[SOLVED] Alkaline Battery Leakage: Dissolving?

Got an LED flashlight where the batteries leaked and made the push-button switch on the end not work.

Just looking at it, I can see deposits from the leakage, but cannot get to them to physically clean them off.

Can anybody recommend something to splash on there to dissolve said deposits without messing things up more?

Reply to
(PeteCresswell)
Loading thread data ...

While not made for exactly this situation, Deoxit (the D5 spray) seems to do a pretty good job.

nate

Reply to
N8N

(the D5 spray) seems to do a pretty good job.

We had this thread a couple months ago. I don't remember all the great ideas, but Caig Deoxit does sound familiar.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Use a solution of one teaspoon of baking soda and one cup of water. Also good to clean car battery terminals.

Hopefully the metal parts underneath are not corroded beyond use.

Tim Sprout

Reply to
Tim Sprout

Why would you use bicarbonate to remove an alkaline?

I'd have expected acid such as vinegar or CLR?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Battery corrosion is acid buildup.

Tim Sprout

Reply to
Tim Sprout

What kind of flash light batteries have acid? Certainly, not Duracell or Energizer Alkalines?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Pete, what kind of batteries are these?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Please forgive my brain failure. Alkaline battery leakage. Sorry.

Anyhow, I've heard that Caig Deoxit does OK for this task.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

How does one get acid buildup out of alkaline batteries?

- . Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

formatting link
.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Per Stormin Mormon:

Can't swear to it, but my guess would be Mallory Duracells - which I used to use exclusively until losing a few gadgets to them.

Reply to
(PeteCresswell)

I'm not saying this would work for a flashlight, probab not, but

For the car, I'm so lazy I don't bother to make a solution, like I was told to do. I just pour on the baking soda and slowly pour on hot water until it stops bubbling. Then I figure I'm done.

I thought I had to remove the baking sode from the fridge in my NY apartment when I left, as part of cleaning the place, so I took it with me. Then there was another box in the fridge here. Since I ony use the baking soda for absorbinhg odors in the fridge, which has some special surface and never has odors., it took 25 years to use up the firsrt box of baking soda, cleaning car batteries.

Now I'm on the second box. but I haven't used any yet.

Reply to
micky

It sounds as if the first step is to get rid of the potassium hydroxide. Deoxit D5 is 95% propellant and naphtha and 5% D100L, a trade secret. It doesn't sound good for removing potassium hydroxide.

I'd use vinegar. I don't know how long it would take. CLR is stronger. Then I'd rinse thoroughly.

When I had to dry a light where I couldn't get to the switch, I used rubbing alcohol to get most of the water out. I'd turn an oven on for a couple of minutes, turn it off, and check the temperature with an IR thermometer. I was looking for about 125F. I'd put the light in, go about my business, and come back to warm the oven again. In 24 hours the light was dry. Maybe an incandescent bulb would maintain a good drying temperature.

The D5 spray sounds like a good way to get D100L to an inaccessible switch.

Reply to
J Burns

Water, then clean, apply deoxit, wd40 or your favorite lube. Sometimes the plating comes off and your in trouble.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

You can get the d100 100 % solution. It's red. Don't know what's in it. The original red solution by cramolin had oleic acid in it. It cleans well. Caig did not make cramolin. They imported it. Electricall by caig had a 10 % solution, no longer available. The caig 100 % solution in the dispenser works pretty well compared to the sprays.

You can also clean with oleic acid. Olive oil has oleic acid. You can also use that, but must be removed prior to using. Some use oleic acid and naphtha. I would use alcohol instead.

Guess what. I did cleaner testing over 10 years ago. I never made a video back then. I tested several sprays and stuff. As I indicated, some stuff is best dissolved with water. Here, a guy tested three things, similar to the test I did. I'll post my test later.

formatting link

Greg

Reply to
gregz

Me.

formatting link

Greg

Reply to
gregz

The suggestions you received will probably work if the leakage is minor but it sounds like you have a major mess on your hands.

The last LED flashlight I bought was only $3 or so, I would not bother trying to fix it if it went bad

Reply to
philo 

I had some how not noticed you wrote alkalines. Wasn't sure if they were carbon zincs, lithium, etc.

Anyhow, yes, I've also had Duracells leak, and Rayovacs. Not sure why they are having quality problems.

I hope you get your light working again.

- . Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

formatting link
.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

to do a pretty good job.

I can't explain it but it works. Better than plain old water.

If I'd had something like Electromotive handy last time I had to do this I probably would have tried that first, then finished with Deoxit for protect ion.

May I suggest some nice Eneloops (Duracell Ion Core are supposedly rebrands ) for a regularly used light, or some Energizer lithium primaries for an em ergency light? That's what I've gone to due to my own disgust with the see ming increased frequency of alkalines leaking.

nate

Reply to
N8N

Per Stormin Mormon:

I did. Thanks.

Turns out there was another way to get to the affected parts: a screw-out piece that took a pin wrench, but was not obviously removable because of the corrosion. Strap wrench, pin wrench.... a little careful torque, and I was in business.

Gave up on chemical means and just used a razor blade to physically remove the corrosion that was obviously preventing a circuit. Was surprised at how much of the aluminum went away when I scraped the corrosion off - arguing for use of the proper chemical to reconstitute the alu instead of just carving it away.

Tangentially, this light cost about thirty bucks at Lowe's over five years ago. Just bought a box of three flashlights that are even brighter at Costco for fifteen bucks total (i.e. $5.00 per flashlight) and they even came with batteries).

Only feature of the old light that wins out over the $5.00 lights is that the $5.00 lights take three AAA batteries and the old ones take a couple of C batteries which gives them an extremely long life in use.

Reply to
(PeteCresswell)

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.