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Corrosion on Button Cell Batteries

mzyzelewski

A quick question on Button Cell Batteries.  I have an application that uses 3 button cell batteries (LR44) in series.  The product is a device that sees some heat and humidity, but overall is in standard, dry storage conditions.  The product will sit on a shelf, is used for about 5 minutes, and is then thrown away.  We are seeing a small percentage (<.1%) of the batteries that are leaking and corroding after 6 months.  We are using a low cost battery supplier, and we have gone through a couple of different battery suppliers trying to find a higher quality battery at a price in our budget.

 

I am pretty sure the small percentage of corroded batteries is due to the quality of our battery (manufacturing, metal materials, seals, and separator materials).  Will moving to a higher end manufacturer improve this issue, or is this percentage of failures always going to be there with the button cell batteries?

  • What chemistry is used in the batteries?

    Some batteries (especially alkaline) are built with small vents and sometimes seals that are intended to release pressure. When this happens (often at end of life) some electrolyte comes out.

    Were these batteries old when you bought them? Do you measure them before putting them into service?

  • in reply to dougw

    The battery is a mercury free alkaline battery.  The batteries are 6 months into a 3 year shelf life.  The batteries were to specification before use, and maintained their voltage after the leakage (corrosion).

     

    We have a small percentage of failures that are corroded.  If the corrosion is removed the batteries function as intended (voltage, current, etc.). 

  • in reply to mzyzelewski

    Alkaline batteries will also leak if one of them is put in backwards. I'm not saying that is what is happening, but installing some small percentage in backwards is a very common issue in some designs, and nobody wants to admit they did it. Incidentally, there can be a delayed reaction where they don't start leaking for about a day after reverse stress.

  • Will moving to a higher end manufacturer improve this issue, or is this percentage of failures always going to be there with the button cell batteries?

    I'd suggest you run a few tests with maybe 10 of these products.

    5 using the low cost battery, and 5 using better quality.

     

    Get them all in the same place, and pull one of each after 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 months to see how they compare.

    In theory you may start seeing the issue after a few months, which cuts down the testing time.

     

    We had issues with bearings that were supplied with 2yr shelf life and failed after a short time.

    It turned out that the suppliers only counted once they were sold, and in fact they'd already been sitting for 6 months of more before we got them.

     

    Mark