Do non rechargeable batteries need show used by dates

[jonovid]

just doing the household battery rounds again, testing for good or bad then  bin it.
begs the question, do non rechargeable batteries need to show used by dates ? just how old is it? when I bought it.

[Nusa]

No, the best used by date on alkalines is an estimate of when the battery will fall to 80% capacity just sitting on the shelf. So long as they aren't physically leaking, they may be worth keeping for years after the expiration date. Me, I'd probably keep anything that measured 1.3V or higher....but depends on how picky your devices are about voltage input.

For rechargeables, the test is not how old they are or what voltage they have, but whether they'll take a charge. They're rechargeable, after all! Charge them, then measure their voltage. Let them sit for a few hours or even the next day, then measure it again to make sure they're holding the charge.

[edpalmer42]

One trick to keep in mind for alkaline batteries is to store them so you can see the bottom.  When an alkaline leaks, it leaks from the bottom, so if you can see the bottom, you can, hopefully, you can bin it before it makes a mess.

Ed

[Iwanushka]

No, the best used by date on alkalines is an estimate of when the battery will fall to 80% capacity just sitting on the shelf. So long as they aren't physically leaking, they may be worth keeping for years after the expiration date. Me, I'd probably keep anything that measured 1.3V or higher....but depends on how picky your devices are about voltage input.

I disagree, for Best brands you might be able to keep them 1-2 longer years (if it's unused), but that's not always a case and I won't start about POS non name crap, I had quite a few "accidents" that cost me alot when batteries leaked like 3-6 months after expiration date and I'm talking about quality brands, not every battery is identical thus outer shell of the battery might have different thickness or other imperfections which might cause if to erode to fast and leak.

Also I've seen plenty of crappy batteries that start leaking just before/after "best by date"  while they are still in original manufacturers package and  no they are not fakes.

Usually if battery was running for 2 years and it expires I trow it away (I usually check all batteries every year to make sure they are not leaking), if battery was never used I might use if for a few months in a device that cannot be damaged beyond economical repair if it leaks e.g. flash lights, and other cheap stuff, but never in "expensive" tools.

P.S by batteries I mean alkaline cells.
P.P.S Note: I'm not trying to be rude, I and my dad just had to many "accidents" in 10-20 years...

Edit: Also Make sure that batteries don't stay in warm/hot humid places, 17-20C is best, but check with the manufacturer what they recommend for your particular battery.

[Red Squirrel]

Decent brand alkalines like Duracell have a pretty good shelf life in years.  I think some are even guaranteed for 10 years.  Lithium primary cells are quite impressive too.  Some of them inside NES cartridges STILL have a charge and 20+ year old game saves are still valid.

[Kuro]

Years ago, I bought packs of Duracell, made in Belgium AAAs and AAs. Best before march 2018 or 2020. Today I grabbed the last 5 of the AA's and one of them was leaking. And it's not the first. I keep them in a plastic box with compartments to keep leaking batteries from spilling stuff over the rest of them. I've had to clean up leaking Duracells in that box at least 6 times the past 2 years.

The cheap GPs that came with bought stuff never leaked, even way over best before dates (got a couple from 2012 in there, I just noticed).

Kinda fed up with Duracell now.

[james_s]

I've had a lot of alkaline batteries including Duracell leak, a number of them leaked in the package before the best by date. I've had others that were fine years beyond that date though so I conclude that the date is a rough guideline but not terribly useful. These days I hardly ever use alkaline batteries for anything, they're just too leak prone and I've had too many things damaged by leaking batteries. I use LSD NiMH batteries instead, I've yet to have one of those leak.

[W9GFO]

A certain brand of aircraft ELT requires the batteries (Duracell D cells) to be replaced when the date marked on them had been reached.

This is what Duracell says about shelf life:

Alkaline cells have long shelf storage life. After one year of storage at room temperature, cells will pro- vide 93 to 96 percent of initial capacity. When stored for four years at 70°F (21°C), service of about 85 percent is still attainable. Storage at high temperatures and high humidity will accelerate degradation of chemical cells. At low temperature storage, the chemical activity is retarded and capacity is not greatly affected. Recommended storage conditions are 50°F (10°C) to 77°F (25°C) with no more than 65 percent relative humidity.

Myself, I have been using Eneloops for years. I have dozens of them and literally, not a single one has yet failed. I also write in Sharpie on each one the month and year that I bought them. I just checked, the four that I have in my 2.4gHz TX right now are from March of 2011.

[edpalmer42]

Decent brand alkalines like Duracell have a pretty good shelf life in years.  I think some are even guaranteed for 10 years.  Lithium primary cells are quite impressive too.  Some of them inside NES cartridges STILL have a charge and 20+ year old game saves are still valid.

Yes, many of the name brands are now coming out with 10 year or longer alkaline batteries.  Last year I bought some Eveready Gold Alkaline batteries that are best before 2025.  I know that's not quite 10 years, but still impressive.  I also have a few Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries that are best before 2033!

Ed