EEVblog 1668 - HORRIFIC Alkaline Battery Leakage in Rare Prototype Multimeter - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2025, 12:06:58 am
content: Horrific alkaline battery leakage in a rare prototype EEVblog 555 Multimeter.Can it be repaired?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2025, 02:09:00 am
content: Wallaby... I suppose this is an aussie brand?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2025, 04:00:35 am
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on February 13, 2025, 02:09:00 amProbably. I think I got them as ebay specials for (ironically) the original battery leakage experiments.

author: Fryguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2025, 08:15:21 am
content: The 121GW was going to have the power feature and triple display , but that was too expensive ?I own a 121GW and i still would have bought one with the full feature set regardless of the extra costs .Just to satisfy my curiosity - how big would the price tag have been ?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 13, 2025, 09:22:17 am
content: Quote from: Fryguy on February 13, 2025, 08:15:21 amI don't recall off hand, but I had a price point in mind and it was way above it.

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2025, 10:07:23 am
content: There are pens to add electrolytic gold. I have not used them, but they could be handy for similar repares of corroded contacts.If the space allows one could solder a thin piece of brass on top. For just a battery contact and quite some force there is no real need for gold.For cleaning the residue one should first remove most with water. Most of the residue is well water soluble. It is only corrosion products like from nickle and copper that are not water soluble. Of cause first disassemble and than pour the vinegar in. The bubbling when adding vinegar is from electrolyte that has already captured CO2 from the air to form carbonate - just the electrolyte would not bubble. Also make sure to flush with clean water after the vinegar - vinegar on its own also promotes corrosion on some parts.The blue part should be some copper carbonate or copper hydroxide.

author: Fryguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2025, 11:31:38 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 13, 2025, 09:22:17 amYes , i can see how that feature could easily double the price tag or more - power meter funcionality is a lot more than just a couple of resistors and an opampBut back then , when the 121GW was new , i would have bought it even at twice the price+ if it had the power meter - i thought about getting a MetraHit Energy many times . . . today i don't need it anymore .I got me a new GPM 8213 a couple of month ago .The 121GW is still my most used hand held DMM and i love it

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2025, 12:37:09 pm
content: The energy metering chips are no longer that expensive (some $3 in Qty 100). They would also provide good quality (e.g. < 0.2 %) RMS readings - in many respects superior to the analog RMS converter chips, though with limited Bandwidth.A problem with these chips is that they tend to use more power than old style RMS converters. So this would make the meter a bit power hungry.From the practical side the lower current ranges could be nice for low power, but the meter fuses are a bit fragile and expensive. From the safty side a dedicated power meter with normal mains plugs is the preferred way. The cheap ones are just missing the low power range.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2025, 01:12:49 pm
content: DO NOT BUYalkaline batteries.Ever.If there's none in the house, there's no temptation to put them in anything.Edit: I recently found out that lemon juice works well for cleaning up battery contacts. I left a set in juice overnight and they came up really good.(nb. It wasn't me who left the batteries in the thing I was cleaning)

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2025, 04:42:26 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 13, 2025, 04:00:35 amAt least they served their purpose then..*pls leak godammit.https://wallaby.com.au/

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2025, 08:37:47 pm
content: Quote from: DaneLaw on February 14, 2025, 04:42:26 pmDoes the meter draw any current at all when off?

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2025, 10:08:06 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on February 14, 2025, 08:37:47 pmI would hope no portable DMM draws power with switch in off mode.121GW disconnects the battery contacts with the range switch, reverse protection is after the switch, I assume most meters are the same.If you left it on and then it went to sleep, I don't know offhand what the standby current is, some uA I guess.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2025, 11:08:29 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on February 14, 2025, 10:08:06 pmFluke made some, eg. 189.I know the 121GW does data logging and Dave says this is based on that. I don't know if the logging is in internal RAM like the Flukes which need battery power to maintain it.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 15, 2025, 02:29:49 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on February 14, 2025, 11:08:29 pmLogging is to the SD card.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2025, 06:00:42 pm
content: So is current draw 0.0000000 amps when it's turned off?I'm asking for the "cause of leakage" scenario, I'm not interested in the meter specifications as such.

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2025, 07:36:31 pm
content: Alkaline cells can leake even without load. Sometimes one sees cells leaking even in the original package. Under what conditions they are more likely to leak is a good question. One such condition is definitely reverse polarity, e.g. from mixing old and new cells.

author: Uunoctium
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2025, 08:46:34 pm
content: tl;drWe will colonize Mars next year or the year after, but the industry will not be able to produce leak-proof batteries in over 150 years. What an disgrace!Photo TAN generator for bank login. Bought in March '24 - this happened after 3 months!Two pieces of electronic parking disks with 2432 - specified life span 2 years. After exactly 3 months both with blank display.My conclusion: only Panasonic for button cells!And I'm currently testing AA & AAA alkalines from Panasonic too.I've made only the worst experiences with cheap discounter cells

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2025, 08:52:22 pm
content: Quote from: Kleinstein on February 13, 2025, 10:07:23 amTHAT PEn plating crap is a exercise in patience

author: lwatts666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 16, 2025, 02:36:54 am
content: I had a similarly disastrous battery leak in a rather expensive laser level. The battery contacts were badly pitted and corroded, but no other damage thanks to good isolation between the battery compartment and the rest of the level.After dissolving the electrolyte crystals with dilute vinegar, I polished out the pitting on the contact surfaces and then used an "Electroless Nickel" plating solution (https://janekits.com.au/products/electroless-nickel-concentrate-1-litre/) to restore a bright nickel surface.Not a cheap solution, but it was an expensive laser level...

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2025, 06:38:46 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 13, 2025, 12:06:58 amThe vids are broken on Odysee; wrong CODEC according to the comments

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 21, 2025, 12:14:10 am
content: Quote from: AVGresponding on February 19, 2025, 06:38:46 pmStrange. Works for me on Firefox and Chrome

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2025, 01:00:51 am
content: Quote from: lwatts666 on February 16, 2025, 02:36:54 amthe electroless platings are impressive if the reagents are fresh, be warned making your own is going to be some stumbling around with buckets on your feet, so despite price its a worthy purchase, I think $60 per liter for small use is very acceptable

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2025, 06:47:53 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 21, 2025, 12:14:10 amDidn't work for me with Firefox, will try again with Chrome

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 21, 2025, 11:59:29 pm
content: Quote from: AVGresponding on February 21, 2025, 06:47:53 pmI reuploaded the original 1080p and some people still report the same problemI've been using the same H265 codec for at least a year now.

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2025, 01:55:48 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 21, 2025, 11:59:29 pmThey all work fine in Chrome, so it must be something to do with FirefoxOr at least, partly Firfox; Big Clive vids play as usual, there

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2025, 07:29:35 pm
content: Ok, I guess you're experimenting with different CODECs to see which ones work with FireFox?The vid titled "JBL Wave Flex Earbuds REPAIR" works on FF, the one titled "REPAIR: JBL Wave Flex Earbuds" does not...

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 26, 2025, 01:21:23 am
content: Quote from: AVGresponding on February 25, 2025, 07:29:35 pmI don't recall uploading twice there, it looks like EEVblog2 still pulls in from Youtube automatically.

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2025, 07:02:17 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 26, 2025, 01:21:23 amWhy the two slightly different titles though? And why does one work with FF, and the other not? Some weird behaviour from Odysee on FF right now.There's two of EEVblog 1670 as well, I haven't tried to watch them yet, will update when I have.EDIT: They both worked