Removing Stuck Maglite Battery - The Hard Way

*The contents of batteries are corrosive - Please use protective equipment and exercise caution*
The second corroded D-Cell in my Maglite was far more damaged than the first. The usual techniques of drilling, heating etc were not getting me anywhere.
When I finally got the battery out, how much damage had I caused to the flashlight?

[@VegasSpacecoke]

Appreciate this video and “The Hard Way” approach. The hard way was all I had left!When heat and failing on the lag bolt, prying and basically beating the shit out of this Mag, I did exactly what you did and drilled more into the top of the battery. It was the first two that were lodged in there, but the second one was really welded in the casing from corrosion. Using a rat tail file I was able to dig out all the battery cell guts. I then wedged a flathead screwdriver in there and kept turning it until it was a mangled mess. Lastly, using needle nose to pull the remaining battery carcass out. I had to use the file on the inside of the tube to remove the hard corrosion. Washed it with some vinegar and used so WD-40 inside. Now I gotta run out and find the Teflon grease and get some other kind of D Cell! Thanks again! All in, this took me four days!

[@marlinmiller786]

Chris Aultman I applaud your persistence.

[@msbutterbeans]

I love that you stuck with it and showed us your fails so we wouldn't repeat them. Thanks from California

[@SuperLordHawHaw]

I ended up doing this. My battery was absolutely fused to the flashlight body. Attempts to drill it out failed, the casing just ripped. I ended up tearing the case of the battery open, knocking out the manganese dioxide and anode (a nice black mess), leaving me with an empty case. At that point it was so tightly pressed against the case that I needed to use a hammer and chisel to deform the battery case enough that it would come out. The flashlight body was still in surprisingly good shape after. For these big d cell flashlights I think Maglite needs to put a liner in the body that can slide out in case batteries get jammed allowing access to both ends of the tube or a cheap tube replacement.

[@ms-zi4wc]

Thank you so much for going through all the trouble to make and post this video. While a brand new 3-D cell battery maglite can be purchased for $25; and the lag bolts I needed cost me $5 (total) at home depot; the satisfaction of fixing this thing is priceless. (My family thinks I'm nuts to have wasted two days, on and off, doing it. Perhaps they're right?) I had to drill into batteries, use the lag b olt thing, I tried penetrant, hair dryers, and finally, I had to use my dremel with the hand-held attachment for doing finer work, to get into the cylinder and grind away corrosion that was preventing the last battery from passing a certain point. I covered the outside of the new batteries with WD-40 "as a precaution". Well - thanks for your help and G-d bless.

[@s.marcus3669]

I get Maglites at thrift stores for a buck or two and on occasion not only is there nothing wrong with them, the batteries are still inside and charged! However, I'm watching this video because occasionally they are corroded....

[@danl166]

Ted....LOVE the music ! It rocks. Made me feel better about the dismal condition of the flashlight. Keep up the great videos !

[@tonyhoulihan7549]

Hi Ted, I had a 3 cell Maglite that had corroded batteries in it. The first two tapped out, but the third was well and truly stuck. I didn't have a screw long enough to follow your lead on this. My improvisation involved soaking the battery in silicon lubricating fluid overnight, then bashing a hole into the base of the battery and inserting (hammering) a long, flat blade screwdriver into it., so the flat blade sat in the metal base of the battery. I clamped the screwdriver handle in my bench vice and twisted until the battery rotated in the torch handle. When I was happy the there wasn't any friction on the sides, I took a wire coat hanger, cut it into a 16" length and bent about 1" of one end back into a hairpin. I then inserted the bent section into the screwdriver hole and clamped the other end into the bench vice. The hairpin end was used as an anchor inside the battery casing. The last bit was to hammer out the battery using a hammer and a wooden drift. This took quite a while (about an hour!) and some swearing. Once the battery got moving though, it was a fairly quick process. The next hour was spent cleaning out the battery tube. For this I used a sheet of 150 grade wet and dry, a cut down piece of pipe lagging and copious amounts of WD40. I wrapped the wet and dry around the pipe lagging and used the setup to remove the corrosion inside the handle. I replaced the dead batteries with fresh ones that had a coating of copper ease grease to smooth things along. The job was a complete success and the torch now works again! A photo of my tool and the end result is here: www.flickr.com/photos/33138053@N02/shares/qYZwW2

[@stephenjlr]

Wow. That is epic! Well done!

[@bowtiethirteentwenty8627]

Thanks for posting your experience Tony. :)

[@donnaveitpolanski4154]

I just watched the first video. I also used heat, but from a hair dryer. I think it's more consistent than hot water. Thanks for posting both videos!

[@stephenjlr]

Good idea. I did try that also (off camera i think) but without success

[@robertschmitz1552]

Great video! Thanks Ted!

