OT (Slightly) -- Removing Dead Battery Scum

T

Tim Wescott

Guest
Is there a good way to remove the glop that's left over after dry cell
batteries leak? I usually use a damp paper towel -- is there a better way?

---------------------------------------
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com
 
I read in sci.electronics.design that Tim Wescott
<tim@wescottnospamdesign.com> wrote (in <106eng1jvo13o23@corp.supernews.
com>) about 'OT (Slightly) -- Removing Dead Battery Scum', on Sun, 28
Mar 2004:
Is there a good way to remove the glop that's left over after dry cell batteries
leak? I usually use a damp paper towel -- is there a better way?
Click to expand...
If you can get hot water to the affected area, that is a lot more
effective. Sometimes you can take the product apart into bits that you
can safely wash by immersion.
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
The good news is that nothing is compulsory.
The bad news is that everything is prohibited.
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk
 
Is there a good way to remove the glop that's left over after dry cell
batteries leak? I usually use a damp paper towel -- is there a better way?
Click to expand...
I think isopropyl alcohol may be good - and it evaporates quickly
without leaving a residue.
 
I read in sci.electronics.design that Quack <alex+google@vuetec.com>
wrote (in <16197399.0403290607.2e35db4@posting.google.com>) about 'OT
(Slightly) -- Removing Dead Battery Scum', on Mon, 29 Mar 2004:
Is there a good way to remove the glop that's left over after dry cell
batteries leak? I usually use a damp paper towel -- is there a better way?

I think isopropyl alcohol may be good - and it evaporates quickly
without leaving a residue.
Click to expand...
It doesn't dissolve inorganic stuff like zinc chloride, potassium
hydroxide (well, that dissolves a little bit, I think), lithium salts.
Water is best. (Some Greek guy said that.)
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
The good news is that nothing is compulsory.
The bad news is that everything is prohibited.
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk
 
I read in sci.electronics.design that Michael <NoSpam@att.net> wrote (in
<40682FBD.41C8EF17@att.net>) about 'OT (Slightly) -- Removing Dead
Battery Scum', on Mon, 29 Mar 2004:

I've found that when battery contacts get slimed, often a chemical
reaction takes place between the slime and the material that the
contacts were plated with, and that just washing the contacts usually
doesn't do the trick.
Click to expand...
Not only the plating: the base metal can be corroded as well.

Heavily corroded plating - especially when the
corrosion penetrates into the contact metal - can require more drastic
action.
Click to expand...
Solder-coating is a fairly well-known remedy.

But the best solution is to use stainless steel (the magnetic variety)
for the contacts in the first place. It's probably quite comparable in
cost to nickel-plated brass, which corrodes very badly.
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
The good news is that nothing is compulsory.
The bad news is that everything is prohibited.
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk
 
to remove the glop that's left over after dry cell batteries leak?
Tim Wescott
Click to expand...
I think Woodgate got it right.
Dilute, dilute, dilute.
If the electrical parts get wet, allow plenty of drying time.

I read a guy's page where, in extreme cases,
he recommended using calcium/lime/rust-type bathroom cleaner.
 
Tim Wescott wrote:

Is there a good way to remove the glop that's left over after dry cell
batteries leak? I usually use a damp paper towel -- is there a better
way?

---------------------------------------
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com
Click to expand...
I bet your first step was to throw the batteries away! Almost every dry
cell manufacturer will repair or replace an item damaged by battery
leakage. Just mail it to them, and a couple weeks later the postman brings
you a new one. I've gotten a few flashlights and a slide viewer replaced
this way.
Good luck!
Ralph in NH
 
I read in sci.electronics.design that JeffM <jeffm_@email.com> wrote (in
<f8b945bc.0403290954.4505165d@posting.google.com>) about 'OT (Slightly)
-- Removing Dead Battery Scum', on Mon, 29 Mar 2004:
to remove the glop that's left over after dry cell batteries leak?
Tim Wescott

I think Woodgate got it right.
Dilute, dilute, dilute.
If the electrical parts get wet, allow plenty of drying time.

I read a guy's page where, in extreme cases,
he recommended using calcium/lime/rust-type bathroom cleaner.
Click to expand...
That's hydrochloric acid, or a reasonable facsimile thereof. Either it's
so heavily buffered that it doesn't remove the gunge or it corrodes on
its own account. I would not recommend it.
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
The good news is that nothing is compulsory.
The bad news is that everything is prohibited.
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk
 
alex+google@vuetec.com (Quack) wrote in
news:16197399.0403290607.2e35db4@posting.google.com:

Is there a good way to remove the glop that's left over after dry
cell batteries leak? I usually use a damp paper towel -- is there a
better way?

