Warning: LR 44 batteries

kneemeister · 11-07-2016, 06:18 PM - **1 Like**

LR44 are Alkaline, I used to think it was L for Lithium and S for Silver....As you said Alkalines leak but dont usually explode....
While in Haiti during the UN mission back in '95, I had to bypass the broken original power supply connector on a Litihium battery powered Army radio. Somehow I shorted the battery and it was smoking and Hissing as I tossed it out the back door of the TOC like a Hand Grenade! We left it out there for several hours until it cooled down.

Murfy · 11-07-2016, 07:40 PM

glad you are ok, somewhat. we had that happen with a fire alarm. I think my husband had pulled it down because it was beeping and left it on a nightstand. The next day my kids walked by it and I looked up at them and pop hiss, a battery exploded with enough force I saw battery pieces fly. If they walked by a few second earlier, they would have been hurt. I never saw anything like that before.

Anne D. · 01-19-2019, 02:41 AM

Originally posted by K David

Thank you, and yes, I likely will. My ear really hurts.

Hey, I just had the exact same thing happen to me and I think it has happened two other times. This time and once before it was just a small snapping sound almost like one of those NYE Party poppers but the one other time it was loud and powerful enough that i actually thought someone had taken a shot at me through the window with a .22 cal. Prior to tonight's explosion I could never figure out exactly what had exploded. Tonight I was fortunate enough to have my fiance here and we looked and looked until we found the pieces looking exactly like the ones in your picture. Did you ever figure out what caused it..

Not a Number · 01-19-2019, 03:48 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by K David

These will leak slowly, but shouldn't explode violently. Alkaline compounds are much more stable than lithium batteries simply because lithium is a highly unstable metal, especially if different electrodes in the battery come into contact, or close proximity.

Humbug. I used to buy Costco's Kirkland brand akaline AA batteries. Supposedly they are made by Duracell. The reason I stopped buying them is they burst the end caps. Or at least the last batch I bought.

Here's the scene. One afternoon I'm sitting in front of my computer furiously typing up some reports. I hear a muffled pop. No big deal, perhaps a car backfiring. Then I hear another one. Since I was slightly on the alert due to the first one it seems as if the pop was indoors. There's nothing in the location that the sound seemed to have come from except a two AA cell Maglite flashlight. I pick it up and it's warm to the touch. I open it up and with difficulty dump out the remains of the Kirkland AA cells with the end caps blown off. Within a couple weeks I hear a few more pops - all Kirkland alkaline AA batteries from the same batch with end caps blown off and swelling. I removed all the batteries from my various devices and replaced them with Duracells and later Eneloops. No more Kirklands for me even though many people swear by them.

As I recall there is mention of Duracells bursting in other threads.

The problem it seems is the lack of vents on the batteries to alleviate gas build up or cases strong enough to withstand the pressure.

**monochrome** · 01-20-2019, 04:39 AM - **1 Like**

Use Energizers.

**gaweidert** · 01-20-2019, 07:18 AM

There has been lot of threads concerning Duracell batteries on various forums this past year. A fairly new set almost ruined a $550 Eotech sight on one of my rifles. I caught it just in time. I just threw out a nice 500 lumen flashlight (torch) a month ago too. The sight used AA and the flashlight used C size batteries. They are not the battery that they used to be.

Looks like Energizer from now on. Beside my wife likes the pink bunny.

**ChrisPlatt** · 01-20-2019, 01:22 PM

I stopped buying Duracells years ago when I started seeing obvious counterfeits.

Chris

K David · 01-21-2019, 03:30 PM

Originally posted by Anne D.

Did you ever figure out what caused it..

I think it was age and chemistry. When I moved a few months back I did find the leftover battery and it was mostly intact except for a small hold in the seam along the bottom.

reh321 · 01-21-2019, 04:03 PM

I've used Energizer '357' batteries in my Super Program lately. I don't store equipment with batteries in, but I've never had a problem like this.

