{"id":3102,"date":"2016-03-17T17:27:59","date_gmt":"2016-03-17T17:27:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fightfast.com\/blog\/?p=3102"},"modified":"2021-03-31T15:43:23","modified_gmt":"2021-03-31T15:43:23","slug":"rotate-batteries-often-enough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/2016\/03\/17\/rotate-batteries-often-enough\/","title":{"rendered":"Do you rotate your batteries often enough?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"blog\">\n<h4 id=\"top-header\">This Is More Important Than You Might Think<\/h4>\nIf you are a serious prepper, chances are your bug out bag or survival kit contains a few small electronic devices powered by batteries. How often do you change the batteries to keep them fresh and prevent corrosion? Probably not often enough!<!--more-->\n<h4>Don't Risk Your Equipment<\/h4>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 large-3 columns right align-to-p img no-shadow\">\n  <img src=\"https:\/\/www.fightfast.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/flashlightWithGPS.png\" width=\"100%\"><\/div>\nWhile batteries aren\u2019t cheap, <strong>destroying your best <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fightfast.com\/nbcv\/LITE\/ntbt-ksp.php?utm_campaign=LITE&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_content=BobBatteries_3-17-16&amp;utm_term=existing-list\">flashlight<\/a> or $250 GPS to save a few dollars on batteries is not only silly it can be downright dangerous in a survival situation.<\/strong>\n\nYou can have all the best survival \u201cgoodies\u201d neatly packed away <em>supposedly<\/em> ready for use, only to find out that <strong>when the SHTF not only did some batteries leak and destroy an important piece of electronics, it may also leak onto and destroy other critical items.<\/strong>\n\nBattery replacement is something that must be scheduled and followed. It\u2019s much easier to be diligent about this when you understand why batteries leak.\n\n[dfads params='groups=292&amp;limit=1&amp;orderby=random']\n<h4>Alkaline Batteries<\/h4>\nAlkaline batteries are highly prone to leakage, there is no way around it. More expensive lithium ion type batteries are less leakage prone, but they are not totally immune.\n\nIf you have the funds choose lithium batteries, they won\u2019t need to be replaced as often and have a much longer shelf life (10-15 years when stored properly). For the rest of us here are the reasons why alkaline batteries leak and a few ways you can minimize the risk:\n<ul class=\"blog-lists\">\n \t<li>If an alkaline battery has been partially discharged is it more likely to leak.<\/li>\n \t<li>All alkaline batteries \u201cself-discharge\u201d whether or not they are installed in a device, even if they are fresh and unused.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-10 medium-centered large-6 large-centered columns\">\n\t[dfads params='groups=290&amp;limit=1&amp;orderby=random']<\/div>\n<h4>Leakage Is Unavoidable<\/h4>\nSo the first lesson is that leakage happens, it\u2019s unavoidable, even if you put brand new batteries into a device that is \u201cturned off\u201d and has never once been turned on.\n<ul class=\"blog-lists\">\n \t<li>Many devices draw some small amount of \u201cjuice\u201d from batteries even in the \u201coff\u201d position. This is called \u201cparasitic drain.\u201d The more complex the device the more likely it will have this problem.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Complex Devices Are More Likely To Cause Leakage<\/h4>\nLesson two, complex electronic devises are even more likely to continuously draw small amount \u201cjuice\u201d and increase the likelihood of leakage. I\u2019m sure this is wonderful news to you. The more expensive the item is the more likely it is to be destroyed by the very batteries that make it work. That\u2019s just the way it is\u2026\n<ul class=\"blog-lists\">\n \t<li>Alkaline batteries are even more prone to leakage if they are used in series with other batteries inside of a device. In other words if there are multiple batteries in the battery compartment of a device they are more likely to leak. Why?\n<ul class=\"blog-lists\">\n \t<li>Batteries even of the same brand and age will drain at a slightly different rate. The batteries connected to it in series will attempt to \u201ccharge\u201d the low one. That\u2019s just the way electricity works.<\/li>\n \t<li>This problem is even more likely to occur if you mix brands and ages of batteries in a device that takes more than one battery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n[dfads params='groups=292&amp;limit=1&amp;orderby=random']\n<h4>Don't Mix and Match Batteries<\/h4>\nLesson three, never mix brand and battery ages unless you are in extreme circumstances and NEVER store a device that contains batteries of different ages or brands.\n\n(Note: most alkaline batteries have an expiration date on them, it should only be used as a guide for unused batteries.)\n\nAnd if a device contains multiple batteries (like most expensive electronics) you will need to be doubly cautious and diligent about changing out the batteries regularly.\n\nHow often should you change batteries? There is no perfect answer, it depends on the device, the weather, and other stuff that\u2019s damn near impossible to totally pin down. My recommendation is no less than once every six months for alkaline batteries.\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-10 medium-centered large-6 large-centered columns\">\n\t[dfads params='groups=290&amp;limit=1&amp;orderby=random']<\/div>\n<h4>Keep This In Mind<\/h4>\nIf that sounds like way too much money spent on batteries here are two things to keep in mind.\n<ul class=\"blog-lists\">\n \t<li>First,<strong> you don\u2019t need to keep batteries installed in all of your devices<\/strong> (especially if you have a supply cache buried or hidden long term). Batteries that are stored un-installed and unused will last for a few years under reasonable storage conditions. This only works if the batteries are not able to touch the contact points on other batteries.<strong> So don\u2019t just toss a handful of AA batteries in a duffle bag. <\/strong>If the original packaging is too large trim it down with scissors or store them in another container that isolates them from the rest of your stuff, and keeps them from touching the contact points on other batteries.<\/li>\n \t<li>Second, <strong>there are items that may be in your kit that don\u2019t need to be ready at a moment\u2019s notice.<\/strong> For example, a small radio could be stored without batteries. No big deal to take a moment and install them before use. <strong>On the other hand, a gun mounted light or laser should always be stored ready to use.<\/strong> <strong>If you really need the light on your gun chances are you don\u2019t have 1 or 2 minutes to fumble around installing fresh batteries!<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nYou be the judge of what devices should always be ready to go. And if you have the funds keep everything fresh all the time. The slightly used batteries you swap out from a device can always be used in other household items like the remote control for your TV etc.\n<p id=\"read-more-link\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fightfast.com\/nbcv\/SAFE\/ntbt-k.php?utm_campaign=SAFE&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_content=BobBatteries_3-17-16&amp;utm_term=existing-list\">Click here to learn how to walk the streets without fear!<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This Is More Important Than You Might Think If you are a serious prepper, chances are your bug out bag or survival kit contains a few small electronic devices powered by batteries. How often do you change the batteries to keep them fresh and prevent corrosion? Probably not often enough!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9658,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[156,211],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3102"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3102"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3102\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12814,"href":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3102\/revisions\/12814"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fightfastvideos.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}