and a pair of them used to run this clock for about a year.
And it's not just this clock, either. They don't last more than a month or so in the various remotes we have, and those leaked, too.
I'm beginning to wonder if somebody slipped Home Depot a fast one, and they got stuck with some counterfeit batteries.
Guess I'll have to write Duracell directly, but just wondered if anybody else out here has noticed this.
I've gone back to Energizers in the meantime.......
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I've been having problems with Duracel AA's for some time. They leak terribly. It seems that at some point they changed their chemistry and now they suck. I bought mine at Costco, so it's not limited to HD.
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, the crystalized leakage is much easier to clean up than previous leakage. It doesn't seem to attack the metal contacts like before.
On the minus, they swell and got stuck in some of my expensive aluminum body flashlights. (That would be AAA and AAAA size too.)
The problem is so bad and so widespread for me that I have abandoned Duracel and am giving the Costco house brand a try. We'll see if they are made by duracel and have the same problem.
BTW, Costco has the lowest prices on batteries. HD used to, but have gradually raised prices.
good luck,
z
Yes, Had problems with the AAA ones. Used in my 2 flashlights (expensive little lights - $27 ea). Corroded and had hard time getting out. Would not work at first, but I scraped and cleaned until I got them working again. Not with Duracell!! I had bought some of the batteries at Lowes and some at Walmart. I have used Duracell for years, thinking they were the best. Seems like "nothing aint't what it used to be."
DeleteDidn't know that, I'll have to check mine... sigh
ReplyDeleteThanks, anon.
ReplyDeleteMy wife used to buy the Kirkland batteries all the time, until I met her.
So far my stash of AAA batteries has been working like they used to, but I'm pretty sure I won't be buying anymore Duracells.
BTW...."Tarn-X" works great for cleaning the leakage residue off the battery contacts. I clean them first with Windex and a Q-Tip to get most of it off, and then use the Tarn-X to get the rest. It foams up a bit, and gets ALL the corrosion off the contacts.
Yeah, DrJim. Mrs. SiG and I have noticed it, too. Duracell has slipped in quality and several have leaked in our stuff. I still have plenty of them to go through, though. Not sure what to do with those.
ReplyDeleteI no longer use Duracell for this very reason
ReplyDeleteI have not noticed any issues with mine but now I'll have to go check all my battery powered stuff just to be sure. I get my batteries at Costco. I've used the Kirkland brand and had no issues, just didn't feel they had the same shelf and operational life as the Duracells.
ReplyDeleteWell, all the Kirkland brand batteries that my wife had from when before I met here appeared to have a decent shelf life, as they were several years old when I met her, and they all worked just fine.
ReplyDeleteIf you're worried about shelf life, you can always put them in a big Zip Loc bag, and toss them in the fridge.
I keep mine in the "veggie crisper"!
drjim,
DeleteI'd need to go find references about alkaline battery storage but I'm reasonably sure I've done some research on this and there is little or no benefit over just storing them well wrapped in a cool, dry place (in my case the original packaging in the basement). The latest wave of Duracells I have claims 10 year shelf life.
Does remind me, however, that it is about time to run all the NiMH batteries through a charge cycle.
Just went and did a pretty representational check on my battery situation. Found all devices, some of which I've barely touched in a year or so, operational with no leakage of Duracells or Kirklands. AA, AAA, C, and D cells. I was surprised to find how many Kirklands were still deployed.
ReplyDeleteThese "devices" are primarily lights of various sorts, 18 or 20 remotes for our 2 TVs, "mole chasers" which don't work worth diddley for chasing moles but seem to keep squirrels to a minimum, and a couple radios.
BTW, My Better Two-Thirds saw me checking the flashlights, lanterns, and radios and got a bit wide-eyed, turned the TV to the weather channel, and asked, "Is there a storm coming?"
Delete"You know me, Baby, I never wait 'till the last minute. Keep this stuff ready to go at all times, that's my motto."
Then she checked the liquor cabinet.
When she went to Costco last weekend I had her buy a "brick" of the Kirkland AA batteries.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the Duracells I had went to the E-Waste collection that was on Sunday!
I bought a big pack of the Duracell AA from Costco a few months ago. I have used up about half the package when I started needing to replace them quicker. Recently they are not lasting two days. A few have dead right out of the package. I will not get anymore.
ReplyDeleteLooks like they haven't solved their problem......
Delete