Has anyone else had trouble with leaky Duracell coppertop batteries. Lately I've had a rash of failures in AA and AAA. Even leaking in the original package in a storage drawer. No other brands have done this, not Ray-O-Vac, not Energizer, Varta or store brands.
I got a refund/coupon from Duracell for $20. Great, just what I wanted, $20 more of batteries that are leaking all over the place.
OK, I used the coupon to get more AA batteries, but will only use the Duracells in equipment that eats batteries fast. No time to leak.
Anyone else seeing this?
I got a refund/coupon from Duracell for $20. Great, just what I wanted, $20 more of batteries that are leaking all over the place.
OK, I used the coupon to get more AA batteries, but will only use the Duracells in equipment that eats batteries fast. No time to leak.Anyone else seeing this?
Wow. I thought we left leaky battery technology behind in the 1980s. I think I may have seen one battery leak since then.
These days I use Eneloop Pro rechargeable batteries. No leaks there.
Tom
These days I use Eneloop Pro rechargeable batteries. No leaks there.
Tom
I have been forced to stop using them. They have leaked in nearly every device I have them in if I don’t use it often enough to replace them every few months.
I wrote to Duracell sending them pictures of a few of my devices with Coppertops with shelf dates still a few years in the future. I was not looking for a refund, just trying to advise them that they have a production problem. They responded wanting receipts etc. sounding like they were trying to set up a refund which I declined.
Gratified to hear I’m nit the only one who has had this experience.
Jeff
I wrote to Duracell sending them pictures of a few of my devices with Coppertops with shelf dates still a few years in the future. I was not looking for a refund, just trying to advise them that they have a production problem. They responded wanting receipts etc. sounding like they were trying to set up a refund which I declined.
Gratified to hear I’m nit the only one who has had this experience.
Jeff
Jeff, that's exactly the road I went down. My idea was just to alert them to a problem. I asked if they were having troubles or bad batches, they did not answer. 😉
Daqvin, wow. I don't think I've seen the reverse polarity problem. That's worrying.
Daqvin, wow. I don't think I've seen the reverse polarity problem. That's worrying.
We have had leaky Duracell batteries for years here in the UK.
People are switching to store brand leaving all the Duracell ones merrily leaking in there packaging on the store shelves.
It takes a couple of years for each store to give up stocking the things.
You are going to have them on the store shelves leaking away for a few years before they are all gone.
People are switching to store brand leaving all the Duracell ones merrily leaking in there packaging on the store shelves.
It takes a couple of years for each store to give up stocking the things.
You are going to have them on the store shelves leaking away for a few years before they are all gone.
Duracells and Energizer brands have been some of the worst for leakage in the last 10 to 15 years. I got a voucher from Energizer over some leaking AA's in a remote control. They were well within the use by date.
In the UK the Kodak brand and Sony and Panasonics seem to be about the best and are available in 'Pound Shops'.
In the UK the Kodak brand and Sony and Panasonics seem to be about the best and are available in 'Pound Shops'.
I've had a lot of issues with leaking Duracells over the past couple of years.
I now use Panasonic Evolta or Eneloop rechargeable.
I now use Panasonic Evolta or Eneloop rechargeable.
Thanks for the replies. 
Good to know it's not just me, or not just my local supply. Since the majority of batteries I used to buy were Duracell, I wondered if that bias might be skewing my perception of the failure rate. Maybe not.
At work we use Duracell Procell for wireless mics. I've never seen one burst or leak, but we go thru them so fast that maybe they don't have time to leak.
@Mooly: Voucher, that's the word I was looking for. Thanks!
Good to know it's not just me, or not just my local supply. Since the majority of batteries I used to buy were Duracell, I wondered if that bias might be skewing my perception of the failure rate. Maybe not.At work we use Duracell Procell for wireless mics. I've never seen one burst or leak, but we go thru them so fast that maybe they don't have time to leak.
@Mooly: Voucher, that's the word I was looking for. Thanks!
Thanks for the warning: Google find lots of hits for leaking Duracells.
I once thought leaking batteries was a problem that had gone away until cheap Chinese made cells came along. I have always used branded batteries including Duracell for low drain equipment where no leakage is important to me (eg Multimeter: a battery will last me years). I will now be even more selective.
I once thought leaking batteries was a problem that had gone away until cheap Chinese made cells came along. I have always used branded batteries including Duracell for low drain equipment where no leakage is important to me (eg Multimeter: a battery will last me years). I will now be even more selective.
Same here with Energizer. Strange thing is that they do last if I keep them on the self but leak inside devises used rarely.