[@stevenbaumann8692]

I hate when that happens. Thanks for this! I support you!

[@lilisherpa]

Had two mini-Magllites with corroded batteries. Soaked in a glass of diet pepsi for a few hours (from bottom to 3/4 the way up). Voila! no more corrosion and the batteries dropped out.

[@stephenjlr]

brilliant! I should have given that a go!

[@whatusr]

Ha ha.. will check the easiest way first..

[@firstdreamwalker]

When you unscrew the Lightcap, there is a snap ring in the top of the tube just above the edge of the switch. If you take a wire and a screwdriver you can pull it out and take the batteries out from above also. Just a tip from me ...

[@donnaveitpolanski4154]

I thought there was probably a way to do that! I used the vinegar method and it worked.

[@ohrabbits]

Well, this makes me feel better.

[@cherylendick4431]

It was the swearing that did the trick brother. 😁 I’m dealing with the same thing only with a skinny Stanley Tripod flashlight and that double A is firmly planted. Gah!😖

[@georgeglovier]

What a big surprise, it had Duracell batteries in it! Duracell is the only batteries that still work fine while they are leaking all over the place. Also with a date code 5 to 7 years from now. I would not put Duracell in anything I own!

[@stephenjlr]

Yep, this flashlight was still working when I decided to replace the batteries and discovered the mess inside!

[@marlinmiller786]

I placed my Maglite in a pot of boiling water thus expanding the metal case and then pounded the light upside down on a firm surface and several minutes later....the corroded batteries popped out!

[@donnaveitpolanski4154]

I used a hair dryer for heat, that works too.

[@LexandNeek]

Enjoyed watching your video World According to Ted! You are definitely more adept at getting a battery out than we would. Thanks for following our channel. We did the same for you at 235 and liked at 6. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos!

[@stephenjlr]

Thank you for the support!

[@BRField]

Again, there is a circular retaining clip in the tube (not shown in this video) in my two Maglites, at the top of the switch assembly. IF you remove it ; then the switch assembly comes out the top, you can easily get corroded/ frozen batteries out. I used a 1" socket and extension with a rubber hammer to drive it out.

[@stephenjlr]

B.R. Field I couldn’t find any how tos on this. Do you know of any?

[@BRField]

@@stephenjlr. No , I just looked inside tube from top and saw the retaining clip ( unscrew the top portion, of course). Then used small flat blade screwdriver to remove the clip itself; then loosened and removed switch assembly, pulled out from top, just did it 30 minutes ago.

[@stelamo]

@@BRField i have a 6 cell D maglite . the last battery was stuck 2hrs to get it out ! .. i seen the retaining clip your on about ,but was way to rusty to attempt ! :(

[@johnhoward3042]

I certainly would love a video on how the c-clamp is removed.

[@stephenjlr]

@john Howard just about to post one

[@mekkidalila8139]

Thank you very much

[@stephenjlr]

you're welcome!

[@andreadawson2775]

Brilliant!!!!!

[@duaneross9271]

If it was me I'd just fill the tube with flash powder and let er rip. When I remove batteries I just put the flashlight on my splitting stump and cut that succer in half,then just go get a new one. My buddy had someone taking firewood, so he drilled a whole in it big enough to hold a medicine bottle with flash. That thief never came back, I just find that hilarious, hope no one got hurt of corse,OMG that's just funny.

[@claudioarcadexlab6397]

Whenever I have had similar problems I have always found the duracell inside, coincidence? who knows.. I, just to be quiet, I only use Energizer batteries (made in usa) or Varta (made in germany).

[@misinformedreviews8410]

Mine were Energizer batteries.

[@marlinmiller786]

My stuck batteries were Duracell.

[@subseeker]

Duracell, trying to get one out atm

[@monzadriver1]

Same here I dont know why but whatever its a remote or a toy car, when its a leaking battery, its almost always an "expensive" Duracell, and not an other brand or a "cheap" homebrand

[@danshobbies13]

I got the same problem with my mag light. The 2nd one in is stuck. I’ve used WD-40, smashing it on the floor to no success. Now I’ve got some other ideas to try. Thanks for posting

[@MtnBadger]

I found this video because I'm having the same issue with a five C cell mag lite right now. LOL

[@joshuacrasto7938]

I drilled the Damm battery through and the battery shell was still stuck to the walls and then used a screwdriver to pry and collapse the battery shell ..used a nose plier to pull the collapsed shell out. I used an emery cloth flap wheel to smoothen the bore out and was clean as a whistle ( be gentle whilst doing this and don't over do it, just like lapping done for a cylinder block) My only deal is I couldn't get the end cap to losen up , which did result in a little marring on the body and end cap. Currently trying to free a 2 cell led Maglite's end cap.. left it to sit in a penetrant so hopefully it losens up 🤞

[@stephenjlr]

Nice. Sometimes that's the only way. Even if you get the switch assembly out

[@transitvandoors]

Thank you for supporting my channel. I have hit your big red button, as I always return the favour.. Nice to see that it worked at the end, and was worth the effort.

