Dry cell battery corrosion

Playtime

Playtime

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I stupidly left 3 dry cell batteries in an aluminium bodied LED torch for 18 months. It took a large hammer and suitable sized drift to remove them. Amazingly, the torch still works (with new batteries) but the inside of the battery compartment is badly corroded with a hard white deposit on the aluminium.

Is there anything that can be used to clean this up?
 
vinegar and water and an old toothbrush, flush well, and then something like a very thinly brushed coating of Contralube to prevent further corrosion.
 
nigelmercier said:
Duracell by any chance?
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It was indeed.

Is it a known problem? I don't think the torch was switched on as it was in a hard case.

I almost gave up trying to remove the batteries but the torch was too good to throw away! It took some real heavy clouting with the hammer to remove them.

I will try the dilute acid (thanks Sarabande). I do have some brick cleaner (HCl) that I might try if vinegar is too slow.
 
Playtime said:
I will try the dilute acid (thanks Sarabande). I do have some brick cleaner (HCl) that I might try if vinegar is too slow.
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Vinegar was too slow but careful application of the brick cleaner did a great job (without eating the aluminium). A very light greasing of the battery tube completed the 'restoration'.
It will be a pain to remove the batteries every time I leave the torch, though. Is there any sensible guidance about battery removal?
 
I've had the same problem with Duracell in a torch and a hand held gps in the grab bag. In both cases the batteries hadn't reached their expiry date.

Any other high output long life battery which doesn't suffer these problems?

EDIT - Just Googled this problem and there's lots on the web. Seems if faulty batteries and damaged item are sent to Duracell they will pay compensation.
 
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VicMallows said:
Duracell are the ONLY alkaline cells I have ever known to leak. Quite an achievement (apart from the incredible price premium). Marketing is everything.
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After A LOT of research into dry cells I can confirm that Duracell leak more than any other battery I have tested. Even the useless pound shop batteries may have 1.5 Volts and no Amps in them, but they don't leak.

There are the odd other brands that sometimes leak, but duracell can be COUNTED upon to leak and bugger up your device if you leave them in there.

Duracell are nowhere near the best performers either - even a particular Tesco battery beats them.

Agree with vinegar or bicarbonate of soda to clean corrosion - (you use one or other depending upon whether treating wet corrosion (still fresh) or old crusted corrosion - and I can't remember which way around the methodology is.

And contralube 770 beats all - prevention is better than cure. But it does cost (now prices have hiked) more than silver, gramme for gramme.
 
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charles_reed said:
Vinegar is unbelievably slow and H2Cl far too dangerous.

Use an acid such as sulphamic, used extensively to clear carbonates from CH systems - ideal for running through marine heat-exchangers.
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What on earth is H2Cl ? I don't think it exists (but open to being proven wrong). I wouldn't use concentrates hydrochloric acid for purposes unless absolutely necessary: that's hydrogen chloride (HCl) dissolved at maximum solubility in water. It's quite cheap and easy to buy. A 10% solution of HCl in water with a little washing up liquid is an excellent allow wheel cleaner. There seems to be a great deal of myths relating to quite simple chemistry.
 
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