Can bulk buying batteries really save you money?

I have over 140 ‘things’ that require 9 different types of batteries (over 250 cells). My biggest challenge is regularly checking every one of those cells for leakage, because when I started my log in 2012 I found 16 ‘things’ contained leaking cells. Two of them, a camera flash gun and a small radio were completely destroyed by the leaking chemicals. I keep finding forgotten ‘things’ in drawers and cupboards and of course I continue to buy new battery driven devices.
Anyway I keep stocks of AA, AAA in alkaline and rechargeable formats and buy those stocks when on offer. Robert Dyas seem to have the best offers locally of branded batteries. The worse bulk buy I ever made was a box of about 20 Ikea own brand AA, which did not last long in storage or in use before leaking.

I was surprised to hear of people leaving batteries in things not in constant use, like flash guns. I guess my Dad’s insistence on taking batteries out of everything after you finished with it paid off. Older battery types certainly could leak nastily. Ever Ready used to be great but were wiped out by Duracell’s blanket advertising. I keep a small supply of AA/AAA batteries (Plus one for the smoke alarm) in the meter cupboard so I know where to find them if I want to use my cassette recorder/map reader/radio/travel alarm.
The last thing I found had corroded beyond the use of a scouring pad on the contacts, was one of my solar lights. These have such small slots you can’t use a lot of battery makes in them so I had resorted to “panasonic” ones from the 99p shop.

My three Duracell Ultra AA batteries with March 2016 expiry dates leaked in September 2014. They were removed the day after the screen of my £50 Efergy energy monitor went blank but much damage had already been done. The battery contacts were thoroughly cleaned with abrasive and the alkaline was neutralised with vinegar without immediate success. The meter (without batteries) was put under the heat insulation of the hot water cylinder for a couple of days. On replacing the batteries the screen image was restored but only lasted a few hours before fading again. I have now repeated the warm up procedure but this time I have wrapped the whole meter with cling film which I hope will exclude all moisture. Four hours later it is still working well. I am hoping for success this time. I shall not be buying Duracell batteries again.

As with most households, we have a good number of devices needing batteries. I tend to hold a stock of four or more AA and AAA in reserve, and check the use-by date on packaging before buying. I buy with a target price of £1 per pack of four (or more) as a maximum, so usually these are from the “Home Bargains” type of retailer. I am generally very satisfied with brands such as Energiser, Panasonic, Kodak, Maxell, JCB and the like, but I have misgivings about the hype around Duracell. In two instances recently I have had Duracell leak, the latest being in a remote control used daily, and found by chance as I only opened the compartment to check their use-by date. These are Ultra AAA fitted in October 2013 and having an expiry date of March 2016. One cell is fine (1.485v) and still registers a 100% level of charge (!) on the inbuilt Powercheck, whilst the other has leaked at the negative end (1.469v) and yet shows no charge at all on the Powercheck (which I assume has packed-up as a result of the leakage). Granted these batteries were fitted with only two and a half years left on their use-by date, but after growing up in the era of Ever Ready zinc chloride and being grateful that alkaline battery manufacture had sorted the problem of leaking electrolyte, it saddens me that Duracell batteries are not capable of being leakproof as a minimum expectation. As some suggest, batteries could be removed when devices are not in use, but some battery compartments are not rugged enough to withstand this level of intervention. Thankfully the remote contact corrosion has responded to cleaning and WD40. I have no confidence in Duracell batteries now, no matter how persuasive their Pink Bunny advertising!