Joined Oct 2008
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Forum Thread
What ever happened to Duracell (and Energizer as well, to lesser extent.)
June 28, 2017 at
10:24 PM
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Okay. I've had problems with Duracell and Energizer batteries for years now. Thing is, I usually get them from 'Free after Rewards' or similar promotions so it's not like they cost much. Still, how cheaply made do they have to be to keep leaking ALL the time!
My most recent 20 pack of AAA Duracells is what prompted this post. It's an unopened pack with a 2023 use by date. With "10 Years in storage" guaranty, they were made around 2013. So I pulled them out of the cabinet where they were stored only to find... EIGHT of them have already started leaking. That's 8/20 from at most a four year old pack that's never been opened and stored indoors never over 80F since I brought them home. Still, 2/5 of the cells are already bad.
I've had plenty of Duracell batteries go bad in the last decade or so. Even some that still had an almost full charge and a couple individual batteries still in their packs. Never have I seen this many go bad from a still unopened pack!
I've already been taking batteries out of anything I don't use regularly. Now I have to consider taking all the batteries out except from devices I use every day. Just seems sad coming from a company that once made a quality product.
PS. Of the other 10+ packs of batteries I have stored, another Duracell AAA with 2022 date had a few leaking cells and the single Energizer AAA pack I have also has a few leaking cells. So with only a single sample it's hard to say for sure, but the Energizer batteries may be even worse than the Duracells which make up 95% of what I have. None of my Duracell AAs appeared to be leaking in package. I went ahead and opened the Duracell 2022 pack with three leaking to test the batteries and all 16 showed a positive charge in the green. So it's not a matter of the cells becoming discharged and failing.
EDIT: After writing this, I had to clear out 3 more leaking Duracell cells later the same night from an LED headlamp my father had put away with the batteries still in. It's gotten so common I've actually bought a special tool just for cleaning the corrosion left by leaking batteries. It's called a 'scratch brush' and it works a little like a mechanical pencil, but with a group of brass bristles instead of lead. Can get them with brass, steel, or fiberglass inserts. Apparently they're commonly used in the jewelry business, but work pretty well in tight spots to scrape away deposits and clean the contacts.
UPDATE: Six month later and a couple more cells are leaking, bringing the total up to 50%.
My most recent 20 pack of AAA Duracells is what prompted this post. It's an unopened pack with a 2023 use by date. With "10 Years in storage" guaranty, they were made around 2013. So I pulled them out of the cabinet where they were stored only to find... EIGHT of them have already started leaking. That's 8/20 from at most a four year old pack that's never been opened and stored indoors never over 80F since I brought them home. Still, 2/5 of the cells are already bad.
I've had plenty of Duracell batteries go bad in the last decade or so. Even some that still had an almost full charge and a couple individual batteries still in their packs. Never have I seen this many go bad from a still unopened pack!
I've already been taking batteries out of anything I don't use regularly. Now I have to consider taking all the batteries out except from devices I use every day. Just seems sad coming from a company that once made a quality product.
PS. Of the other 10+ packs of batteries I have stored, another Duracell AAA with 2022 date had a few leaking cells and the single Energizer AAA pack I have also has a few leaking cells. So with only a single sample it's hard to say for sure, but the Energizer batteries may be even worse than the Duracells which make up 95% of what I have. None of my Duracell AAs appeared to be leaking in package. I went ahead and opened the Duracell 2022 pack with three leaking to test the batteries and all 16 showed a positive charge in the green. So it's not a matter of the cells becoming discharged and failing.
EDIT: After writing this, I had to clear out 3 more leaking Duracell cells later the same night from an LED headlamp my father had put away with the batteries still in. It's gotten so common I've actually bought a special tool just for cleaning the corrosion left by leaking batteries. It's called a 'scratch brush' and it works a little like a mechanical pencil, but with a group of brass bristles instead of lead. Can get them with brass, steel, or fiberglass inserts. Apparently they're commonly used in the jewelry business, but work pretty well in tight spots to scrape away deposits and clean the contacts.
UPDATE: Six month later and a couple more cells are leaking, bringing the total up to 50%.
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When I called Energizer to complain, they said the likely reason was the batteries had been stored too long in too high a temperature. I'm guessing they probably spent quite a bit of time in un-refrigerated trailers and warehouses down in sunny FL.
At the same time, I got a bunch of packs of Energizer lithium batteries. Never had any problem with those. So I've made a point of buying more of those for things that I especially don't want to be ruined by leaking, such as expensive or irreplaceable devices, flashlights I keep in cars, and outdoor temp., wind, and rain sensors for a weather station.
Sam's Club currently has Energizer Ultimate Lithium 12-packs of AA for $15.98 and AAA for $14.98.