31 year old AA cells - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

whiskas · 28th May 2019, 2:35 pm

Hi All,

I recently bought a new old stock remote for my CD player and it came with the original batteries, also sealed/new, date coded 1988.

To my pleasant surprise, the batteries show zero signs of leaking or corrosion and both tested at just over 1.545V!

A rather stark contrast to most modern batteries which seem to leak often and not last as long as you might hope, even if left idle.
These 1988 batteries made by/for NEC must be of much better quality than most offerings these days. I wonder what their chemical/constructional 'magic' is?
31 years of storage don't seem to have affected them at all...

Cheers
Rob

usradcoll1 · 28th May 2019, 6:08 pm

They're still Japanese made instead of Chinese.
The Chinese ones don't seem to last very long, but generally don't leak as bad. Shame on you Duracell.

Mooly · 28th May 2019, 7:14 pm

I still have a set of four Maxell AAA's that still work the original Philips RC they came with. Sept 86 is the date on them as I recall. As with yours, zero leakage.

Electronpusher0 · 28th May 2019, 7:33 pm

I just changed the battery in my Bush transistor radio. AA cells in a pack to give 9V.
Had to dump the connector pack as well as the batteries due to leakage - 7 day shop batteries, less than a year old, hardly used!

Peter

28th May 2019, 2:35 pm	#1
whiskas Octode Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Knutsford, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 1,488	31 year old AA cells Hi All, I recently bought a new old stock remote for my CD player and it came with the original batteries, also sealed/new, date coded 1988. To my pleasant surprise, the batteries show zero signs of leaking or corrosion and both tested at just over 1.545V! A rather stark contrast to most modern batteries which seem to leak often and not last as long as you might hope, even if left idle. These 1988 batteries made by/for NEC must be of much better quality than most offerings these days. I wonder what their chemical/constructional 'magic' is? 31 years of storage don't seem to have affected them at all... Cheers Rob Attached Thumbnails __________________ ...where on earth did that spring/screw go??

28th May 2019, 6:08 pm	#2
usradcoll1 Heptode Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Cedar Grove, Wisconsin, USA. Posts: 823	Re: 31 year old AA cells They're still Japanese made instead of Chinese. The Chinese ones don't seem to last very long, but generally don't leak as bad. Shame on you Duracell.

28th May 2019, 7:14 pm	#3
Mooly Octode Join Date: May 2011 Location: Lancashire, UK. Posts: 1,351	Re: 31 year old AA cells I still have a set of four Maxell AAA's that still work the original Philips RC they came with. Sept 86 is the date on them as I recall. As with yours, zero leakage.

28th May 2019, 7:33 pm	#4
Electronpusher0 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Bognor Regis, West Sussex, UK. Posts: 2,294	Re: 31 year old AA cells I just changed the battery in my Bush transistor radio. AA cells in a pack to give 9V. Had to dump the connector pack as well as the batteries due to leakage - 7 day shop batteries, less than a year old, hardly used! Peter