Tbh I've gone back to Zinc Chlorides for remotes and clocks and the like. Less damaging overall including when they are disposed of I believe. Haven't had a Zinc Chloride show any signs of leakage ever, and again using Kodak and Panasonic brands.
I have an HP wireless mouse that uses two AA cells and I've kept a note over 4.5 years of battery usage. It is never turned off and goes to sleep when not used.
Alkaline cells consistently average 5 to 6 months, Zinc Chlorides a consistent 7 to 8 week run time and Lithium cells 'just' 9 months. I 'just' as I would have expected big gains on the alkalines but it seems not the case. At Poundland Prices the Zinc Chlorides are just as cost effective as alkalines in this usage.
A 'yard of AA's' anyone 😀 I think those packets were £2 😉
I have an HP wireless mouse that uses two AA cells and I've kept a note over 4.5 years of battery usage. It is never turned off and goes to sleep when not used.
Alkaline cells consistently average 5 to 6 months, Zinc Chlorides a consistent 7 to 8 week run time and Lithium cells 'just' 9 months. I 'just' as I would have expected big gains on the alkalines but it seems not the case. At Poundland Prices the Zinc Chlorides are just as cost effective as alkalines in this usage.
A 'yard of AA's' anyone 😀 I think those packets were £2 😉
I don't know what the chemistry was of the Dollar Store AA types I had. They lasted about 10 minutes in my Zoom recorder.
There are some dubious 'no name' brands available. The Kodak brand even have full data sheets available:
AA - Kodak Batteries
AA - Kodak Batteries
Attachments
I've never had any leakage problems with GP (Gold Peak) batteries.
Single Use | Lithium & Alkaline Batteries | GPBatteries UK
Single Use | Lithium & Alkaline Batteries | GPBatteries UK
Gold Peak! I had forgotten about them.
Mooly, I will look into the Kodak brand. I see them here from time to time.
Mooly, I will look into the Kodak brand. I see them here from time to time.
I had some 9V Energizers with a 2024 expiration where 5 of the 6 went bad. Either just a few volts or dead, and a few were swelling.
E-mailed them, they asked for pictures, and getting $15 (not sure in what form) to replace them.
I actually work/worked with alkaline batteries for my job (sourcing, importing) and it is amazing how much goes into making a quality battery (vs. a junk one that will fail). The cost is cheap because of the volume, but you need top-tier factory to do a good job. Got to tour one of the factories and you would think they were making something MUCH more complex than alkaline batteries.
In fairness to Duracell and Energizer, they are using these factories (some their own, some contract). Stay away from cheap house brand ones unless you KNOW where they come from.
E-mailed them, they asked for pictures, and getting $15 (not sure in what form) to replace them.
I actually work/worked with alkaline batteries for my job (sourcing, importing) and it is amazing how much goes into making a quality battery (vs. a junk one that will fail). The cost is cheap because of the volume, but you need top-tier factory to do a good job. Got to tour one of the factories and you would think they were making something MUCH more complex than alkaline batteries.
In fairness to Duracell and Energizer, they are using these factories (some their own, some contract). Stay away from cheap house brand ones unless you KNOW where they come from.
Oh, and personally I now have a few dozen Panasonic Eneloop batteries and love using them. I see how people can get frusterated with them (SUPER long recharge time), but if you recharge once dead and have fresh ones on hand, no big deal.
Back in late 2019, I bought two packs (16/pack) of AA and AAA Energizer Max batteries.
Mid 2020, I noticed some getting leaky in the remotes, etc.
When I checked the remainders, still in the packs in the pantry, I saw some getting leaky as well.
Naturally, they were well within their warranty (10 years).
I must have gotten bad batches.....
This did not sit well with me, nope.
I contacted Energizer Holdings, they had me send photos of the batteries, dates codes, etc.
I still even had the purchase receipts from Home Depot.
By the fall of 2020, they sent me two coupons, each worth $15, for replacements.
So I got two 24/packs from Lowes, and only spent an additional $3 difference.
We'll see how they hold up..... so far, so good.
Mid 2020, I noticed some getting leaky in the remotes, etc.
When I checked the remainders, still in the packs in the pantry, I saw some getting leaky as well.
Naturally, they were well within their warranty (10 years).
I must have gotten bad batches.....
This did not sit well with me, nope.
I contacted Energizer Holdings, they had me send photos of the batteries, dates codes, etc.
I still even had the purchase receipts from Home Depot.
By the fall of 2020, they sent me two coupons, each worth $15, for replacements.
So I got two 24/packs from Lowes, and only spent an additional $3 difference.
We'll see how they hold up..... so far, so good.