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Post by Ripper on May 16, 2006 11:35:44 GMT -5
I caught the last few minutes of a science show this morning on the telly. What the guy was saying, or at least what I thought he was saying was that batteries work by actually eating their casing!!!  If this is true, im removing my 9v's from all my stomp boxes. Its a pain in the backside but so is replacing all my effects. Did I hear this fella correctly? |
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Post by sumgai on May 16, 2006 14:21:39 GMT -5
Probably not, but there is a possibility that "Mr. Wizard" was talking about very old batteries. Batteries made up through WWII and into the 50's were made of carbon, zinc, and treated paper (and later, plastic casings). These can leak over the years, thus appearing to be eating the casing. But that process occurs over several years, not in days or months. The only exception I've ever seen is when a battery is accidentally shorted. Then the action occurs in hours, even minutes, and the damage is fatal to battery life. Alles kaput. Fini. Non powerus voltum.  In the case of modern batteries, this no longer obtains. A battery is made with a shelf life of at least 5 years, and often longer. That means that even if it isn't in service, it will not degrade itself, and will deliver full performance when finally installed into a device, within that time frame. Perhaps after a few decades, the thing will leak and self-destruct, but I suspect I won't be around to see it happen. If you're under 30 years of age, bring several six-packs and some weenies to roast, because it's gonna be a loooooonnnnnnggg wait. Chances are better that you'll have run the thing completely out of juice before this happens. One more thing. If this were true, considering today's manufacturing technology (even that of yesteryear), then don't you think that by now, someone would have started screaming to the high heavens that the battery makers were in collusion with the device makers, trying to kill our precious little goodies, thus driving us to spend even more dollars on their stuff? Let's face it, musicians as a class are either too lazy or too drunk to take the batteries out all of the time, right? But I've personally never seen a battery-powered device wherein the battery leaked all over the thing and ruined it. Could happen, I admit. But only in a galaxy far, far away, a long time ago. Thems my two rupies worth for the day. sumgai |
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Post by Ripper on May 16, 2006 15:30:15 GMT -5
Thanks Sumgai...
The last thing I need to do is replace things like my Boss Enhancer. They dont make them anymore, and I have no idea where to get one. Forget E-bay.
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Post by dunkelfalke on May 16, 2006 16:03:44 GMT -5
well, i have seen some batteries leak. but they were soviet ones. probably worst batteries you can have.
anyway use rechargeables. i have never seen one of them (nimh) leak.
li-ion can explode though ;-)
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Post by bam on May 24, 2006 22:51:47 GMT -5
have you ever seen CHINESE ones ?
(they're worse, buddy)
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Post by dunkelfalke on May 25, 2006 2:49:47 GMT -5
yes, sure. and no, they are not.
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Post by ChrisK on May 25, 2006 13:45:41 GMT -5
Yeah, the zinc/carbon process DID consume the zinc eventually. In most 9 volt batteries, the case is just the housing since there are 6 mini-cells stacked inside.
I never leave batteries in anything that I don't use regularily (except for smoke detectors and flashlights).
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Post by bam on May 27, 2006 10:04:32 GMT -5
well, seems like the chinese batteries sold here in Indonesia are the cheapest ones.
($0.2 each for 9v's!)
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Post by ChrisK on May 30, 2006 21:20:59 GMT -5
Well, sometimes you don't get what you don't pay for!
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Post by bam on Jun 4, 2006 10:00:32 GMT -5
ha ha ha !
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