Dylan connolly · 02-19-2019, 09:11 PM

I opened something (idk what it was) but it was an object that you just push together to close and I had seen that it was being pushed opened from the inside so of course, I had a look.. as soon as I touched it, it exploded opened shot that battery at me and came with quite a loud bang to give me a headache and possibly could’ve been the reason I puked. I have the battery in a bag as my dad told me to keep it in case something happened to my ears. I’ll be getting them checked

**Alex645** · 02-19-2019, 09:24 PM

Originally posted by Dylan connolly

I opened something (idk what it was) but it was an object that you just push together to close and I had seen that it was being pushed opened from the inside so of course, I had a look.. as soon as I touched it, it exploded opened shot that battery at me and came with quite a loud bang to give me a headache and possibly could’ve been the reason I puked. I have the battery in a bag as my dad told me to keep it in case something happened to my ears. I’ll be getting them checked

Yikes. Glad it didn't get you in the eyes. So what make and type of battery? Was it lithium-ion?

stevebrot · 02-19-2019, 10:19 PM

Solution...

SR44

Steve

timb64 · 02-20-2019, 06:19 AM

Originally posted by gaweidert

Beside my wife likes the pink bunny.

She definitely doesn't want the batteries exploding in that

**catfishjohn** · 02-20-2019, 10:47 AM

I have lost three good flashlights to leaking Duracells. Every time the were in date and the light would come on. In two the batteries had corroded inside the light. The last was an expensive Ikelight diving light. I saw a clear fluid inside the clear cased light and thought water had gotten in. I opened the light and found the fluid was caustic from the alkaline batteries. It ate the silvering off the reflector. I had a new unopened 4 pack of C cells still in date which leaked fluid inside the sealed bubble pack. I use only Energizer now. Wouldn't use a Duracell if I owned the factory.

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11-07-2016, 06:18 PM - 1 Like	#16
kneemeister Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Pittsford, Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 89	LR44 are Alkaline, I used to think it was L for Lithium and S for Silver....As you said Alkalines leak but dont usually explode.... While in Haiti during the UN mission back in '95, I had to bypass the broken original power supply connector on a Litihium battery powered Army radio. Somehow I shorted the battery and it was smoking and Hissing as I tossed it out the back door of the TOC like a Hand Grenade! We left it out there for several hours until it cooled down.

11-07-2016, 07:40 PM	#17
Murfy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2014 Photos: Gallery Posts: 803	glad you are ok, somewhat. we had that happen with a fire alarm. I think my husband had pulled it down because it was beeping and left it on a nightstand. The next day my kids walked by it and I looked up at them and pop hiss, a battery exploded with enough force I saw battery pieces fly. If they walked by a few second earlier, they would have been hurt. I never saw anything like that before.

01-19-2019, 02:41 AM	#18
Anne D. New Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Posts: 1	Originally posted by K David Thank you, and yes, I likely will. My ear really hurts. Hey, I just had the exact same thing happen to me and I think it has happened two other times. This time and once before it was just a small snapping sound almost like one of those NYE Party poppers but the one other time it was loud and powerful enough that i actually thought someone had taken a shot at me through the window with a .22 cal. Prior to tonight's explosion I could never figure out exactly what had exploded. Tonight I was fortunate enough to have my fiance here and we looked and looked until we found the pieces looking exactly like the ones in your picture. Did you ever figure out what caused it..

