Cheap LR44s at Dollar Tree

[Dave Britten]

I was in Dollar Tree over the weekend buying junk food with my wife, and I found that they're selling 4-packs of Sunbeam-brand LR44s for $1. If you've got a Dollar Tree near you, and need some batteries to power your Voyager/Pioneer/Nintendo Game & Watch for another 10 years, this is certainly a cheap way to do it. (No idea how chain-wide the distribution of these batteries is.)

[striegel]

At this price, they are much more likely to be alkaline than silver-oxide, so there is some risk of leakage if you leave them in the device for a long time.

I've bought some very inexpensively and had them show leakage before I even pulled them out of the blister pack.

(06-17-2015 07:41 PM)Dave Britten Wrote:  I was in Dollar Tree over the weekend buying junk food with my wife, and I found that they're selling 4-packs of Sunbeam-brand LR44s for $1. If you've got a Dollar Tree near you, and need some batteries to power your Voyager/Pioneer/Nintendo Game & Watch for another 10 years, this is certainly a cheap way to do it. (No idea how chain-wide the distribution of these batteries is.)

[Dave Britten]

(06-17-2015 07:48 PM)striegel Wrote:  At this price, they are much more likely to be alkaline than silver-oxide, so there is some risk of leakage if you leave them in the device for a long time.

I've bought some very inexpensively and had them show leakage before I even pulled them out of the blister pack.

(06-17-2015 07:41 PM)Dave Britten Wrote:  I was in Dollar Tree over the weekend buying junk food with my wife, and I found that they're selling 4-packs of Sunbeam-brand LR44s for $1. If you've got a Dollar Tree near you, and need some batteries to power your Voyager/Pioneer/Nintendo Game & Watch for another 10 years, this is certainly a cheap way to do it. (No idea how chain-wide the distribution of these batteries is.)

LR44 is alkaline by definition (which is what these say on the package). SR44s are silver oxide. Definitely an important consideration, though.

[Bill (Smithville NJ)]

I have always stayed clear of cheap, off-brand batteries. It's just not worth risking a piece of electronic equipment just to save a few dollars.

For the HP-42S, 17Bii, 12C, 11C, etc., I have been using Energizer 357. I get them in a three pack at ShopRite for around $5. They are silver oxide and work great. Never had a problem with them.

Bill
Smithville, NJ

[Dave Britten]

(06-17-2015 11:31 PM)Bill (Smithville NJ) Wrote:  I have always stayed clear of cheap, off-brand batteries. It's just not worth risking a piece of electronic equipment just to save a few dollars.

For the HP-42S, 17Bii, 12C, 11C, etc., I have been using Energizer 357. I get them in a three pack at ShopRite for around $5. They are silver oxide and work great. Never had a problem with them.

Bill
Smithville, NJ

Personally, I haven't had too many issues with alkalines in calculators, and these are from Sunbeam, the company that makes all sorts of heating pads, humidifiers, etc., so they aren't a fly-by-night or anything. But I definitely don't recommend leaving alkalines in a device for long-term storage; you'll inevitably get some leakage doing that.

[TASP]

I don't recall what I paid, but I bought a bunch at a Radio Shack that is closing down last week.

[ElectroDuende]

(06-17-2015 07:48 PM)striegel Wrote:  At this price, they are much more likely to be alkaline than silver-oxide, so there is some risk of leakage if you leave them in the device for a long time.

I've bought some very inexpensively and had them show leakage before I even pulled them out of the blister pack.

Asking from ignorance... don't do SR44 batteries leak? That will be a great advantage over alkalines (apart from capacity).

As you say, really cheap LR-44's can leak even before being exhausted or expired...

[striegel]

Silver Oxide cells hold an alkaline electrolyte too, so it would be damaging if it leaks, but they have flatter discharge curves so they might be considered dead and get replaced before they corrode that badly.

Or maybe they come with better seals in the first place, since they cost more to produce in the first place. I'm just guessing here.

In my experience, I've seen lots of common alkaline cells leak but never had the issue with any silver oxide, mercury, nickel-cadmium, or nickel metal hydride cells.

(06-18-2015 07:25 AM)ElectroDuende Wrote:  Asking from ignorance... don't do SR44 batteries leak? That will be a great advantage over alkalines (apart from capacity).
...

[Valfisio]

Hi,
What is the best AAA battery for calculator?
The dry batteries (zinc-carbon) has some restriction for use in 50g that has a greater energy demand than the 48's for example?
Currently dry batteries, are really dry? Do not leak?

Recently, two batteries (AAA, alkaline) new leaked.
The brand is Duracell and - the batteries were from different lots. One of the batteries was still inside the packaging and other leaked inside a remote control. Luck does not have leaked into one of the calculators

Nothing is done as before
Thanks for your attention.

Best regards,
Valfisio.

PS: I'm sorry for my English.