Duracell warning

Have you tried Eveready or Ray-O-vac batteries? Stay away from store brand batteries as you don't know who makes them.

I too have some trouble with Duracell leaking but never popping their top. 

FYI; I have heard bad reports about the re-cycled Energizer a.k.a. re-cycled Bunny batteries, mainly they don't hold a charge that long or fail quickly.

Lee Fritz

This has happen to me over the last few years with both brands. Costco reimbursed me for a battery pack module in a $15,000  Camera where the leakage occured. They were easy to deal with. Lucky for me the damage never got to the camera. 

There is a good chance that counterfeit Duracell batteries are being purchased unknowingly.

See here about spotting fakes.

Larry

I don't recommend Kirkland batteries and have since stayed away from them.  They leak really bad and now that I hear that they are just rebranded Duracell batteries, which leaks just as bad, this all makes perfect sense.  The most problematic are the AA and AAA batteries.

EverReady batteries okay or are they a leaker problem as well? There must be at least ONE reliable brand of 9v and AAA batteries!

Ive had the smae experience with the Duracell batteries. Note that this voids the warranty on most electronic items where a battery has been found to have leaked in the device. I thought Duracell was "Guaranteed not to leak". I always prefer Energizers but dont use recycled batteries because I know they wont work. Try the Lithium batteries, they do not have the same electrolytic composition as regular alkaline batteries . Sorry, its Energizer thats guaranteed not to leak

http://www.energizer.com/about...s/no-leaks-guarantee

Above:

"a $15,000  Camera"

Well, now.

TrainLarry posted:

There is a good chance that counterfeit Duracell batteries are being purchased unknowingly.

See here about spotting fakes.

Larry

What Larry said.

Pete

D500 posted:

Above:

"a $15,000  Camera"

Well, now.

Duh, that's why we are into these "toy" trains.  $2k for a engine? Psssh.

I have also had many Duracell batteries leak , but the Kirkland ones have never leaked....

I had a Duracell D battery leak in my Postwar Texas Special F3 last year. Luckily, I caught it at the point where most of the damage was done to the battery cover. Coincidence?      I no longer leave any batteries in my postwar engines (longer than a running session). That one was in there for 6 months tops.

Roger

I recommend to pull the batteries out and store them separate from the remote or loco that you have to use them in.

Thanks for the headsup on Duracell. I just pulled a Duracell D battery out of my Postwar Lionel Trainmaster FM. 

So far I haven't had a problem, but then I also took the advice about counterfeit Duracell batteries..Did anyone call Duracell ?

What about Energizer? I stopped buying Duracell a while back.

Duracell offers a warning and guarantee on its batteries.

CAUTION:  May explode or leak, and cause burn injury, if recharged, disposed of in fire, mixed with another battery type, inserted backwards or disassembled.  Replace all used batteries at the same time.  Keep in original package until ready to use.   Do not carry batteries loose in your pocket or purse.   Do not remove the battery label. 

GUARANTEE:  If not completely satisfied with this alkaline battery product, call 1-800-551-2355 (9:00 AM-5:00 PM E.S.T. ).  DURACELL guarantees these batteries against defects in materials or workmanship.  Should any device be damaged due to a battery defect, we will repair or replace it at our option.

I've always been an Energizer man myself. That dang bunny is too cool

And for some "Bunny" trivia......the circuitry for the arm movements was designed by Grant Imahara.....one of the Mythbuster crew.

Roger

Matt Makens posted:

I've always been an Energizer man myself. That dang bunny is too cool

Did you know "Duracell Bunny" predated "Energizer Bunny" by sixteen years?  No, of course not, you're too young.  Duracell's from 1973 was not trademarked, so Energizer claimed trademark infringement on their 1989 version in a lawsuit which has not been adjudicated.

I was confused when the Energizer Bunny appeared in 1989.

Did you also know in tests, Duracell batteries lasted longer than Energizer batteries, except in clocks?

What, me worry?

Even postwar had their battery problems. I just bought this 1954 2321Lionel trainmaster and the 60 year old Everyready is not looking to healthy. The engine runs good though!

franktrain

Alfred E Neuman posted:

Did you know "Duracell Bunny" predated "Energizer Bunny" by sixteen years?  No, of course not, you're too young.  Duracell's from 1973 was not trademarked, so Energizer claimed trademark infringement on their 1989 version in a lawsuit which has not been adjudicated.

..............................................

I was confused when the Energizer Bunny appeared in 1989.

....................................

If memory serves, it was the Duracell commercial with lots of sitting rabbit drummer toys that spawned the whole Energizer thing.  The idea at the time, that of the whole set of them, the one with the Duracell in him was the one that lasted the longest as each of the others pooped out due to dead battery.  (I would not have guessed the year exactly, but growing up in the 70's-80's, I remember the original Duracell commercials)

I will admit I don't have any memory of the running rabbit with the Duracell you pictured.  That one I missed.

-Dave

I have been buying Duracell from Costco, so I suspect they're not counterfeit.  But they regularly leak anyway--even before going dead.  We use a lot of batteries at our house & environs.

I rarely use Energizer or Duracell these days. In "AA" & "AAA" I use ONLY rechargeable Eneloops!

Do not have much need for D cells except for a few flashlights. Still use a few odd small batteries

and usually have gone with Duracell over the years.

RECHARGABLE! Ihave been using rechargables in my DCS remote for atleast 2 years. The ones I bought I am still using today. and they dont leak. They do not last as long but are a great value.

Heard the Energizer Bunny is now on Flomax and he keeps on going and going and going! 

Believe it or not, shortly after getting DCS the week it first came out, I realized I couldn't afford the batteries and bought 2 sets of Ray-O-Vac 15-minute rechargeables.  They are still in service, well over 14 years old.