01-19-2019, 03:48 AM - 2 Likes	#19
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Originally posted by K David These will leak slowly, but shouldn't explode violently. Alkaline compounds are much more stable than lithium batteries simply because lithium is a highly unstable metal, especially if different electrodes in the battery come into contact, or close proximity. Humbug. I used to buy Costco's Kirkland brand akaline AA batteries. Supposedly they are made by Duracell. The reason I stopped buying them is they burst the end caps. Or at least the last batch I bought. Here's the scene. One afternoon I'm sitting in front of my computer furiously typing up some reports. I hear a muffled pop. No big deal, perhaps a car backfiring. Then I hear another one. Since I was slightly on the alert due to the first one it seems as if the pop was indoors. There's nothing in the location that the sound seemed to have come from except a two AA cell Maglite flashlight. I pick it up and it's warm to the touch. I open it up and with difficulty dump out the remains of the Kirkland AA cells with the end caps blown off. Within a couple weeks I hear a few more pops - all Kirkland alkaline AA batteries from the same batch with end caps blown off and swelling. I removed all the batteries from my various devices and replaced them with Duracells and later Eneloops. No more Kirklands for me even though many people swear by them. As I recall there is mention of Duracells bursting in other threads. The problem it seems is the lack of vents on the batteries to alleviate gas build up or cases strong enough to withstand the pressure.

01-20-2019, 04:39 AM - 1 Like	#20
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Use Energizers.

01-20-2019, 07:18 AM	#21
gaweidert Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Rochester, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,325	There has been lot of threads concerning Duracell batteries on various forums this past year. A fairly new set almost ruined a $550 Eotech sight on one of my rifles. I caught it just in time. I just threw out a nice 500 lumen flashlight (torch) a month ago too. The sight used AA and the flashlight used C size batteries. They are not the battery that they used to be. Looks like Energizer from now on. Beside my wife likes the pink bunny.

01-20-2019, 01:22 PM	#22
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,694	I stopped buying Duracells years ago when I started seeing obvious counterfeits. Chris

01-21-2019, 03:30 PM	#23
K David Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Colorado Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,437 Original Poster	Originally posted by Anne D. Did you ever figure out what caused it.. I think it was age and chemistry. When I moved a few months back I did find the leftover battery and it was mostly intact except for a small hold in the seam along the bottom.

01-21-2019, 04:03 PM	#24
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,181	I've used Energizer '357' batteries in my Super Program lately. I don't store equipment with batteries in, but I've never had a problem like this.

02-19-2019, 09:11 PM	#25
Dylan connolly New Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Posts: 1	I opened something (idk what it was) but it was an object that you just push together to close and I had seen that it was being pushed opened from the inside so of course, I had a look.. as soon as I touched it, it exploded opened shot that battery at me and came with quite a loud bang to give me a headache and possibly could’ve been the reason I puked. I have the battery in a bag as my dad told me to keep it in case something happened to my ears. I’ll be getting them checked

02-19-2019, 09:24 PM	#26
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,526	Originally posted by Dylan connolly I opened something (idk what it was) but it was an object that you just push together to close and I had seen that it was being pushed opened from the inside so of course, I had a look.. as soon as I touched it, it exploded opened shot that battery at me and came with quite a loud bang to give me a headache and possibly could’ve been the reason I puked. I have the battery in a bag as my dad told me to keep it in case something happened to my ears. I’ll be getting them checked Yikes. Glad it didn't get you in the eyes. So what make and type of battery? Was it lithium-ion?

02-19-2019, 10:19 PM	#27
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Solution... SR44 Steve

02-20-2019, 06:19 AM	#28
timb64 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: /Situation : Doing my best to avoid idiots! Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,510	Originally posted by gaweidert Beside my wife likes the pink bunny. She definitely doesn't want the batteries exploding in that

02-20-2019, 10:47 AM	#29
catfishjohn Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Arkansas Posts: 137	I have lost three good flashlights to leaking Duracells. Every time the were in date and the light would come on. In two the batteries had corroded inside the light. The last was an expensive Ikelight diving light. I saw a clear fluid inside the clear cased light and thought water had gotten in. I opened the light and found the fluid was caustic from the alkaline batteries. It ate the silvering off the reflector. I had a new unopened 4 pack of C cells still in date which leaked fluid inside the sealed bubble pack. I use only Energizer now. Wouldn't use a Duracell if I owned the factory.