Any D cell battery experts out there?

[Patrick L]

Hi guys. The knowledge and expertise on this board never ceases to amaze me, even when the topic is NOT casting, reloading, shooting, etc. So here's my dilemma for today.

I came across my old Mag Lite 2 D cell flashlight. I've had this thing since the 80s. Unfortunately, the battery (batteries? I can't get past the first one to tell) had corroded/leaked, and the entire thing is just fused in place. A soak in some vinegar loosened up all the crap I could get at down at the base, and I dug that out with a screwdriver fairly easily. Problem seems to be the whole side of at least the first battery is just fused in with all that dried white powdery concrete. I've successfully salvaged things in the past that had milder cases of old battery leakage, but this is easily the worst I've ever seen. What to do?

How nasty/dangerous/poisonous are the insides of these things (batteries?) I was thinking I could drill out the center of the batteries an then pry them inwards?

I love the challenge of saving things like this, but if I'm risking my life or chancing growing a third thumb, I'm willing to concede defeat. And yes I realize I could just buy a new flashlight. That's not the point.

Who knows about these things??

[murf205]

The white powdery stuff you see is Potassium hydroxide which becomes crusty when it meets the air. It wont kill you on contact but it's a good idea to wear latex gloves and safety glasses since you are drilling. It causes skin irritation if you get it on you. The flashlight might be pitted inside as a result of this lovely stuff. When you get through with this project, go to Amazon and check out a GearLight with 1200 Lumens. I bought one and it is pretty nice. It runs on 3 AA batts and it is BRIGHT..... If your Maglight is toast.

[Sig]

My past experience says to throw it out & buy a new LED flashlight. I've spent hours trying resurrect some of my Mag lights with varying success. Even when I was successful repairing one, I found that it would seldom last for long. I was a big fan of them back in the 80's & 90's & probably had close to 10 at one time between the garage, house & truck. I find the new LED lights with rechargeable batteries put out as much if not more light in a package that is 1/4 the size & weight. I still have a few functional Mag lights around but the only time they get used is when I can't find one of newer LED lights.

[schutzen-jager]

send it back to Mag Lite + they will replace it under the guarantee -

[uscra112]

Assuming your old batteries were alkaline, the electrolyte is so strongly corrosive to aluminum that there may not be much left of the flashlight body if you do get the guts out. I've had it happen, and never managed to rehab one.

Lithium-ion/LED lights are so far superior that I chucked out all the alkaline-cell type years ago. I do still have in service an old camp lantern designed for four D cells, but I converted it at least 15 years ago to a bundle of 18650 cells stripped out of failed Dell laptop batteries.

[gwpercle]

I have never been able to "save" a flashlight from severely corroded batteries !
The damage has been done and none of the several I have tried to save ever worked again .
Give it a go if you wish ... but I think you would have better luck sending it back to the manufacturer and asking if they could "repair" it for you ... they just might send you a new flashlight .
I don't think D-cell batteries are that dangerous ... but what do I know ...
I cast Lead Boolits !
Gary

[CastingFool]

send it back to Mag Lite + they will replace it under the guarantee -

I would check with Maglite first, I think damage by battery corrosion is one thing their warranty doesn't cover

[Keyman]

Most of the battery makers will replace, send you a check, for the battery leakage in any device. Just go to the makers web site for an address.
Keyman

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have not been able to 'save' any Mag-lite with corroded batteries, 3 different AA lights kept in vehicles. Modern LED's are much brighter AND cheaper than the Mag-lites. The better lights can get pricey, but Mag-lite has kind of faded, unless you need a 'D battery club'. The cost of returning a light makes returning not worthwhile. The Mag-lite guarantee does not cover leaking,corroded batteries.

[Patrick L]

Thank you for all the quick replies.

You know, I've reached a point in my life where I no longer feel the need to save the world and succeed at everything. Plus, since I recently retired, I don't want to do anything potentially dangerous that could screw things up for me. I think I'm going to accept the conventional wisdom that seems to be running rampant throughout this thread, pitch the maglite in the trash, and just buy a new flashlight.

