PSA: Check the batteries in your remotes

[Blue Ginger]

The batteries in my VCR/DVD combo remote have leaked all over the inside of the remote. I can just make out that their expiry dates were March 2017.

Anyone know how to clean out leaked battery goo? They are Duracell AAA batteries.

I use the remote maybe once every couple of months. Nearly everything is now on my hard drive or on a friends hard drive that I can view through Plex online.

So besides cleaning out this remote, I'll be checking the expiry dates on all the batteries tomorrow.

[lordlundar]

A damp paper towel with a little bit of baking soda should do the trick.

Why the baking soda? That gel is battery acid. The baking soda will neutralize it to a degree and make it safer to clean.

[Monterey Jack]

I use my remotes often enough so the batteries go flat long before they would start to leak.

[AdamAnt316]

A damp paper towel with a little bit of baking soda should do the trick.

Why the baking soda? That gel is battery acid. The baking soda will neutralize it to a degree and make it safer to clean.

Actually, it's only acid if you're using old-fashioned carbon-zinc (aka "Heavy Duty") batteries. Most modern electronic devices use alkaline batteries, so as their name suggests, you're better off using a mild acid like white vinegar to clean off the crud. Rubbing alcohol works as well, of course. If you use vinegar, it's best to dilute it with a bit of water, or wipe off the excess vinegar afterwards with a damp paper towel.
-Adam

[Blue Ginger]

Thanks Adam. These are alkaline batteries so I'll break out the vinegar to clean it.

After checking my other remotes, I've had to change 2 sets of batteries. One in the aircon remote and one for the TV in my bedroom.

[Food Lady]

I always use rubbing alcohol.

[Blue Ginger]

Slightly diluted vinegar worked perfectly using cotton tips to get all the leaked gunk cleaned off. Remote is back up and running with new batteries in it.

[dalesys]

One note: "Expiry" dates on batteries do not mean the battery is dead.

It is the date beyond which the manufacturer is no longer confident that it will be peppy enough to be sold as new, assuming it has been stored in reasonably good enviromental conditions.

As an example, the carton of milk will not magically sour on the date printed. If I forget to put it in the fridge after shopping and leave it on the counter over a hot august night... it may attack me in the morning!

[AdamAnt316]

One note: "Expiry" dates on batteries do not mean the battery is dead.

It is the date beyond which the manufacturer is no longer confident that it will be peppy enough to be sold as new, assuming it has been stored in reasonably good enviromental conditions.

As an example, the carton of milk will not magically sour on the date printed. If I forget to put it in the fridge after shopping and leave it on the counter over a hot august night... it may attack me in the morning!

Yep, the 'Best If Used By' date is mostly a suggestion. If you leave a device switched on accidentally, it's more likely to have the batteries leak prematurely than if it's left switched off. Some devices like clocks and, well, remote controls draw a small amount of power constantly, so it's a good idea to keep an eye on their batteries, and remove them if not in use/dead.

Further, some batteries have a nasty tendency to leak before their sell-by date even in the best conditions. Duracell seems to have earned that reputation as of late, even in non-counterfeit batteries. I myself have had bad luck with "Berkeley & Jensen" (house brand of BJ's Wholesale) batteries, which may have been made for them by Duracell. In any case, as the thread title states, stay vigilant when it comes to battery-powered devices; as an electronics collector who owns several, I'm all too aware of this.
-Adam