I think isopropyl alcohol may be good - and it evaporates quickly
without leaving a residue.
Click to expand...
For alkaline batteries;vinegar,a mild acid,neutralizes the alkaline
electrolyte. FWIW,I don't use the ordinary carbon-zinc cells.

IMO,you need to neutralize it before rinsing it off.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net
 
Ralph Naylor <ashbless@hotnospammail.com> wrote in
news:1080582860.73128@mail1.segnet.com:

Tim Wescott wrote:

Is there a good way to remove the glop that's left over after dry
cell batteries leak? I usually use a damp paper towel -- is there a
better way?

---------------------------------------
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

I bet your first step was to throw the batteries away! Almost every
dry cell manufacturer will repair or replace an item damaged by
battery leakage. Just mail it to them, and a couple weeks later the
postman brings you a new one. I've gotten a few flashlights and a
slide viewer replaced this way.
Good luck!
Ralph in NH
Click to expand...

How about remote controls? Some of them may not even be in production
anymore.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net
 
I read a guy's page where, in extreme cases,
he recommended using calcium/lime/rust-type bathroom cleaner.
JeffM

That's hydrochloric acid...I would not recommend it.
John Woodgate
Click to expand...
8-(
 
Ralph Naylor wrote:
Tim Wescott wrote:

Is there a good way to remove the glop that's left over after dry
cell batteries leak? I usually use a damp paper towel -- is there a
better way?

---------------------------------------
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

I bet your first step was to throw the batteries away! Almost every
dry cell manufacturer will repair or replace an item damaged by
battery leakage. Just mail it to them, and a couple weeks later the
postman brings you a new one. I've gotten a few flashlights and a
slide viewer replaced this way.
Good luck!
Ralph in NH
Click to expand...
I have now had repeatedly some leakage after reconditioning alcaline
batteries with a Rayovac battery charger. Actually this works quite well, if
the batteries are not completely down, but then after two or three times
recharging, they start leaking. I destroyed a few Maglites this way, which
would be so badly corroded, you cannot even manage to pull out the bad
battery. No water was helping, instead had to grind off some surface area
with a Dremel.

--
ciao Ban
Bordighera, Italy
 
For either standard batteries OR alkalines, a mild solution of baking soda to
neutralize the acid/alkali left wet on the surfaces for fifteen minutes,
followed by a water cleanup of the baking soda, left to dry, then sprayed
liberally with WD-40 or other "contact cleaner" and then left for a while to
work.

Then wipe the surface(s) clean and use the solder-coat method described by a
bunch of other folks.

Jim




->com>) about 'OT (Slightly) -- Removing Dead Battery Scum', on Sun, 28
->Mar 2004:
->>Is there a good way to remove the glop that's left over after dry cell
batteries
->>leak? I usually use a damp paper towel -- is there a better way?
 
I read in sci.electronics.design that Jim Weir <jim@rst-engr.com> wrote
(in <69vh601hon6dakkd3gl5l536bj2r8eh9au@4ax.com>) about 'OT (Slightly) -
- Removing Dead Battery Scum', on Mon, 29 Mar 2004:
For either standard batteries OR alkalines, a mild solution of baking soda to
neutralize the acid/alkali left wet on the surfaces for fifteen minutes,
Click to expand...
Only the water has any effect. If the bicarbonate DID have any effect,
it would be a bad one. First, it has no useful effect on alkalis; they
are already very soluble in water. Second, if, as is usual, the gunge
contains heavy metals (nickel, zinc, copper, iron), they would be
converted to insoluble carbonates or basic carbonates. Not the desired
effect.
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
The good news is that nothing is compulsory.
The bad news is that everything is prohibited.
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk
 
Ralph Naylor <ashbless@hotnospammail.com> wrote in
news:1080661571.764082@mail1.segnet.com:

Jim Yanik wrote:

Ralph Naylor <ashbless@hotnospammail.com> wrote in
news:1080582860.73128@mail1.segnet.com:

Tim Wescott wrote:

Is there a good way to remove the glop that's left over after dry
cell batteries leak? I usually use a damp paper towel -- is there
a better way?

---------------------------------------
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

I bet your first step was to throw the batteries away! Almost every
dry cell manufacturer will repair or replace an item damaged by
battery leakage. Just mail it to them, and a couple weeks later the
postman brings you a new one. I've gotten a few flashlights and a
slide viewer replaced this way.
Good luck!
Ralph in NH


How about remote controls? Some of them may not even be in production
anymore.

The kids lose the little plastic battery doors, so we have more of a
problem keeping the batteries in than we do prying out the corroded
ones ;-) We use duct tape and leave the ends of the cells exposed so
we can monitor for leakage.
Click to expand...
I was referring to battery companies -replacing- remotes damaged by battery
leakage.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net
 
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