EEVblog 1497 - RIP Fluke. Thanks Energizer. NOT.

[EEVblog]

RIP this Fluke 3000 wireless multimeter. Thanks Energizer for the battery leakage!



Energizer battery leakage in liquid form:

[Muttley Snickers]

I found the video quite disturbing and couldn't watch all of it, in fact it was like watching a horror movie.   

You could do us all a big favour by lodging a formal complaint to the battery manufacturer for compensation, make the whole thing public so they will have no option but to take notice and address these concerns once and for all.   

 

 

[ataradov]

I went to check my meters and the only one that just started leaking was Fluke. Also energizer batteries. No real damage, cleaned up and repaced with rechargeable batteries as I started doing that for all replacements.

This is the first time in my life I've got any battery leaking in the equipment. I've only seen them leak in storage for a VERY long time (5+ years over expiry date).

[blacksheeplogic]

Pretty sure I've been though all my old meters and removed the batteries but I think I will also recheck after seeing that.

Anything that does not fully power-off is susceptible to this problem. I spent a bit of time recently removing batteries from 40 calculators for the same reason- Energizers in one of the Casio Prizm's leaking.

[MikeK]

I checked mine and had to laugh.  The Energizer battery had leaked.  The two Radio Shack batteries were perfect.  All were at least 20 years old.

[coppercone2]

Hey thats probobly why my fluke scope meter plastic chassis disintegrated. I think when I first got it I must have cleaned leaked battery goo. It weakened the plastic and caused failure. I never could explain why that meter developed like 5-6 giant cracks on it. I guess that stuff eats plastic. (the boards were saved so I can make a medium sized battery scope from a small junction box or something one day, throw some D cells instead of C cells in that)


I thought it might be unsafe for its CAT rating once the plastic chassis is effected by that crap. With heavy damage can you still trust the 'blast protection'? And also it looks like Energizer has captured themselves a queen...

[golden_labels]

And suddenly we have a pandemic of Energizer batteries leaking in DMMs! What have you done?!

I wonder why I never seen a report of a 4.5V or a 9V alkaline battery leaking. Is that a statistical bias due to them being used less often? Can they contain leaks better, being composed of multiple separate cells and often having free space inside? I just hope that question will not cause a sudden worldwide failure of 4.5/9V batteries.

Liar. I do!

[Ed.Kloonk]

Hey thats probobly why my fluke scope meter plastic chassis disintegrated. I think when I first got it I must have cleaned leaked battery goo. It weakened the plastic and caused failure. I never could explain why that meter developed like 5-6 giant cracks on it. I guess that stuff eats plastic. (the boards were saved so I can make a medium sized battery scope from a small junction box or something one day, throw some D cells instead of C cells in that)


I thought it might be unsafe for its CAT rating once the plastic chassis is effected by that crap. With heavy damage can you still trust the 'blast protection'? And also it looks like Energizer has captured themselves a queen...

Having watched plenty of sci-fi horror filums, the culmination of nefarious AI, drones and now acid leaky power sources...

 

[wraper]

That's why I only use rechargeables after a second time batteries leaked in my Agilent U1272A. First time battery contacts have completely disintegrated and I needed to replace a whole back cover. Second time I noticed it faster thus there was not so much damage.

[wraper]

And suddenly we have a pandemic of Energizer batteries leaking in DMMs! What have you done?!

I wonder why I never seen a report of a 4.5V or a 9V alkaline battery leaking. Is that a statistical bias due to them being used less often? Can they contain leaks better, being composed of multiple separate cells and often having free space inside? I just hope that question will not cause a sudden worldwide failure of 4.5/9V batteries.

Liar. I do!

They do leak, although usually not that much as it's a stack of batteries enclosed in outer shell which prevents most of the liquid from leaking out. Still battery contacts often corrode.

[Kjelt]

I have started to take ALL batteries out from a device that I do not have to use more than once in a while.
Multimeter does not fall under that category and indeed my Fluke has Eneloop rechargeables in them for a while now.

Furthermore I replace all batteries of all remote controls (except the ones with Lithium coincells) on the 1st of January.
Had quite some discussion with the wife about "waisting money" , I think this vblog episode will convince her once and for all.

Very sad for you Dave, still thanks for the video.

[Ed.Kloonk]

Furthermore I replace all batteries of all remote controls (except the ones with Lithium coincells) on the 1st of January.

I have a habit of buying a army of the one thing when I find some device I can tolerate. Most of these gadgets come with batteries and often with a current interrupt to be removed when first activated. I have to still go into the packaging and excise all the batteries before putting the items in storage. Don't ask me how I know.

Very sad for you Dave, still thanks for the video.

Indeed. This type of content conjurors up so many tales of woe.