[@thegreenhornets]

Good sir. What is the device you use to get the grease out of the tube?

[@stephenjlr]

Just came with the grease from a bike shop. Search grease gun

[@WideCuriosity]

Just a thought but: you could match the volume of the spoken voice with the volume of the music.

[@stephenjlr]

Thanks for the feedback. Still learning!

[@davidyap2962]

The easiest way is to remove the switch assembly. Then, you will two ends to remove the batteries. There a video on KZbin which shows you how to remove the switch assembly.

[@BEAUTYnIQ]

Omgosh LOL !!! I literally lol'd as I watched .. it was the High point of my day .. !! yesss really .. smh ..

[@DEAckern]

Beautiful video my friend :D #Iamacreator

[@standawson5039]

While following the directions to remove the corroded batteries and putting it all back together, the small metal pin was damaged. Do any of you have an extra one laying around that you don't need and would be so kind as to mail it to me at: Stan Dawson, PO Box 122, Kilmarnock, VA 22482-0122

[@pattipakozdy2677]

Removed corroded batteries....but now cannot drop new ones in. help

[@teatonaz]

If you read above, they show various ways to clean the tube. Good luck.

[@monzadriver1]

Why dont remove the onoff button and hammer it down ?

[@stephenjlr]

Excellent point. I did show how to do this in the following video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIHMd3pmlM92j9U

[@origtex]

I think we keep seeing Duracell for a reason. I speculate that they are not genuine batteries. There are so many knock off (fake) brands sold on the internet. If genuine, we should start contacting Duracell for product replacement from bad batteries.

[@daleheath8934]

Could hear the music quite well, but only a few words in the explanation.

[@stephenjlr]

Sorry

[@gregghutchings6740]

Please Please Please get rid of the music on the fast forwards and the end. It's not necessary. I had to turn down sound, it's way louder than your voice-over. Besides that, great video. Mahalo nui loa from Hawai'i...

[@stephenjlr]

Gregg Hutchings thanks for the feedback, I'll see what I can do. 👍

[@IamTheeEgg]

the music is awful and unneccessary.. why add the music that is head banger music here on a how to video.. people dont want to hear it.. just show the video .. play something more soothing like some easy jazz instead of that creepy louder than heck so called music..NOT ! otherwise the video was great..

[@theterminaldave]

The heavy metal at the end was great, and perfect music to celebrate your triumphant success!

[@alantheloneranger]

I thought duracell batteries were supposed to be guaranteed leak proof?

[@1575murray]

No they are guaranteed to leak. I have had several sets of them leak in everything from radios to TV remote controls to flashlights.

[@teatonaz]

The Lone Ranger

[@johnhoward3042]

Why is it always duracell?

[@Defiantest]

There was a time in history that Duracell didn't suck. Those days are behind us. I have more leakage and swelling from Duracell than any other batteries I deal with. Go with Amazon Basics.

[@teatonaz]

John Howard

[@WesLovelace]

How bout the Easiest way...but knot the Cheapest & I like Easy!!.....In the Garbage & headin' 4 the Store 4 a New Critter!!

[@bowtiethirteentwenty8627]

Now where is the "fun" in that Wes? A little work and a couple swears Viola! :)

[@Gottalovecarpetpythons]

Boy that did not want to come out l would have ended up throwing the whole thing away LOL

[@Shimizoo32]

Great job! Like and new friend here👍✨Thanks for visiting my channel💐

[@yogitajoshi955]

👍2👌👌👌👌

[@IamTheeEgg]

you could have sent the maglite back to the battery manufacturer and they would replace it free of charge

[@stephenjlr]

The cost of international postage would have made this no good unfortunately. But I have heard that is an option.

[@IowaTimberkid]

Can I send u mine😀

[@stephenjlr]

Postage costs might be an issue unless you're in Australia!

[@wondeboy12]

Shit this video isn't much help either when it was the bottom batter that leaked....

[@stephenjlr]

Sounds like you'll need to go in from the top. Search for a video that shows how to completely dismantle the flashlight. Then bang it through

[@wondeboy12]

sounds like a plan, I need to get the switch out.

[@stephenjlr]

Any luck?

[@wondeboy12]

Had to check the serial number of of my maglight to figure out whether it was an older or a newer style, mines a newer style. Older ones have a hex imperial Allen key & later ones have a torx t8 size (same size you need to pull apart Xbox & most laptops now). I purchased this tiny set of torx style Allen keys today, while running around & I should hopefully get time tomorrow, I'll keep you posted though :)

[@stelamo]

@@wondeboy12 i got a threaded bar , and grinded a point on it , ;)