The Duracell Bunny Blew Up

arcaxis

arcaxis

Well-known member
I usually remove batteries from guitar pedals and other gear that I know I'm not going to use for a while because of possible leakage, but now I have another reason, one that's likely pretty rare. The battery pictured below was one I use in a bass pedal and it was removed and on a shelf sitting next to the pedal. A few weeks ago I had heard a loud pop that sounded like a firecracker and smelled a slight odor. Looked all around the room for obvious electrical things that might have done it, but found nothing until cleaning the shelf today where the bass pedal was and I found this Duracell with its end blown out. Probably internally shorted somehow. Wondering what it might have done if it was in the pedal where the bottom had no place to blow out :eek:
 

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It's hard to tell these days who the seller or point of origin is....even with sites like Amazon.
There are more and more "fronts" being set up in the USA by someone from China...and then they funnel their product to the seller in the USA.
I think even some of the smaller stores no longer know where there product is coming from or if it is genuine.
The Chinese are doing knockoffs of everything these days.

I was looking for some basically "worthless" capacitors, and opamps...shit that costs a few pennies or at most a couple of bucks...and I found that the Chinese were making knockoffs of them already. They don't just go for the higher ticket items, like Gucci handbags and expensive items.
I guess if you sell a million $1 opamps...you make it up with quantity.

We opened the door...now products just pour in.

They are capable of making decent quality stuff too...of their own brand...but they seem to favor doing knockoffs instead, even though it's illegal.
 
arcaxis said:
FWIW, on the side of the battery it states , 'Made in U.S.A./Fabriqué aux E-U'.
Click to expand...

It's probably a counterfeit, or at least one made overseas. I just pulled out a pack of Duracell 9v I have (4 pack with 2 left) that I bought at Walmart. The batteries say 'Assembled in USA'. No other languages on the battery or package.

It's like the Gillette Excel razor blades I get from Amazon - I know they're not made in the USA, and they are not as good as the USA ones, but at 1/2 the price, they're good enough.
 
arcaxis said:
FWIW, on the side of the battery it states , 'Made in U.S.A./Fabriqué aux E-U'.
Click to expand...

All my Duracell packages say, "Made with foreign and domestic materials" and they came from Canada. Lesson learned: Insert batteries when using, remove when shelved. Cell Phones blowing up due to batts, when will it stop!
 
I put an inquiry into Duracell asking about possibility of a fake and how to ID a real one. I'll post back if I get a response.
 
On similar subject.
I would advise people NOT to use rechargeable batteries in anything expensive. The problem is, such batteries have a very high S/C current capability and if a fault develops in the kit they will supply as many amps as the faulty gear wants!

This happened to me. 'We' used SLAs in testmeters for economy but then a meter failed and we found the battery had swollen up making it impossible to remove without destroying the case. It was all junk anyway since the battery had pumped GAKnows how many watts into the circuitry and fried it beyond recognition!

A bog S PP3 alkaline would not have done that.

Of course there SHOULD be fuses! But what can yer do?

Dave.
 
I was reading guys doing large live productions had switched to rechargeables in their wireless pacs as it was saving big $$ on literally hundreds of batteries they go through.
Since they can't allow even '70% good bats out on stage, they'd donate them (to someones') but there were limits to even that as a solution.
 
Yonks ago I was with an AV business and when they used radio mics for shows they would buy in packs of PP3s from RS. A fresh battery went in the TX every night.

A quick Google shows you can buy packs of PP3 alkaline for about £1 each, a little more for Duracells. This is not an outrageous expense for a working band?

Dave.
 
When I was using a wireless IEM with a band, new 9v Duracells went in for a show, but we'd save the used ones for practice use.
 
This stuff happens, the internals of the battery break down over time, but this could just be a faulty battery from the factory. Being made in China or the US or anywhere is meaningless, they use the same assy line. Chinese stuff is in most cases as good as anywhere these days.

By the way ask Samsung about exploding batteries.

Alan.
 
Just 1 hr ago on BBC1 'Fakes'. Running gal bought a head-light and had JUST put it in the seat of her car when the AA style battery exploded and spattered the dash with burning fragments.

V lucky escape!

Dave.
 
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