DURACELL BATTERIES GOING DOWN HILL.....

[Jeff423]

I had very poor battery life with my Maglites until I converted them to LED's. Now both my 3 cells have 3+ year old Duracells and are working fine. However with all the reports of leakage I'll try Energizers next time I buy batteries.

 

[rubiranch]

A handful of years ago I sold and installed Hunter Douglas and Timber Blinds window coverings.

Hunter Douglas had a class one day on motorized blinds.

They did tons of testing on different brands of batteries to see which brand lasted the longest.

It came down to Duracell and the Energizer.

When they were installed in identical blinds initially the Duracell would lift and lower the blinds faster than the Energizer but hands down the Energizers always out lasted the Duracell.

I haven't bought a Duracell battery since I attended that class.

 

[billwill]

Retire the D cell maglite and get one of the new quality AA LED lights. Multiple lumen settings, lighter, and you will be happy. Even the AA rechargeable batteries will give better performance.

 

[chief38]

If you think the D-Cell Maglites are antiquated, I guess I shouldn't tell you about the US Navy WWll surplus 2 D-Cell waterproof lights I ave all over the house!

 

[Grayfox]

I've found that new batteries will last in storage for a very long time. However, it seems that once installed and turned one just one time, they drain fairly quickly. My theory is that once activated the chemical reaction just keeps going until it uses itself up. No scientific evidence of this, just my experience.

About 5 years ago I saw and ad on Armslist where a guy had 3 S&W branded flashlights for sale. These were tactical type pocket lights that use 2 CR 123 batteries. He had bought a case of them for Christmas presents and had these 3 left over. The asking price was well below regular retail. I bought all three. I have no idea who made them, but they've proven to excellent lights. Small, handy, tough, extremely bright and batteries last a long time. I keep one in the house, one in my truck and gave the last one to my girlfriend at the time. I really like these.

A Streamlight Microstream rides in my pocket every day. Very small, hardly noticeable, yet puts out good light when needed.

Reading this thread reminds me that I need to check and replace batteries in all my lights.

 

[jeffrefrig]

So what is the best flashlight and what are the best batteries? Inquiring minds want to know!

I now use the bright-as-heck USB rechargeable LED lights. "Everybody" makes them now, in all sizes & configurations. I used several different sizes when I worked, usually with the magnetic bases. Also, many have different lighting functions, like a steady blinking for maybe on your car at night broke down; or the strobe function for your bedside blaster. My future SIL got me a 1 1/2" long one that I keep in the car. I haven't had a USB-charged light go bad yet. YET!
There was a similar thread I think on this Forum about Duracells leaking about a year back.

 

[Cooter Brown]

I no longer use alkaline batteries of any brand, just Energizer lithium or rechargeable batteries. I've had too many devices ruined by leaking batteries.

I've got a couple of Mag Lite LEDs in AAA and AA. I put Energizer lithium batteries in them 3 years ago and they're still going strong. One of them is in my vehicle, subject to the temperature extremes you get in that environment. They might not be as bright as some of the other lights, but I just need to see what I'm doing at night, not sterilize frogs or signal space craft.

Reasonably priced and made in the USA, too.

 

[pistolpete10]

I gave up on Duracell years ago. If a product comes with them, throw them away when you get them or chances are they will leak and ruin your flashlight or scale or primer alarm or whatever they are in.

 

[Aggie1906]

Generally accepted in my little group of handyman grandpas is they lost their edge, and are better to be avoided.
Buddy likes Delco. I am agnostic, but have had issues with store brands.

 

[chief38]

So I did a little research on batteries today. It seems the longest lasting are also the least expensive as well. RAYOVAC!! Costco gets $18.00 for 14 Alkaline Duracell D cells ($1.29 each) and Rayovac Alkaline from Amazon are $10.82 for a 12 pack ($0.90 each). So the Rayovac's are 31% cheaper and actually last longer. To put the icing on the cake, Rayovac is made 100% in the USA!

Which Battery Lasts Longest Alkaline - Batterysavers.com

RAYOVAC® opens the Fennimore, WI plant. Today, our Fennimore plant produces around a billion batteries in the USA every year and employees nearly 300 people. In 2008, Fennimore was featured on the National Geographic Show "Factory Floor with Marshall Brain."

Leak-Proof Guarantee
Every single RAYOVAC® Alkaline Battery is designed to prevent damaging leaks and tested twice prior to shipment. That's why your devices are protected by our Leak-Proof Guarantee.

