Help! Recover from battery leakage..
 

Yesterday, I opened my radio to replace the batteries and discovered
that the battery on the memory slot had begun to corrode. It's a RadioShcak
DX 398 that's nearly brand new. The amount of corrosion doesn't appear to
be too bad. It's mainly on the ribbon used to remove the battery and some
acid crystals can be found on the two contacts in the single battery
compartment area.
How best can I clean and remove the acid without harming my radio
circuit? I was thinking about opening the backl of the radio and using a
baking soda/water concentration. Is there a better way and can I possibly
save the ribbon/ battery remover or is it toast?


Thanks Ahead,
John T McD.

that wouldnt happen to be a Duracell
battery that leaked would it?
I get camera equipment in all the time
damaged from them, much less so
on Energizers.

John T McDougald wrote:

Yesterday, I opened my radio to replace the batteries and discovered
that the battery on the memory slot had begun to corrode. It's a RadioShcak
DX 398 that's nearly brand new. The amount of corrosion doesn't appear to
be too bad. It's mainly on the ribbon used to remove the battery and some
acid crystals can be found on the two contacts in the single battery
compartment area.
How best can I clean and remove the acid without harming my radio
circuit? I was thinking about opening the backl of the radio and using a
baking soda/water concentration. Is there a better way and can I possibly
save the ribbon/ battery remover or is it toast?

Thanks Ahead,
John T McD.


Pop into RS and buy a can of spray electrical contact cleaner (but
not any more batteries :) It's also available at auto parts stores,
etc. First, using the tip of a penknife blade, lightly scrape away any
and all corrosion
you can reach - be surgically delicate. Then use the spray contact
cleaner, assisted by any small, soft bristle brush you might have.
Don't worry about contact cleaner running out as a liquid - it's
formulated to be harmless to plastic and circuit board components.
Still, use sparingly as much as possible.
Patience will accomplish more than anything else here. You can try
cleaning up the little piece of acetate(?) ribbon, too, but it may be
toast. That's a minor
hassle in removing the batteries in the future, though.

It's worth noting that as far as power and length of life, Consumer's
Union tests say that all alkaline batteries are pretty much alike. But
I have had (rare) leakage problems with "off-brand" batteries - never
once with copper top or the bunny.

Tony


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On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 09:56:01 -0400, Tony Meloche wrote:


..I have had (rare) leakage problems with "off-brand" batteries - never
once with copper top or the bunny.

Wish I were that lucky.
I've had Energizer, Duracell, Ray-O-Vac, Kodak Supra-Life,
Osco, and other alkaline batteries leak.

--
================================================== =======================
Bob Parnass, AJ9S GNU/Linux User http://parnass.com

Bob Parnass wrote:

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 09:56:01 -0400, Tony Meloche wrote:


..I have had (rare) leakage problems with "off-brand" batteries - never
once with copper top or the bunny.

Wish I were that lucky.
I've had Energizer, Duracell, Ray-O-Vac, Kodak Supra-Life,
Osco, and other alkaline batteries leak.

ALL alkaline batteries will leak (or "explode" as my dad eloquently
called it) under the right conditions. I used to collect transistor
radios, and I noticed that radios kept in garages or sheds or in other
places with temperature and humidity extremes were most likely to have
leaked batteries. I also noted that 9 volt batteries (what some of the
older folks here will know as a "transistor radio battery") are least
likely to leak.

Yes! as a matter of fact it was. Duracell ProCell to be specific. I'm
buying a set of Energizers tomorrow..

John T McD.

"ROBMURR" wrote in message
...
that wouldnt happen to be a Duracell
battery that leaked would it?
I get camera equipment in all the time
damaged from them, much less so
on Energizers.

"John T McDougald" wrote:
Yes! as a matter of fact it was. Duracell ProCell to be specific. I'm
buying a set of Energizers tomorrow..

Hold the phone! Doesn't Duracell have a warranty that if their batts
leak, they will cover any damage to your equipment? Save the leaky
batts, take pictures, and contact Duracell customer service. You may
get a new radio.

Art N2AH

Bob Parnass wrote in message .. .

I've had Energizer, Duracell, Ray-O-Vac, Kodak Supra-Life,
Osco, and other alkaline batteries leak.

I scavenge my cells from the barrel at the city recycling center. I
have to agree.

Leakage from zinc-chloride, aka "heavy duty" cells, is bad news, as it
gobbles up traces on printed circuit boards. The electrolyte that
leaks from alkaline cells doesn't seem to hurt circuits at all. Just
wipe it off, and you're good to go.

Batteries are gone. Threw them away the other day. It's more of a hassell
to try and get the radio replaced. I am nearly certain that I caught the
leakage in time before any major damage was done.

John

"Art Harris" wrote in message
m...
"John T McDougald" wrote:
Yes! as a matter of fact it was. Duracell ProCell to be specific. I'm
buying a set of Energizers tomorrow..

Hold the phone! Doesn't Duracell have a warranty that if their batts
leak, they will cover any damage to your equipment? Save the leaky
batts, take pictures, and contact Duracell customer service. You may
get a new radio.

Art N2AH

bummer. household ammonia should help.