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ACK Says No to Duracell

M

mbell

Well Known Member
I'm installing an ACK ELT my RV-12iS project. The ACK instructions mention Duracell lithiums for the audio alert and remote switch boxes and that's still what is shown in the photos. But the small print says to see ACK Installation Advisory IA E-04.6 on their website. That advisory says that Duracells tend to leak and cause mayhem. They provide a long list of alternatives. I have done a couple of ACK installations in the past few years and the Duracells are coming out ASAP. There has been mention on VAF of Duracells leaking but this is the first I had heard of a specific recommendation from a manufacturer to not use them.
 
No surprise. What used to be a great battery brand is now garbage. I've had many of them leak and cause a mess in whatever they were in, and recently had a half full package of Duracell AA batteries many years to go from the date on them, leak while still in the package. I wish Costco would switch to something else.
 
I too have had many devices destroyed by leaking Duracells. They were once very good batteries but no more. I will not use Duracells in anything!
 
Along with Mel, I too have had my share of leaking "dry" or alkaline batteries -- never lithium based cells tho (probably due to the different electrolyte in use).

I wonder if the ACK advisory is *still* applicable for the CR2 and PX28L cells? IIRC I am using Varta & GreatLithiumBatteryCompanyofChengdu#5 for these...
 
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Duracell has become just as good as any of the Chinese junk batteries.

I had a Garmin GPS ruined by gassing Duracell batteries. Their guarantee no longer exists to replace the product that they ruined.

Don't put them in ELT.

We need a new reliable power source.
 
With Duracell seemingly falling out of favor, is there an alternative brand that is generally viewed as a good alternative? Duracell had been the “gold standard “ for so many years.
 
MikeinPhoenix said:
With Duracell seemingly falling out of favor, is there an alternative brand that is generally viewed as a good alternative? Duracell had been the “gold standard “ for so many years.
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For household devices (AA/AAA/etc) I've switched to Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries, which are supposedly guaranteed not to leak due to the chemistry used. They are more expensive than grocery-store batteries but not too bad when you buy in bulk online.
 
mbell said:
I'm installing an ACK ELT my RV-12iS project. The ACK instructions mention Duracell lithiums for the audio alert and remote switch boxes and that's still what is shown in the photos. But the small print says to see ACK Installation Advisory IA E-04.6 on their website. That advisory says that Duracells tend to leak and cause mayhem. They provide a long list of alternatives. I have done a couple of ACK installations in the past few years and the Duracells are coming out ASAP. There has been mention on VAF of Duracells leaking but this is the first I had heard of a specific recommendation from a manufacturer to not use them.
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This is the kind of crap that just creams my corn. I bought the Duracells specifically because the installation photo in ACK's instructions showed them..(and still does). But their advisory not to use Duracells is dated from 2019!.....Is ACK too lazy or cheap to print a new instruction manual that shows a different kind of battery? This is very misleading in my opinion... I thank the OP for bringing this to my attention, and if there are any ACK reps on this forum, you owe me $20 for your "fine print"... grrrrrr!
 
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I'm sure Allan Nimmo at Anti Splat will be along with a well-engineered replacement battery design soon (JK, but if he did, I'd use it).

Bob Nuckolls has advocated for Dollar General AA alkalines as representing the best value in dollars per watt-hour, but has not made any Connections I'm aware of pertaining to leak resistance or shelf life. Maybe Professor DanH knows someone with a battery testing lab and can pull something together for us so we can Filter through the data. Vacc would be the go-to guy for the best Angle on the question.

...All moot without the requisite Fed paperwork from the ELT manufacturer's point of view.
 
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Bill Boyd said:
I'm sure Allan Nimmo at Anti Splat will be along with a well-engineered replacement battery design soon (JK, but if he did, I'd use it).

Bob Nuckolls has advocated for Dollar General AA alkalines as representing the best value in dollars per watt-hour, but has not made any Connections I'm aware of pertaining toleak resistance or shelf life. Maybe Professor DanH knows someone with a battery testing lab and can pull something together for us so we can Filter through the data. Vacc would be the go-to guy for the best Angle on the question.

...All moot without the requisite Fed paperwork from the ELT manufacturer's point of view.
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Consumer Reports had alkaline battery tests years ago and concluded the same that the cheaper cells were the best value.

Have had good luck with the Harbor Freight AA and AAA batteries when on sale or coupon sale. Something around twenty five US cents each.

I have gotten to the point that I tend to NOT leave batteries in anything that I do not use on a regular basis. I have a few D cell MagLite Flashlights that still have the old D Duracells that were removed from my old ACK 121.5 ELT that are still good and not leaking at last check. They may be 5 or 6-years old by now.

Threw one old mini MagLite flashlight away because of corroded Duracell batteries that I had to POUND out with a hammer and drift punch. It was too far gone to restore.
 
Modern Duracells are absolute junk, I stopped using them years ago. I've had very good luck with what used to be considered a "junk" name brand battery - Rayovac - good life and no leaks for several years. Cheap at Walmart.
 
Just a poorly-documented comparison of some AA cells here...

A relative was on a continuous intravenous pump at home. The pump ran on 4x AA cells. We were supplied with three different brands of AA cells and I also tried some of the Duracells I had in stock when the supplied cells weren't replenished in time. The best run-time was produced by the Eveready cells, followed by "ProCell". The third option (sorry, can't remember the name) lasted just a bit less than the ProCell. The Duracells were dead last, and by a large margin. While the Eveready cells were down to 40% power after 48 hours in service, the Duracells barely lasted 24 hours. Night and day difference.

Like others here, I won't buy Duracells any longer. Like airguy, I've had good success with modern Rayovac cells.
 
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