Removing batteries

[Daved222269]

How long do you leave batteries in your lights between dives? I've had old non diving flashlights ruined by battery corrosion after sitting for a long time. I don't want this to happen with my new dive lights. Do you remove them after every dive? I have lights that take AA's and rechargeable.

 

[joe10540]

I always put fresh rechargeable battery's in right before a dive so it only makes sense for me to remove them at the end to recharge them. Now I do have a light that has had AA batteries in it for three years and has no ill effects not that this is ideal but it was given to me and I never checked to see if there was batteries in it (although the weight should have given it away)

 

[tbone1004]

lithium I leave in, nimh I leave in, any sort of alkaline batteries come out immediately

 

[ibj40]

The batteries in my lights come out as I pack my gear to go back home from a dive trip, and never go back in until pre-packing check for the next one, and then out again until I get to the dive destination.

 

[KeithG]

depends on when you next dive is.

we remove batteries between dive trips, but leave them in for the whole dive trip (unless they are being swapped to freshly charged ones)

 

[Tug]

My backup light batteries (3 C batteries) get changed twice a year and then they stay in until it's time to replace them. Most of my other batteries are sealed so they stay put (canister light and sola light) as well.

 

[fmerkel]

Sometimes referred to as alka-leaks. Only a small percentage leak, but when they do it's just plain ugly and very frustrating. I'm trying to get them completely out of my life, which is much easier since we now have LSD NiMh.

 

[Daved222269]

Thanks guys

 

[kablooey]

... and I leave the lights disassembled so they dry out thoroughly. I store the parts on a shelf in an open tray.

A lazy buddy of mine leaves his lights closed up with the batteries inside. Wrecks them with discouraging frequency.
You don't want to touch the caustic sludge that comes out of his lights. He's wrecked other gear when a light leaks in his dive bag.
Knuckleheads never learn. (sorry dude, if you're reading this).

 

[fmerkel]

I've found it's good practice to even pull NiMh out of my backup lights once in awhile. I've had some 'seeps', like a drop/dive. This can never dry out and accumulates, which wrecks things almost as well as caustic leaks over time. Plus you can check and grease O-rings which get damn sticky if never exercised.