Philips "Powerlife" AA cells - a success story. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

G6Tanuki · 31st May 2023, 6:17 pm

Servicing a radio remote-control unit [used to raise/lower the entrance to a friend's chicken-coop] I came across these Philips "Powerlife" AA-cells.

Made in PRC [a.k.a. China].

Marked best before 06/2014.

But still entirely leak-free and putting out the expected 1.4V per cell.

Sideband · 31st May 2023, 6:28 pm

They were good batteries. When I worked for Philips I used to buy the green ones from the staff shop. They outlasted Duracell and at that time I used to have a personal cassette/radio that I used on the train. Duracells would last about a week, the Philips would easily last a month.

paulsherwin · 31st May 2023, 6:33 pm

I agree, they were good batteries despite being PRC. When they were discontinued Richer Sounds sold them off at bargain prices.

kalee20 · 31st May 2023, 10:44 pm

"Despite being PRC..."

There is some good stuff that comes out of China! Basically, they're up for working to whatever quality you want.

(The fact that the batteries are really good, of course, doesn't mean the manufacturing techniques aren't questionable... forced labour; unsafe practices; disposing of unwanted chemical waste into the sea; etc.)

paulsherwin · 1st Jun 2023, 9:26 am

Indeed, Chinese manufacturers can supply at all quality levels depending on customer specifications. They support a world class manned space programme and a huge high speed rail system amongst other things.

This is OT though.

lightning · 1st Jun 2023, 9:46 pm

l just removed a Panasonic zinc carbon battery from a VHS-C adapter

lt used one lonely AA battery to operate the motor. lt
was still working, but slowly.

The battery had an expiry date of 2014 and hadn't leaked at all, and was still able to drive the motor.

Craig Sawyers · 2nd Jun 2023, 11:55 am

Again slightly off topic, but this is a story of battery longevity. I couple of years ago I bought a somewhat rare AVO8 Resistance Range Extension Unit.

That has a D-cell and 4x30V batteries. I opened it with trepidation expecting leaking and corrosion.

I needn't have worried. They were all zinc-carbon and must have been in there for decades. All zero voltage, but none had leaked. All Ever Ready.

Craig

Oldmadham · 13th Jun 2023, 4:01 am

Back in the day, Eveready "No 6" cells were quite widely used in telephony, alarm, & some doorbells.
In many cases they had lifetimes measured in decades.

We had an internal "Maggy-phone" in one place using a bunch of 1959 "No 6" cells, which had '"Sealed construction" with no "breather tube".

The early 1980s replacements were made in France by another manufacturer & looked exactly like the 1930s photos we had in an old reference book, even down to the "breather tube" & pitch sealing.

Maarten · 13th Jun 2023, 2:59 pm

Those Philips batteries might still have been based on the orginal Philips-Panasonic design, that is if Philips had the rights to it and went through the trouble of licensing production in China. Background: Panasonic Energy Belgium was once started as a joint venture between Philips and Panasonic to better profit from the economy of scale. I assume they both brought in all relevant patents.

31st May 2023, 6:17 pm	#1
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 14,010	Philips "Powerlife" AA cells - a success story. Servicing a radio remote-control unit [used to raise/lower the entrance to a friend's chicken-coop] I came across these Philips "Powerlife" AA-cells. Made in PRC [a.k.a. China]. Marked best before 06/2014. But still entirely leak-free and putting out the expected 1.4V per cell. Attached Thumbnails __________________ I'm the Operator of my Pocket Calculator. -Kraftwerk.

31st May 2023, 6:28 pm	#2
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,580	Re: Philips "Powerlife" AA cells - a success story. They were good batteries. When I worked for Philips I used to buy the green ones from the staff shop. They outlasted Duracell and at that time I used to have a personal cassette/radio that I used on the train. Duracells would last about a week, the Philips would easily last a month. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

31st May 2023, 6:33 pm	#3
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,975	Re: Philips "Powerlife" AA cells - a success story. I agree, they were good batteries despite being PRC. When they were discontinued Richer Sounds sold them off at bargain prices.

31st May 2023, 10:44 pm	#4
kalee20 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lynton, N. Devon, UK. Posts: 7,088	Re: Philips "Powerlife" AA cells - a success story. "Despite being PRC..." There is some good stuff that comes out of China! Basically, they're up for working to whatever quality you want. (The fact that the batteries are really good, of course, doesn't mean the manufacturing techniques aren't questionable... forced labour; unsafe practices; disposing of unwanted chemical waste into the sea; etc.)

1st Jun 2023, 9:26 am	#5
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,975	Re: Philips "Powerlife" AA cells - a success story. Indeed, Chinese manufacturers can supply at all quality levels depending on customer specifications. They support a world class manned space programme and a huge high speed rail system amongst other things. This is OT though.

1st Jun 2023, 9:46 pm	#6
lightning Heptode Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 715	Re: Philips "Powerlife" AA cells - a success story. l just removed a Panasonic zinc carbon battery from a VHS-C adapter lt used one lonely AA battery to operate the motor. lt was still working, but slowly. The battery had an expiry date of 2014 and hadn't leaked at all, and was still able to drive the motor.

2nd Jun 2023, 11:55 am	#7
Craig Sawyers Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 4,999	Re: Philips "Powerlife" AA cells - a success story. Again slightly off topic, but this is a story of battery longevity. I couple of years ago I bought a somewhat rare AVO8 Resistance Range Extension Unit. That has a D-cell and 4x30V batteries. I opened it with trepidation expecting leaking and corrosion. I needn't have worried. They were all zinc-carbon and must have been in there for decades. All zero voltage, but none had leaked. All Ever Ready. Craig __________________ Doomed for a certain term to walk the night

13th Jun 2023, 4:01 am	#8
Oldmadham Pentode Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Posts: 200	Re: Philips "Powerlife" AA cells - a success story. Back in the day, Eveready "No 6" cells were quite widely used in telephony, alarm, & some doorbells. In many cases they had lifetimes measured in decades. We had an internal "Maggy-phone" in one place using a bunch of 1959 "No 6" cells, which had '"Sealed construction" with no "breather tube". The early 1980s replacements were made in France by another manufacturer & looked exactly like the 1930s photos we had in an old reference book, even down to the "breather tube" & pitch sealing.

13th Jun 2023, 2:59 pm	#9
Maarten Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haarlem, Netherlands Posts: 4,204	Re: Philips "Powerlife" AA cells - a success story. Those Philips batteries might still have been based on the orginal Philips-Panasonic design, that is if Philips had the rights to it and went through the trouble of licensing production in China. Background: Panasonic Energy Belgium was once started as a joint venture between Philips and Panasonic to better profit from the economy of scale. I assume they both brought in all relevant patents.