1.) Deerminator - 08/04/2014

found at mom's a d-cell mag light the old batteries are corroded inside and won't come out.


ANY ideas?????? backing soda and water maybe ?

2.) Swamp Fox - 08/04/2014

That'll work if the corrosion isn't too bad. I've had one or two that were irreparable and probably one that I was able to save.

If you can save any part, they sell components individually, or at least they used to.

So if the head is toast but you can salvage the barrel and/or the cap...Etc.

3.) Deerminator - 08/04/2014

thanks swampy it looks brand new just corroaded batteriesinside

drill& tap?

4.) Swamp Fox - 08/04/2014

Yeah, and I'd soak it first if I could, because the ones I've worked on were all welded in there solid, with the exception of one that I must have caught early.

5.) Deerminator - 08/04/2014

hold my beer ;
watch this:-)

6.) Swamp Fox - 08/04/2014

LOL...

7.) bow-fishhunter - 08/05/2014

vinegar

8.) Deerminator - 08/05/2014

DANG THAT SURE FOAMS UP FAST. LIKE MENTOS AND COLA:-)I"LL let it soak all day and see what happens and I did use vinagar---thanks guys:tu:

9.) Swamp Fox - 08/05/2014

And now we're back to that discussion from a few weeks ago, where I mentioned lemon juice and vinegar (and baking soda, I believe).

If you look up methods to deal with battery corrosion, you'll find methods calling for baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice (all for alkaline batteries). For lead acid batteries you ONLY use baking soda, is my understanding. But for alkaline, apparently vinegar and lemon juice are both acceptable.

Also, apparently alkaline batteries swell before leaking, which is why I've had a couple of Maglites that I could not remove batteries from which otherwise showed no signs of leaking. Once the battery leaks, good luck getting the tailcap off, BTW.

Furthermore, I found out that Maglite used to replace your flashlight at no charge under their lifetime warranty/as a courtesy if the leaked batteries were Duracell (which is all I use) or Eveready or Rayovac (as long I'm recalling correctly). If I'd known that, I'd have about three more Maglites than I have now. However, their policy has changed in the last year or so, so that this is effectively eliminated...Good luck finding warranty info on their site...I tried...The info I have now comes from a service center.

Lastly, the cost of Maglite components has apparently gone up drastically since the last time I ordered anything, to the point that it may no longer be worth doing what I suggested above, and Frankensteining a light out of a mix of salvageable and new parts.

This also seems to be true: Maglites tend to have battery leak problems when they are unused for long periods, but not when they're in regular use. I've never had a Maglite go bad that was frequently "in battery", so to speak. Some have suggested that this is due to the Maglite barrel's construction/materials causing slow leaks even when in the off position. I can't speak to that since what I know about electricity is just enough to keep me from licking wall sockets.

10.) bluecat - 08/05/2014

That would make sense on the lead acid battery. Adding more acid to the mix may cause some lead fumes?

I think you are always safe making a slurry with baking soda and water though. It will counteract any acid deposits.

Not a chemist but that's what I'm thinking.

11.) DParker - 08/05/2014

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;22906]Also, apparently alkaline batteries swell before leaking, which is why I've had a couple of Maglites that I could not remove batteries from which otherwise showed no signs of leaking. Once the battery leaks, good luck getting the tailcap off, BTW.[/QUOTE]

I can attest to that, having had that happen to my now-useless (except as a good cudgel to put upside someone's head) 4xD-Cell MagLite. But IMHO, unless you need your flashlight to double as a blunt weapon the current state of LED lighting has rendered the large, heavy incandescent multi-D Cell torches (thought I'd toss in a nod to our Brit brothers across the pond) obsolete and pointless for most of us. Yes, they also sell the large multi-D Cell versions with LED bulbs, but those bulbs are so efficient that they really don't need all that extra battery power to yield performance that is more than adequate for the vast majority of non-commercial/government applications.

12.) Triton Rich - 08/06/2014

[B]I was just gonna say that LEDs these days work really nice![/B]

13.) Deerminator - 08/06/2014

i've got some led lights they'er great. I hate to toss this big mag out if it's an easy fix

14.) Swamp Fox - 08/06/2014

Were you able to get the batteries out?

15.) Ventilator - 08/06/2014

[video=youtube;qa_Wwy7Vjlk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa_Wwy7Vjlk[/video]

fixed your flashlight for you.

16.) Swamp Fox - 08/06/2014

LOL...

17.) Deerminator - 08/06/2014

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;22992]Were you able to get the batteries out?[/QUOTE]

nope tryied working on the other end and broke stuff so it's in the trash now.

18.) Deerminator - 08/06/2014

[QUOTE=Ventilator;23003][video=youtube;qa_Wwy7Vjlk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa_Wwy7Vjlk[/video]

fixed your flashlight for you.[/QUOTE]

me like but in a 20ga

19.) crookedeye - 08/06/2014

I would throw it away and by a new one .. I had one of those heaters that you have to screw the cylinder in counter clockwise are vise versa...by the time I got done screwing the cylinder in that thing was so striped out plus there was a couple of little gas tubes that I somehow busted.