I'm never buying Duracell batteries again! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Axtman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2021, 06:18:33 am
content: I'm the president, founder, CEO, CFO, and janitorial assistant for the Duracell Battery Haters of America Club. Those batteries have ruined several tools and test equipment of mine. Luckily I was able to repair them....but who wants to do that if they don't have to? So from now on I am an Eveready Max fan boy. Should I start a club?

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2021, 06:24:46 am
content: Nah, we’re all already members of the many earlier Duracell haters clubs! :pI stopped using them years ago due to repeated leaking. :/

author: xavier60
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2021, 06:39:15 am
content: Yes, old news. Keeping a close eye on Energizer cells now, hoping that they don't develop the premature electrolyte leakage problem.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2021, 10:22:06 am
content: You're a bit late to the party...https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/durahell-batteries/

author: CharlotteSwiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2021, 11:10:43 am
content: i only use eneloop batteriesbut, in the past years I have not had any problems with duracell

author: tpowell1830
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2021, 03:59:29 pm
content: Quote from: Axtman on November 19, 2021, 06:18:33 amNo, no,Iam the janitorial assistant for the DBHAC.... ditto on damage. But that's a shame because I was such a fan because of the long life of the Duracell batteries. I only started having problems with them leaking in the last 5 to 8 years, YRMV.

author: GLouie
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2021, 04:24:56 pm
content: My experience is that all of the major alkaline batteries leak a lot more today than in years past. Almost every device I had alkalines in seem to have leaked. I moved to Eneloops.

author: Runco990
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2021, 05:26:37 pm
content: Yep.... they ALL leak now. The accountants have struck again! My guess is the battery casing was shaved to be juuust that much thinner. Energizers also leak.Moved to eneloop and lithium cells years ago.Even the 9volt batteries are no longer safe! Leaking in meters long before they are weak enough to show the battery indicator. I have been testing the EBL rechargeable lithium-ion 9v cells, so far they seem to work well.On the other hand, I found a Kodak branded C-cell around the house from 1987... NO leaks and still had a charge!!!

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2021, 06:27:18 pm
content: Quote from: tpowell1830 on November 19, 2021, 03:59:29 pmI can’t remember how long ago I quit using them due to leaks, but it was years before I moved here, and that was 12 years ago… :/

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2021, 06:36:35 pm
content: They may all leak, but it really is true that Duracell seems to be one of the very worst ones out there, and it is made even worse by the fact that they are marketed as top quality. The only place I still have any alkaline AA batteries in service anywhere is in clocks and I have not yet had a Panasonic cell leak. I use alkaline C batteries in my Roomba virtual walls and those are Panasonic too, but it has been very rare for a C or D battery to leak in my experience. Even the Duracells are ok in those sizes.

author: dustooff
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 01:51:36 pm
content: ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I present this...

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 02:10:53 pm
content: Seriously don't understand why people buy Duracell.Conventional good quality alkaline cells are between 1/4 and 1/8th the cost of Duracell yet have comparable impedance and capacity figures.As an example, we tested "pound-shop" Alkaline cells versus Duracell; at 200mA there was negligible difference in capacity, at 1000mA the Duracells usually won slightly (though a few non-Duracell did beat them) but by rarely more than 5-10%. For the price difference, they are not worth it.Of course, for devices that do support the lower terminal voltage, Ni-MH cells are very good indeed. I've been using them in a Fluke 287, my label printer, and a few other miscellaneous devices, and they work remarkably well.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 05:58:48 pm
content: Most people don't know any better. Duracell has great marketing and at one time they were very good quality batteries. Now they are coasting on reputation and they have a fair amount of inertia. Usually supermarkets have only a couple brands of batteries and the prices are often similar.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 06:08:34 pm
content: Quote from: GLouie on November 19, 2021, 04:24:56 pmAgreed.I've even had 9V batteries from major brands leak while still in their packaging. Just stored a couple years. In a cool an dry place.Yes, like in dustooff's picture.

author: Axtman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2021, 03:59:23 am
content: I have found that 9v batteries do not leak as much as AA and AAA batteries. It might be that 9v batteries are comprised of 6 individual batteries, so they are in a sense double bagged.I agree that Duracell used to be the best batteries but are now junk.I once bought a Kroger (local grocery store) brand 9v alkaline battery and it tested weak while being brand new!

author: xavier60
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2021, 04:28:01 am
content: The important thing to keep in mind is that these problem cells are leaking electrolyte long before the cells have been electrically discharged, quietly destroying our precious possessions. Nothing to do with negligence such as Duracell's BS of mixing cells with different expiry dates.The same sort of problem also started destroying wrist watches years ago.The problem seems to coincide with the removal of mercury.

author: Synthtech
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2021, 07:40:08 am
content: I don’t allow those copper and black coloured things into my building.

author: jeffjmr
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2022, 03:28:53 pm
content: Two more remotes bite the dust thanks to Duracells.Several in the past have been for older devices that needed replacing anyway, but the recent two are for my beloved Pioneer CD changer and the other for my BluRay player.Complaints about these are all over the net. How do they stay in business?Hoping for better luck with the Energizers.JeffEdit: They don't have to be in a device to self destruct.

author: silenceisblissfulness
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 25, 2023, 06:01:08 am
content: AvE has a solution: