Never Use Alkaline Batteries (Ever) !!!

[@2ndavenuesw481]

What? So there is high cost over time but you don't use them fast enough for it to be worth to buy a big pack?

[@tthinker9897]

I love being edified (and I hate throwing away premium flashlights ruined by battery leakage), so thank you so much for this video enlightening me to the fact that rechargeable batteries don't leak … because they aren't alkaline. Then my little grey cells ask, " then what are rechargeable batteries made from? ". There is always another question, or issue to resolve.

[@Paul_Wetor]

Thanks for the valuable information. I have been a steady Duracell user, but have been getting tired of finding corroded batteries in my devices. I will give rechargeables a try. (P.S. Recently I found a device that had been sitting for years with batteries still in it. Oh no! But they were Kodak alkalines or something, not Duracell, and they had not leaked. Why is Duracell more prone to leakage?)

[@beanapprentice1687]

I fully agree with this. All the battery operated devices in my home either use Nickel-metal hydride or lithium ion batteries.

[@julioalfaro2709]

I switched over to full rechargeable everything. No more batteries to buy until those go bad. Loving the re-cyko batteries better than Eneloops. Thanks Jason !

[@PrometheusLights]

welcome to the light side :)

[@Boz1211111]

Wow really? I saw them for quite cheap i thought they are some budget option battery

[@workingclassless84]

I've been using both for a while and finally completely switched over. I was sold after listening to your podcast. Thanks!

[@PrometheusLights]

Awesome to hear. Let's change the world!

[@fallintoadream]

Being invented in 1890s is irrelevant... for example, put on a rubber brother to avoid paying the mother

[@PrometheusLights]

Is it though?

[@fallintoadream]

@@PrometheusLights Yep.

[@ZE308AC]

Can you use rechargeable on a device that only uses alkaline batteries?

[@DanielBerzinskas]

Maybe, but it's lower voltage about 30% charge at full compared to alkaline at the same capacity

[@onedirection3510]

Interesting. Maybe you can help me out here. I recently tried EBL AAA 1.2 volt (disposable) on a small flashlight. Compared to Duracell AAA Optimum 1.5 volt. The brightness was way lower with the 1.2 volt. I’m looking at EBL and Eneloop rechargeable AA and AAA’s. They’re all 1.2 volts. Isn’t this just going to result in significantly less output in my flashlights? I totally see what you’re saying and it’s an easy choice economically speaking to choose the rechargeable batteries but if they’re so weak what’s the gain? Finally the only time I’ve ever experienced leakage or flashlight damage with alkaline batteries is when I have pretty much forgotten about a flashlight and checked on it a very long time later. Would it be true to say that even after sitting for a year or two with Nimh or lithium batteries there would still be no leakage? Obviously it’s a mistake to leave the batteries in a flashlight you’re not using but..it’s still of interest. Thanks.

[@PrometheusLights]

If your flashlight is dimmer with NiMh batteries, it's either very old or not a high quality flashlight. No offense, every product category has a range from low to high :) All modern/high-quality lights (like ours) use onboard electronics to maintain brightness across different voltage levels, among other things. In other words, if your light is dimmer with NiMh than alkaline, the issues lies with the flashlight and it's engineering, not the batteries. Alkaline batteries loose their ability to deliver current as the battery gets depleted, resulting in diminishing output over time, even in an electronic light. On the other hand, NiMh batteries are capable of delivering full power for about 90% of their usable charge. So with alkaline, you'll observe any light being bright at the start, but getting constantly dimmer as the battery is used up. NiMh will maintain it's brightness. There are mountains of examples (just google it) of alkaline batteries leaking at any time. For example, inside the package, well before the expiration date. The two most common causes are leaving depleted batteries, as you suggest. Leaks also occur when two much power is drawn from the battery. Alkaline batteries were invented in the 1890s and indented for low power applications, not modern high power flashlights. Alkaline batteries are manufactured by the billions, so you'll just see some defects. People leave batteries in devices. It's a fact. However; if you are using NiMh batteries, they don't leak and you don't have to worry about it. No one is diligent enough to remove batteries from a device every time the use it, nor it is practical to do so :)

[@onedirection3510]

@@PrometheusLights Thanks for the robust reply! No offense taken whatsoever. This is the seemingly high quality flashlight I referenced. AIDIER A7 EDC Keychain LED Flashlight. I popped in a 1.2 volt EBL and it was very dim. This really seems a technically good light. I will try some EBL 1.2 rechargeables on my tool 2.0 Lumintop and my Streamlight 1L-1AA. I’ll let you know how it goes.

[@PrometheusLights]

@@onedirection3510 That's actually a little odd. I've never heard of Aidier, but it's definitely a modern light. An LED is about 3V, so normally a light that uses a single AA/AAA would require a "boost" driver to take the 1.5V and boost it up to the 3V required by the LED. Our lights function properly anywhere between 0.8V-1.5V. So I can't say why a NiMh battery would be an issue in that light...some "strange" engineering decisions perhaps. We design our lights for use in the real world. A lot of thought and over a decade of experience goes into that process. A lot of light companies don't know (or care) about the end user. They are just trying to separate people from the hard earned money, not craft tools that are meant to be used.

[@onedirection3510]

Hello Prometheus! I am happy to report that I just received and tested EBL AA and AAA 1.2 volt rechargeable batteries. They are excellent. The other ones I mentioned were purported to be 10440’s but they were actually very weak 1.2 V. False seller advertising on Amazon. It happens. Anyway this go around I’m very satisfied. Thanks for your very informative explanation on alkaline versus NIMH. Looks like I’ll most likely switch over. I’ll keep a few Duracell Optimum on hand but mostly use Nimh from now on. Thanks again!

