Drained batteries in an unused Quickie

[Loquah]

Hi all,

I've gone to use my Quickie today after not using it for ages and the sound is only just audible so I'm assuming the batteries have run down. The Quickie was definitely off (and has been for quite a number of months) so is this normal or do I need to be checking for a wiring fault that would have drained my batteries?

[mcandmar]

It shouldn't, are you sure the issue is low voltage?  If you have a multimeter handy check the middle two terminals of the 9v batterys to see what your getting from the four, if its less then 30v check each battery on its own and see what readings you get from them.

[Paul Birkeland]

I found that batteries from a certain vendor whose logo sort of looks like a red copyright symbol will do this. 

Initially, I thought it might be some property of the Quickie, but I had a brand new battery that had a few minutes of use that I then disconnected and set on a shelf go bad in a matter of weeks.

These same batteries also died in the electronic combination lock on my safe in about 10 days, where an actual alkaline goes for about a year.

I'm not sure what batteries you have, but I thought I'd mention it. 

[Loquah]

Thanks all. I'll test and respond.

The battery brand is a semi-generic one called "Chevron". The batteries are alkaline (although I don't know which chemistry is preferable with batteries)

Perhaps I'll try rechargeables or a more reputable single-use option if these test poorly.

[Paul Joppa]

A well-made alkaline will hold its charge for a decade.

Watch out for "heavy-duty" batteries, which is a term that really means it's the obsolete carbon-zinc technology; they are heavier-duty that the ones made in the thirties but still crap by modern standards.

Buy batteries that are fresh - off-brand and off-price are probably either not what they say, or so old that they have become unreliable. Find a place that has high turnover of brand-name batteries. I like Costco because they discontinue anything they don't sell mass quantities of!

[Loquah]

I measured the 9V and they all varied from around -1V (yes, negative voltage!!??) to about 1.4V

The D-Cells seem to be fine (all at 1.4V) so I'm guessing that I just bought crappy batteries...

[Paul Birkeland]

Yeah, I just went downstairs to pop open the old safe, and it wouldn't open for me.  I then remember that I put the last of those crappy 9V batteries I had in there a month ago, and sure enough that battery was already toast!

[mcandmar]

I've had an odd failure with a set of Duracells so even the big brands aren't immune.  I noticed the Quickie was distorting and it measured ~22v, on closer inspection i had three batteries at 7.5v and one measuring .001v.

[Doc B.]

Don't get me started about battery locks on gun safes. The ultimate way to make sure nobody gets at your firearms, including you.

[mcandmar]

I've had an odd failure with a set of Duracells so even the big brands aren't immune.  I noticed the Quickie was distorting and it measured ~22v, on closer inspection i had three batteries at 7.5v and one measuring .001v.

Of the three remaining Duracells sitting on the shelf one of them just went BANG right next to me, it literally blew up all on its own.   I measured the other two and they were at 6.5v....6.4.....6.3....6.2 .....no longer in the house.     Never thought i would be afraid of a 9v battery!

[Grainger49]

Exploding Duracells sounds bad.  I would expect the batch was bad with some internal short from + to -. 

I think you should contact them, Duracell, about this.

[airdronian]

I just had a battery experience with my Quickie/PJCCS.

I had been listening reasonably regularly, and had been noticing more noise than usual, more microphonics.  I thought the tubes were going off perhaps.  So one evening I decide to try some new-to-me tubes in the Quickie.

When I powered back up there was a fairly loud hum/buzz in both channels.  I thought I'd busted it.  Looked around, found one fragile joint and resoldered.  No difference.

I finally got around to measuring voltages - none was right.  So I checked the batteries - of the four Energizer 9v two were around 2.3v and the other two were negative values.  Today I popped in a new set of 9v (the D cells were 1.4v so I left them) and the voltages are all good again.  Fired up the amps and it's totally back to normal.

Whew.   

[Paul Birkeland]

The experience I keep having is that the electric lock on my safe is constantly dead.  I will have to order some made in USA Duracell 9Vs shortly!

[Paul Joppa]

At Costco last week (I've reported their prices off and on here) I saw they now have Duracell batteries "made in the USA from imported components". Only their high-end super model is "made in the USA." No idea what the reliability of the imported components might be...

[mcandmar]

In my experience they go bang.  Here is another i found in a cable tester in work, it too had gone bad and built up enough pressure to pop the end caps out.