[wraper]

I have started to take ALL batteries out from a device that I do not have to use more than once in a while.
Multimeter does not fall under that category and indeed my Fluke has Eneloop rechargeables in them for a while now.

Furthermore I replace all batteries of all remote controls (except the ones with Lithium coincells) on the 1st of January.
Had quite some discussion with the wife about "waisting money" , I think this vblog episode will convince her once and for all.

Very sad for you Dave, still thanks for the video.

You could just get cheap eneloops like IKEA LADDA (Japanese made) for EUR 5 for a pack of 4 or Amazon basics (Chinese made). The same thing as Panasonic. They will pay for themselves in a few years maximum if you throw out batteries annually. Not to say it's much safer, Alkalines sometimes leak fresh in the package.

[MikeK]

I wonder why I never seen a report of a 4.5V or a 9V alkaline battery leaking. Is that a statistical bias due to them being used less often?

My Energizer alkaline 9V in my old analog multimeter was the one that was leaking.  Leaked out the top and through the side seam.

[golden_labels]

Furthermore I replace all batteries of all remote controls (except the ones with Lithium coincells) on the 1st of January.

I would replace those with Eneloops too. If you care about remotes, which are cheap, consider how much money you waste on primary batteries. Not to mention environmental cost.

[Messtechniker]

This Vid frightened the life out of me .

Immediately removed all batteries from all equipment not constantly in use.
Wanted to do this all along, but this really got me up and going.

Next will do pics for the lab door of all equipment still containg batteries.
So that my nephew can remove these batteries - especially those in my R&S UPGR -
as soon as he returns from my funeral, which hopefully is still a long way off.

[ataradov]

I went and checked other random low value stuff I have. And here is an example of a leaking 9V battery.

[coppercone2]

This Vid frightened the life out of me .

Immediately removed all batteries from all equipment not constantly in use.
Wanted to do this all along, but this really got me up and going.

Next will do pics for the lab door of all equipment still containg batteries.
So that my nephew can remove these batteries - especially those in my R&S UPGR -
as soon as he returns from my funeral, which hopefully is still a long way off.

calm down man, its usually minor. If you are paranoid check the voltage, if its greater then like 0.9V then you are probobly OK. Usually its badly discharged ones that leak for people who try to squeeze the last nanowatt out of them. hydrogen pressure increases as discharge increases and probability of leak increases (with exceptions but any part can really get destroyed by random chance). You can do the usual derating as we do with any part to increase reliability and decrease risk, but with voltages and also warentee age.

[spostma]

Would replacing Alkaline cells by good NiMH batteries (the ones specified for low self-discharge) help to avoid leakage?

[coppercone2]

I have seen NiMH cells leak but its a smaller amount then alkaline (but these were AAAs). I think they are just somewhat dryer inside. I have even seen eneloop that had some white crystal on the end.

[nikifena]

Hey Dave, give me that Fluke. I will try to fix it.

[djenson]

Posting here for the highest chance that you will see it.

Energizer® No Leaks. Guaranteed.

Energizer will repair or replace, at our option, any device damaged by leakage from Energizer MAX® Alkaline batteries either during the life of the battery or within two years following the full use of the battery.

https://www.energizer.com/about-batteries/battery-leakage

Would be interesting to see what they do

[MikeK]

I question the usefulness of the Energizer guarantee, other than as a marketing scheme.  As usual, the devil is in the details.  That guarantee is not forever, of course.  What qualifies as the life of the battery?  No doubt it is once it reaches some nominal low voltage, possibly 6V?...Maybe 7V?  All of the people discovering the leaked batteries are doing so because they completely forgot about them.  Battery voltage at that point is probably well below the "end of life" voltage.

[Black Phoenix]

Not only that, the warranty only applies to their Energizer Max line up, the ones that come with the a Fluke are their basic line-up.

But probably they would replace the Fluke because Dave is kinda know in the a Internet, and not replacing means bad PR. Although a user like me and you? You can go pound sand. In still waiting for the reply to my complain regarding when Duracell Procell AA blow up inside my 54-II back in 2011.

But I would also not be surprised if not even Dave got it replaced it or even a reply. Currently there are only 1 brand I have confidence on: Panasonic.

GP battery is in a somewhat close 2nd Place, Varts, Duracell and Energizer are all dead last. Lost enough stuff for that 3 brands to even not wanting to see them being sold.

[Per Hansson]

All of the people discovering the leaked batteries are doing so because they completely forgot about them.  Battery voltage at that point is probably well below the "end of life" voltage.

All of the people? Utter bullshit!
I have had alkaline batteries leak when they are still new in the original packaging and within their expiry date code!
I even think Dave might have had a video on that a few years ago.