Removing transmitter battery when not diving for a while?

[LFMarm]

When I am not diving for more than a couple of weeks, I remove all the batteries from all lamps, from the rebreather, Perdix, etc. to make sure they do not go bad and leak or simply discharge. I have never removed the batteries from the Shearwater transmitters (it's very easy to remove them for replacement). What are the community thoughts on best practices for storing transmiters?

 

[inquis]

No problem to store installed, IMO. Lithium coin batteries are pretty bulletproof.

 

[iointerrupt]

I just keep some spare batteries around, which you need anyway. The amount of effort to pull transmitter batteries is too much, for the minor gain of extending their life a little. Plus the risk of messing up an o-ring or plastic thread, every time you pull them.

I try to think of transmitters as "transmitter + spare", they always travel together, and it's a solved problem.

 

[GreggS]

I'll remove the batteries from my lights but not from my computers or transmitters. Never had a problem with them.

And as @iointerrupt said, keep spare batteries on hand for when needed.

 

[LFMarm]

No problem to store installed, IMO. Lithium coin batteries are pretty bulletproof.

The Shearwater transmitter are using CR2 batteries but I assume they are also safe to leave installed?

 

[LFMarm]

To be clear, my main concern about leaving batteries in is not discharging but rather chemicals leak that will damage the electronics (it happened to me a long time ago in a dive light)

 

[tursiops]

To be clear, my main concern about leaving batteries in is not discharging but rather chemicals leak that will damage the electronics (it happened to me a long time ago in a dive light)

That was almost surely an alkaline battery. Such leaks just don't happen with Lithium batteries.

 

[GreggS]

To be clear, my main concern about leaving batteries in is not discharging but rather chemicals leak that will damage the electronics (it happened to me a long time ago in a dive light)

I understand that, but was that a lithium battery or an alkaline? If you use an alkaline battery in your Petrel, then it might be prudent to pull it for an extended period, but 2 weeks might be a little too precautionary unless you've had it in there a long time.

But you asked about the transmitter which should use a single lithium or 3 button lithium batteries. They shouldn't be a problem.

 

[inquis]

My mistake, yes CR2. If they are lithium, though, I wouldn't think twice about leaving it in. I'm going on 2.5 years without issue.

 

[LFMarm]

Thanks all. The leak was indeed by an alkaline battery. Thanks for the tip on lithium batteries!