Thanks again guys!

[metricmonkeywrench]

I love my 2D as it was the first flashlight i paid real $$ for back in the day 20+ years ago. So far have escaped the battery leakage issue for the most part but I did have my fancy OEM accessory hanger loop cap freeze up on the body and chewed it up pretty good with the channel locks breaking it loose, so the original cap went back on (yes dear there is a reason I keep all this stuff). Other than that and the glued together reflector and a couple of incandescent bulbs it has been a good and faithful companion for many years.

Most of my AA models ended up on the trash for battery leakage failures and for the ones i have left the batteries stay out of them till needed.

At a trade show a couple of years ago i mentioned the condition to the booth guy and he said that if i contacted them and gave them the serial number they may "refresh" it for me and bring it back up to standard and for a couple of bucks more it could be upgraded to LED.

As others have mentioned though it is way outclassed in light power by the new generation LED lights available on the market, though not many of them could perform the duties of an attitude adjuster and survive.

[jdgabbard]

Could it be saved? Sure, anything can be saved if you put enough work into it. Under these circumstances, I'm not sure WHY you'd want to. I carried a Mag back in the early 2000s when on duty. And can say with absolute certainty that even the old incandescent Surefires made them obsolete. I bought 2-3 of the old Surefire 6P (plastic versions) for about $35 back in 2006-2007, and a Metal one for I think $60 at that time. I just upgraded all of them to LED bulbs for approximately $12/piece (Amazon purchase), along with converting to 16650s (Not 18650s - 18mm is too wide to replace the CR123A batteries). Those flashlights that will fight in the palm of my hand are easily 10x brighter than the Maglight ever thought about being. And at in investment of about $50 over the course of 15 some odd years.

There are a plethora of great quality lights, that are cheaper, brighter, lighter, and more compact than even a two cell Mag. Even cheap weapon lights outperform them. So why bother?

[schutzen-jager]

I would check with Maglite first, I think damage by battery corrosion is one thing their warranty doesn't cover

mag lite replaced one of mine 3 years ago - iirc they claim damage to battery makers if name brand battery -

[Patrick L]

The Mag Lite is currently residing in the trash! Case closed.


JDGabbard, read the last paragraph on my original post.

[challenger_i]

That's cheating!
I re-celled a lantern with M-1 cells from a DX'ed Dewalt tool pack. Works like a charm!

I do still have in service an old camp lantern designed for four D cells, but I converted it at least 15 years ago to a bundle of 18650 cells stripped out of failed Dell laptop batteries.

[charlie b]

I get why you would try. I did love the big Maglites but I finally gave them up when I could get more light out of something that fit in the palm of my hand. I hung onto the old ones for quite a few years, stored without batteries. Then I finally gave them up when cleaning out the shop for a move.

Now days most of my 'flashlights' are headlamps. I got hooked on them when out hiking/camping.

[uscra112]

Now days most of my 'flashlights' are headlamps. I got hooked on them when out hiking/camping.

Ditto. The old time miner's helmet lamp x1000. The first one I bought put out enough light that I could drive my old Ford tractor in the pitch dark with nothing else. That sold me. Got three now - one in the house and one in each car, with spare 18650s ready to hand.

[GregLaROCHE]

I still have a two D cell Maglight in good condition. It used to be a regulation to have one when flying at night. I never used it and still don’t. The small mini mag I always carried would get te job done and you could hold it in your teeth if needed. As everyone else has said, go with a new LED compact flashlight.

[uscra112]

I have wondered why it seems that D cells in Maglites succumb to this massive leakage but D cells in cheap plastic-bodied flashlights do not.

[GregLaROCHE]

I have wondered why it seems that D cells in Maglites succumb to this massive leakage but D cells in cheap plastic-bodied flashlights do not.

Maybe it has something to do with the conductivity of the aluminum. However, I have seen it happen to batteries in plastic cases in a marine environment.