# Have you recently had AA batteries start leaking acid? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 23, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-recently-had-aa-batteries-start-leaking-acid/648134 "2013-01-23T18:32:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-recently-had-aa-batteries-start-leaking-acid/648134/1 "2013-01-23T18:32:25Z")
I thought the problem with batteries leaking went away 20 years with with the new alkaline batteries. I went over a decade without a leaking battery. The last two sets of AA batteries in my [Durabrand Phone](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21sZ6g8oVtL._SL160_AA160_.jpg) have leaked. It happened last night. The phone display goes out and I check the batteries. Worthless Duracell was dated 2015 and leaking. Same darn thing happened a couple years ago. One day the phone display dies and I find leaking Duracell AA batteries that were still a year or more from expiring. Lost all my pre programmed phone numbers. :mad: Took an hour to get them all programmed back in. Two sets of leaking Duracell has taught me a lesson. I’ll never buy Duracell again. Going today to buy Energizer AA’s. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-recently-had-aa-batteries-start-leaking-acid/648134/2 "2013-01-23T20:20:59Z")
I too have had problems with Duracells leaking. Ruined a flashlight and SWMBO’s walkman…and you can’t buy that model walkman anymore. I avoid them now. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-recently-had-aa-batteries-start-leaking-acid/648134/3 "2013-01-23T20:22:52Z")
Did you buy them at Costco, by chance? I’ve had a couple Duracells leak recently, and I’m pretty sure they came from a superduper pack from Costco. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-recently-had-aa-batteries-start-leaking-acid/648134/4 "2013-01-23T22:00:21Z")
I found a leaky battery in a kitchen timer just last week. And yes, it was Kirkland (Costco). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-recently-had-aa-batteries-start-leaking-acid/648134/5 "2013-01-24T00:20:21Z")
I always buy the economy packs of AA batteries. I think mine came from Home Depot. That’s where I usually buy batteries. I remember as a kid regular lead acid batteries would leak very easily. I had some toys and my Boy Scout flashlight damaged that way. Dad always bought Ray O Vac. alkaline batteries seemed resistant to leaking, unless they were years past the expire date. Can’t imagine what happened to Duracell. But, I’m trying Energizer now and hopefully they are better. ---
**Author:** ![steviep24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@steviep24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steviep24)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-recently-had-aa-batteries-start-leaking-acid/648134/6 "2013-01-24T01:30:37Z")
I haven’t used Duracell in a few years but now I know to avoid them for the time being. I usually buy store brand batteries nowadays and they do well for me. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-recently-had-aa-batteries-start-leaking-acid/648134/7 "2013-01-24T03:37:48Z")
Slight nitpick: Alkaline batteries don’t have acid in them - that’s why they are alkaline (sodium or potassium hydroxide), although it is nevertheless corrosive (and will start to sting after a few minutes if you get some on your hands and don’t notice). Also, I’m curious as to what toys and flashlights used “regular lead-acid” batteries; maybe you meant zinc–carbon, which is notorious for [leaking](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc%E2%80%93carbon_battery#Leakage) because the case itself is involved in the chemical reaction (even in these, the electrolyte is ammonium chloride, which is only slightly acidic). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-recently-had-aa-batteries-start-leaking-acid/648134/8 "2013-01-24T04:25:39Z")
Zinc Carbon that’s the name I was trying to remember. The plain Ray O Vac or Eveready that everybody bought when I was a kid. They’d leak very easily if left too long in a flashlight or radio. Can’t recall when I first saw Alkaline. Maybe 1979 or 80? Next thing you know they completely took over the store shelf. I haven’t bought a plain Ray O Vac battery in 25 years.