[@PrometheusLights]

@@onedirection3510 Ahhhh. I don't recommend buying batteries on Amazon unless they are coming from a brand seller. There are a lot of counterfeits. They way Amazon works, multiple sellers can sell items on a single listing. So when you see, "sold by these sellers" you should watch out where they are coming from.

[@myousickoflife]

Nott to hate, but the Tesla electric motor design they used to start Tesla motors was patented by Nikola Tesla in 1888.

[@beanapprentice1687]

There is a difference between the alkaline battery and the electric motor though: whereas there are many different battery types that have been invented which are superior to alkaline, the brushless AC motor is still the best kind of electric motor even today.

[@dancoulson6579]

I want to invent a 'Double-D' cell for my old maglite flashlight. It would be the size of two D cells stacked in series. But it would actually use a large LiIon cell inside, with an integrated voltage regulator and charging circuit. To recharge, simple insert a USB cable and plug into the wall outlet. I'm thinking maybe have the internal LiIon cells in paralel when charging. But in series when in use, and step down the voltage with a linear regulator or buck converter. I don't know if such a thing has already been invented though.

[@ericklein5097]

32650/32700 seems similar to D cell size Just measured a D cell and it’s 32650 32.4mm wide (0.4mm deviation seems high) 65mm tall including button 0 means cylindrical cell

[@BrilloHead]

Not only that, but with a rechargeable lithium battery, the flashlight performs better (longer and brighter) than if running on an alkaline battery.

[@warreniwamasa1261]

Everything said here is true and very good information. The lithium batteries are the best for all flashlights. For most remotes and small clocks, the Panasonic cheap non alkaline batteries. They will only leak if you fully discharge them and leave it for years. Some of the cheap off brand alkalines may work here too. These are not packed full and tight with alkaline, so do not burst with pressure. All brands of alkaline with the high power ratings will leak with age, before their expiration date. Funny that the cheap alkalines that you get with the remotes rarely leak. I think of the less alkaline packed that allows it to expand and not burst the seals or casing.

[@calvinkulit]

(or the Eneloop)

[@cekpi7]

Most of the time you get zinc carbon batteries with clocks and remotes, not alkalines.

[@jbr84tx]

What about "heavy duty" batteries?

[@PrometheusLights]

All alkaline batteries are bad. Full stop. Unless you believe that printing marketing language on a product actually improves it's performance ;) Even if it did, I still don't believe in wasting my money on disposable batteries.

[@albertpaoloawesome]

Good day :) "Heavy Duty" batteries are Zinc Carbon batteries which have lower charge density, lower capacity and shorter shelf life than Alkalines. They are typically cheaper than alkalines but like alkalines, they also leak.

[@beanapprentice1687]

@@PrometheusLights actually battery cells that say 'heavy duty' or 'super heavy duty' are not alkaline but rather carbon-zinc. Carbon zinc batteries are also non-rechargeable, and they hold even less energy than alkalines, so carbon zinc is a pretty bad choice of battery unless you only need them for a very low drain TV remote or something. Luckily, carbon-zinc does not leak like alkalines do, but at the end of the day, they are both inferior to rechargeable Nickel-Metal Hydrides.

[@PhearaXT]

I bought rechargeable batteries from Costco today and use it for my under cabinet lighting.

[@calvinkulit]

And the Eneloop is like 2100 batteries in one.

[@power_of_Christ_God]

You act like electricity is free lol😜

[@NKaumans]

Alkaline will produce brighter light than NiMh around 50% of the time during it's discharge, that is until it goes 1.2V and lower. Higher voltages batteryon flashlights does equal brighter light.

[@PrometheusLights]

That may be true with very old "analog" flashlights, but this is 100% incorrect with any modern flashlight that uses electronics.

[@NKaumans]

@@PrometheusLights I disagree . As it relates to almost all modern flashlights higher voltages equal increased brightness in incandescent, LED, halogen, etc. On my lux meter with modern led flashlights, everyone of them is brighter with 1.5v alkaline then 1.2V NiMh, and non rechargable lithiums are even brighter than at 1.8V. Flashlights that support variable power profiles are also brighter on every PWM setting.

[@NKaumans]

@@PrometheusLights I'm not saying I use alkaline, Infact I only use NiMh cells. But if I'm trying to get maximum brightness it isn't done with nimh 1.2v nominal output.

[@NKaumans]

@@PrometheusLights I even have some Power Genix rechargable that's sit at 1.6V that use Nickel Zinc AA size, and they too are brighter then my best nimh cells

[@PrometheusLights]

​@@NKaumans Not trying to be argumentative, but that's just not correct...unless as I mentioned...the flashlight does not have an electronic regulation circuit. 100% of our lights use electronics, as does any modern high-quality light. There is no circumstance where alkaline will deliver more brightness than NiMH in a regulated light. The only time this is "sort of" true is with a non-regulated light. Voltage is only one of many factors that determine brightness.

[@speakersteve9586]

Nimh are 1.2v. Alkaline are 1.5 volts.

[@Vinnay94]

Or maybe don't be lazy and take the batteries out at least every month. I take my D cells out of my 3 D cell MAGLITE every morning. Also, don't buy cheap Alkalines.

[@power_of_Christ_God]

Or maybe buy rechargeable and don't worry about it lol