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| monkey_magic:
I know this topic has been discussed before, and I've watched Dave's experiments on leaky alkalines with interest - but I was just wondering what the collective was using thesedays for batteries in their meters? I've got a Brymen 257s DMM and 079 Clamp meter - both take AAA and currently using Alkaline, but they can sit for long periods unused and I'm dreading the day I find they have leaked. Swapping the cells in and out every time you go to use it gets old after the first few times. It seems that all the brands are probably equally bad for leaking with the only certainty being when it happens it will obviously be in the most expensive item you have. I've tried Eneloops, which seem to work OK for the 257s despite the specification of a min of 2.5V. Unfortunately the clamp meter requires a minimum of 2.85V for Capacitance and Frequency and displays low battery. I was considering Lithium, but I have read posts on here that they need to be discharged slightly otherwise the meter displays an error. A few people seem to have had issues with one cell randomly dying as well. I've seen at least one recommendation for using zinc-carbon, but I was under the impression they were just as-leaky as alkaline, especially given their construction. Assuming making a reliable leak free battery is simply beyond our current technology (although strangely didn’t seem to be 30 years ago :P) I was curious as to what others were using and their experiences? – or even if anybody was all that bothered at all. Am I just being paranoid? |
| rsjsouza:
The overall quality of alkaline batteries eroded severely in the past two decades - my guess is that it is quite deliberate. I point to some of my experiences in the link below: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/disaster!/msg3449330/#msg3449330 I currently use Panasonic and Maxell without problems - although I know from others this is just a matter of time I will have trouble. Lithium Energizers are 100% used in very expensive multimeters and other sensitive equipment - I lost too many good vintage and expensive stuff to risk them. I also tend to avoid the ones that promote the maximum amount of energy packed (the ones with "max" or "ultra" or whatever marketing foolery in their names) as they might carry more punch they can handle safely inside their housing. Ah, and Duracells go to the trash as soon as they arrive. |
| SkyMaster:
--- Quote from: monkey_magic on November 08, 2022, 11:41:05 pm --- Assuming making a reliable leak free battery is simply beyond our current technology (although strangely didn’t seem to be 30 years ago :P) I was curious as to what others were using and their experiences? – or even if anybody was all that bothered at all. Am I just being paranoid? --- End quote --- You are not paranoid. I am personally extremely fed up of finding leaking Energizer and Duracell alkaline batteries in my devices. I simply stopped buying them. I now use Lithium Energizers and Eneloops. It seems that Brymen 257 does not like the higher voltage of the Lithium Energizers, but my BM319 accepts Lithium Energizers without any issues. An alternative is to open up all you devices often, to check the batteries. Often is every months. :-) |
| AVGresponding:
Ni-Zn rechargeable. |
| pope:
Excuse my ignorance but what is the issue with the batteries? It's the first time I hear this. I got a brymen 869s a few months ago and I use it occasionally. Should I worry about leakage? |
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