Hi, Does anyone know where I could buy a couple of inert PP3s. I am making a display radio and need a couple to put into it. It will hopefully be on show for many years and so I don't really want to put a genuine battery in as there will be no one to replace it if it leaks with age.
I had thought about pulling a couple apart but wasn't sure if I could do it without leaving the case damaged.
Any ideas anyone?
search for "PP3 battery eliminator", see if anything useful turns up?
I wouldn't worry. If you pull a PP3 apart you will find each cell looks like a lump of graphite (or an electric motor brush), not like a traditional "dry cell" with any damp electrolyte to leak. I've never known a PP3 to leak significantly. If you go for a duracell and are not drawing any current, I'd expect it to last forever.
The alkaline ones I've pulled apart have six sub-AAAA batteries welded in series ...
I have a Bush TR82C with a forty year old Ever Ready PP9 for authenticity. There is no trace of electrolyte leakage
Always used to be layered graphite s*it
Erm, well after a while they tend to balloon and then they do seap a bit, not nice. If you can find the ones that have a metal outside you can take them apart and you can then remove the innards.
I found some Hitachi ones like that about two years ago, but these things designs tend to change like the weather. Brian
PP9s of that era were normally metal clad with plastic top and bottoms. In the case of PP3 types there do seem to be lots of designs about. Brian
Maybe they won't now expand when you recharge them.
If you were willing to take two batteries apart, one by opening the metal side seam, the other by cutting/drilling out the bottom panel, I should think you might be able to reassemble the parts to make one convincing empty battery, fill it with a block of wood to prevent someone crushing it...
Since when has graphite been used in alkaline cells?
They used to be zinc carbon cells..last time I pulled one apart.. not alkaline
There are a few sites where you can download an image of the paper cover that wraps around various batteries. Print and wrap round wood. Mostly theyre scans of historic battery wrappers. Or you could fill in your own modern looking graphic, with 'nuclear 80 year battery' on it :)
NT
Still never had a problem with a manganese alkali one leaking
I have been involved with one claim about 20 years ago against Duracell regading their battery guarantee. The battery leaked and ruined some test gear costing a few hundred quid.
They paid up - if I recall correctly they directly bought the new equipment and then sent it to us.
The battery? A PP3.
Yes, the alkaline PP3s have little tubular cells, not layered pile. That's a point, are they the same size as the AAAA cells that you see in the shops? Anyway, glad to hear you call them PP3 and not 9V or anything else. Try asking for a U2 and see what reaction you get.
?I still haven?t found what I?m looking for??
Just as well they don't sell them. The Russians would shoot you down.
A high powers battery?
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