But rechargeables aren't really suited for items such a flashlights, which are used only occasionally and therefore won't be regularly recharged.

Wasn't Energizer an Eveready "sub-brand?"  I see they have 2 different web sites.

Just remember to cap your 9 volt batteries before you toss them in the battery recycle bin!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoAO1S5w7KM

franktrain posted:

Even postwar had their battery problems. I just bought this 1954 2321Lionel trainmaster and the 60 year old Everyready is not looking to healthy. The engine runs good though!

franktrain

Did the engine command a premium price because it still had the original battery?

Mallard4468 posted:

Did the engine command a premium price because it still had the original battery?

The more modern version of that - the Lionel Century Club GG1. 

I can't for the life of me understand why Lionel decided to install a 9V at the factory for that one.  (not sure if any other engine got this treatment, but it's the only one I ever had or was aware of)

Beware of any "MIB" Lionel Century Club  GG1!  It may be OK, but it will have a 15 year + old battery installed (leaking or not) if it was never opened to have it removed.

(If it makes anyone on this thread feel better though, it wasn't a copper top Duracell, I forget the brand name, but it was a black case (not Energizer either)) edit:turns out it was an "Industrial" Energizer.  Thanks, JOHNSGG1 for noting my error!

-Dave

I switched to Duracell years ago because they didn't leak. Now I've had a few that have.

Dave45681 posted:

If memory serves, it was the Duracell commercial with lots of sitting rabbit drummer toys that spawned the whole Energizer thing.  The idea at the time, that of the whole set of them, the one with the Duracell in him was the one that lasted the longest as each of the others pooped out due to dead battery.  (I would not have guessed the year exactly, but growing up in the 70's-80's, I remember the original Duracell commercials)

 

Good recollection. 

That Duracell Bunny commercial, in fact, gave rise to the first Energizer Bunny commercial.

What, me worry?

I stopped buying duracell and energizer batteries when harbor freight opened up by me. I have been buying there batteries for the last 2 years. Not one problem yet, I just bought 120 AA batteries for 19.95 on sunday. 

DL&W Pete posted:

I stopped buying duracell and energizer batteries when harbor freight opened up by me. I have been buying there batteries for the last 2 years. Not one problem yet, I just bought 120 AA batteries for 19.95 on sunday. 

You might check those AA batteries for correct length. We had a whole pack of them from Harbor Freight that were too short. They would not stay in contact with the CAB-1 battery box contacts.

TrainLarry posted:

There is a good chance that counterfeit Duracell batteries are being purchased unknowingly.

 

I always buy my Duracel Platinum ni-cad batteries at Sam's Club, and never ever buy them online or at a deep discount, for that very reason.  However, the battery store down the street sells Ray-O-Vac, and I think I'll change brands.  Thanks for the tip

I have found that Eveready used to be the best, but that was in the '50's and 60's.
Then Duracell was the standby, until about a few years ago.
I noticed that the recent Duracell batteries are losing power and leaking, before the expiration date and a close look of the Duracell batteries shows that they are being manufactured in that far off country and are NOT being made in the GOOD OLE' U.S. of A.
Now, Duracell makes a RED top battery, which is supposed to hold its' energy longer and won't leak, but cost more, than the BLACK top batteries.
So far, I have not bought and used any of the RED top Duracell batteries, to notice any difference(s). between the BLACK and RED top batteries.
Ralph 

Dave45681 posted:

Mallard4468 posted:

Did the engine command a premium price because it still had the original battery?

The more modern version of that - the Lionel Century Club GG1. 

I can't for the life of me understand why Lionel decided to install a 9V at the factory for that one.  (not sure if any other engine got this treatment, but it's the only one I ever had or was aware of)

Beware of any "MIB" Lionel Century Club  GG1!  It may be OK, but it will have a 15 year + old battery installed (leaking or not) if it was never opened to have it removed.

(If it makes anyone on this thread feel better though, it wasn't a coppertop Duracell, I forget the brand name, but it was a black case (not Energizer either))

-Dave

Dave, I believe the battery was an 'Industrial' Energizer.  I took mine out immediately and saved it in the box.  

Lionel installed the battery because dissassembly and reassembly of the 'stuffed' GG1 was more difficult than most.

Johnsgg1 posted:

Dave, I believe the battery was an 'Industrial' Energizer.  I took mine out immediately and saved it in the box.  

Lionel installed the battery because dissassembly and reassembly of the 'stuffed' GG1 was more difficult than most.

You are correct, I goofed.  (For some odd reason I saved mine on the side as well  (does that mean there's something wrong with us? ) and noted it said "Industrial Energizer" this morning.)

I guess for they day, the Century Club GG-1 was difficult to take apart, being in that era where a lot of the TMCC stuff was Post War classics with TMCC added (the basic premise for CC 1).  It has probably long been dethroned in terms of more difficult engines made in terms of how hard they are to take apart.  I'd guess it's not even in the top 50 anymore.

-Dave

Alfred E Neuman posted:

Good recollection.

Thanks.  I saw the other commercial your earlier pic referenced after viewing your YouTube links.  I guess I wasn't watching as much TV in 2008 as I was in the 80's, so I missed that one.

-Dave

Thank you for this post.  Coming from you, I paid attention.  I shop at Costco but never purchased any batteries there.  I always wondered how they can sell so many so cheap.  When you buy Duracell you expect quality.  Sorry to hear about this.  I hear guys brag about great deals on cheapo batteries at tool warehouses (you know what warehouse).  When people try to get out on the cheap and things go bad, you get what you paid for.  I see guys who put some of that crap in good locomotives and I always ask why.   The two answers I hear often are "the price was right" and "a battery is a battery".

Batteries play a big part in our hobby today.  I feel this post by Kerrigan is must reading for all.