 

[venomballistics]

I've been heavy into RC aeromodeling of late ... old love with a new twist since most of the stuff has gone electric power.
due to power requirements and physics imposed weight restrictions, we use LiPoly packs.
Virtually all of them are made in China. but there's a catch.
Where over two dozen factories in China produce these batteries, only two of them produce anything decent.
Duracell gone Chinesium .... odds are against that being a good thing

 

[Doug M.]

We have roughly a dozen Surefire flashlights. Most are two cell; the ones on my rifles are three cell. We buy Surefire batteries 144 at a time and keep most of them in the freezer. My wife has 2 or three that she keeps in coats and otherwise accessible. I always have at least one on me - when I wear dress coats, the side pockets are reinforced for the light and a spare magazine. In cargo pants, one goes in my pocket as I get dressed.

 

[Kiwi cop]

I have had a number of Duracell and Energiser 9 volt batteries go flat on me after a few weeks in an acoustic guitar recently. Usually they last at east a couple of years.

And I have had several four packs of Eveready Black die on me in the packet.

 

[hemiram]

I've had so many things ruined by leaking D batteries, pretty much all brands, that I don't buy anything D cell powered now.

But of all the brands I've had, the Duracell D batteries leak the first and worst. I had a really nice aluminum and plastic lantern/USB charger, radio, etc that I had won online. It had the website's URL on it, and it took 4 D batteries and it came with Energizers and I caught those batteries just as one of them started to leak. I replaced them with Duracells and 2 weeks later, I needed to use the lantern and USB power when there was a power failure. On the shelf it was sitting was a whitish spot I saw when I picked it up. All four batteries had leaked and the lanern was ruined. I replaced it with a smaller one that has no USB ports and takes C batteries. I buy the Costco batteries now, they seem ok, but never buy anything that takes D batteries.

 

[chief38]

Are you sure your 40 year old Maglites don't have a little short in them that drains the batteries? #AskingForAFriend

Well...... if there's a short that same short is in all 11 of them because that's how many I have. I've got five 3-D cell models, four 2-AA models, one 2-D cell model & one 1-AAA model. None of the batteries last long at all in any of them AND I also have hardened rubber (similar to Bakelite) WWll Navy surplus models that fare no better.

After doing research online, talking to friends & neighbors and experiencing a drastic change myself, I have returned all unopened packaged of Duracell batteries to Costco and have ordered Rayovac Alkaline replacements (made in USA BTW) from Amazon. While they do last a little longer than the Duracell or Eveready equivalents, they are also 1/3 less expensive! A win-win!!

 

[wheelgun28]

I was a Duracell buyer too, I also think they aren't good anymore.

I think this has to do with it, timing seems about right to me.

Duracell - Wikipedia.

Spun off from P&G and bought by Berkshire Hathaway.

Kinda figures...

 

[johngalt]

I think some of the drop in battery performance can be traced back to the jihad on mercury.

 

[sipowicz]

So what is the best flashlight and what are the best batteries? Inquiring minds want to know!

If it's a light I use a lot, then I go with rechargeable. But any light for my duty belt or in a glove box gets cr123 batteries since they last around ten years in storage.

This is my latest new light. Not only does it charge magnetically but you can stick it on anything metal, so I hang mine on the bedside lamp.

S1R Baton II 1000 Lumen Flashlights - Olight Store

 

[Smoke]

I remember even back in the mid 80s my grand parents had two Black & Decker rechargeable flashlights, one in the basement and one in the kitchen. They came with a recharging stand and that's where they stayed when not in use.

Obviously they were 80s technology and were about as bright as a candle but every time they were needed they worked.

I can't imagine why with the technology available today anyone would still be using a Maglight.

 

[ACORN]

I remember even back in the mid 80s my grand parents had two Black & Decker rechargeable flashlights, one in the basement and one in the kitchen. They came with a recharging stand and that's where they stayed when not in use.

Obviously they were 80s technology and were about as bright as a candle but every time they were needed they worked.

I can't imagine why with the technology available today anyone would still be using a Maglight.

My friend is a retired PSP and he gave me a couple 5-6 cell Mag Lights that he rescued.
My girlfriend, now wife, worked in a bad part of town.
I gave her one to keep in her car. Just in case.
A 4" tactical flashlight my put out a lot of light, but would fall short of a 6 cell Mag Light full of Ds if it came to clocking some hoodlum on the noggin bent on doing her harm. Plus, it would be justifiable, to have in your car, just in case you broke down.