Leaked Maglite battery destroys the thread?

[rogerl]

Hi,

I have a maglite pen powered by 2 AA battery. I hadn't used it for years. I found out i was leaking chemical already at the rear, and I couldn't open the rear cap. I tried using wrench, pliers, hammers, nails which I insert to the hole at the rear cap and no matter how I twist and turn. It can't open. Can leaking battery produce some kind of substance that destroys the threading of the cap? What chemicals can do it and can I soak the rear end at any chemicals that can melt any of the reactions the leaking battery could have done to the thread? Or is it a hopeless case such that the cap has literally binded to the main body already and nothing short of sawing it can open it?

 

[aroc91]

Batteries contain acid. The acid probably corroded the coating on the metal and the metal itself, leading to oxidation which bound the cap to the main portion. It's probably possible to twist it out, but it's probably not going to be salvageable and will require quite a bit of force.

 

[Borek]

Batteries contain acid.

AA batteries don't contain acid, they contain strong base; they are not called alkaline batteries to confuse buyers. And aluminum nicely dissolves in bases, which is mot likely reason why the threading was destroyed.

Perhaps a few drops of naphta will help. Or WD40. But it is very likely that threading is destroyed beyond repair, even if you manage to open the lamp, no guarantee you will be able to close it back.

 

[rogerl]

AA batteries don't contain acid, they contain strong base; they are not called alkaline batteries to confuse buyers. And aluminum nicely dissolves in bases, which is mot likely reason why the threading was destroyed.

Perhaps a few drops of naphta will help. Or WD40. But it is very likely that threading is destroyed beyond repair, even if you manage to open the lamp, no guarantee you will be able to close it back.

Since I can't open it and I can't throw it. If I just keep it in the attic, what would happen to the decaying battery chemicals.. would it get worse or even go critical and keep leaking from the very tight containment vessel (I saw some around the thread outside)?

 

[Borek]

I don't think it will get worse - most likely it already dried out. Keep it in a plastic bag, so that it will not catch humidity. Note that while this is a nasty stuff, it won't really hurt you even if it happens to land on your skin - if so, just don't wait, wash your hands, and keep it far from your eyes.

I bet bleach used as a cleaning agent is comparably dangerous.

 

[rogerl]

I don't think it will get worse - most likely it already dried out. Keep it in a plastic bag, so that it will not catch humidity. Note that while this is a nasty stuff, it won't really hurt you even if it happens to land on your skin - if so, just don't wait, wash your hands, and keep it far from your eyes.

I bet bleach used as a cleaning agent is comparably dangerous.

Ok thanks. I guess I'll bring it to the machine shop to have it open. I didn't know battery chemicals can melt the aluminum threads. This is new to me.

 

[rogerl]

I don't think it will get worse - most likely it already dried out. Keep it in a plastic bag, so that it will not catch humidity. Note that while this is a nasty stuff, it won't really hurt you even if it happens to land on your skin - if so, just don't wait, wash your hands, and keep it far from your eyes.

I bet bleach used as a cleaning agent is comparably dangerous.

Btw.. which ingredients in the battery chemicals is toxic? I'm not sure if it's a normal cheap battery or an alkaline... after the machine shop removes the cap.. I may not even be able to remove the battery whole but most likely it would stick inside and be in blob. I wonder if I'll just have to throw the whole thing away.

 

[Borek]

Alkaline batteries contain zinc and manganese oxide, both are heavy metals and toxic as such. Remember that toxicity is a relative thing - in this case, as long as you don't eat whatever you find inside of the battery, you should be OK

 

[Phrak]

Hi,

I have a maglite pen powered by 2 AA battery. I hadn't used it for years. I found out i was leaking chemical already at the rear, and I couldn't open the rear cap. I tried using wrench, pliers, hammers, nails which I insert to the hole at the rear cap and no matter how I twist and turn. It can't open. Can leaking battery produce some kind of substance that destroys the threading of the cap? What chemicals can do it and can I soak the rear end at any chemicals that can melt any of the reactions the leaking battery could have done to the thread? Or is it a hopeless case such that the cap has literally binded to the main body already and nothing short of sawing it can open it?

Baste the pen in a shallow dish seasoned with four tablespoons of malt vinegar and a pinch of ground cloves. Let sit over night.

Preheat the oven to a high heat of 450 degrees.

Lightly cover a small backing pan with olive oil and pour in the mixture of pen and seasoning.

Bake for 29 minutes.

Drain the seasoning and place the pen on a small salad plate.

Allow the pen to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Include a pair of pliers or a nut crackers at the table setting to remove the cap.

 

[Proton Soup]

Baste the pen in a shallow dish seasoned with four tablespoons of malt vinegar and a pinch of ground cloves. Let sit over night.

Preheat the oven to a high heat of 450 degrees.

Lightly cover a small backing pan with olive oil and pour in the mixture of pen and seasoning.

Bake for 29 minutes.

Drain the seasoning and place the pen on a small salad plate.

Allow the pen to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Include a pair of pliers or a nut crackers at the table setting to remove the cap.

i can't tell how serious this is. when i had to remove a broken bolt from an engine block last year, i believe the rust removers were phosphoric acid. (couldn't find HF, unfortunately).

but i think the first thing i would try on the flashlight is dry heat, followed by spraying with a penetrating lubricant like WD-40, wait a while, then twist by hand.

absolutely avoid wrenching it with pliers without some significant cushion. crimping the metal may make it worse.

 

[Phrak]

i can't tell how serious this is. when i had to remove a broken bolt from an engine block last year, i believe the rust removers were phosphoric acid. (couldn't find HF, unfortunately).

but i think the first thing i would try on the flashlight is dry heat, followed by spraying with a penetrating lubricant like WD-40, wait a while, then twist by hand.

absolutely avoid wrenching it with pliers without some significant cushion. crimping the metal may make it worse.

Half serious.

In dim memory chemical reactions generally progress at a rate of something like the fourth power of the absolute temperature. Room temperature is something like 415 degrees absolute, so the action of an acid on a bolt at an oven temperature of 450 degrees F should progress roughly 100 times faster. One hour vs. four days.

Chemists might know.

 

[Borek]

Another rule of thumb is that when temperature goes up by 10 deg C reaction gets twice faster. Correct approach calls for the Arrhenius equation.

 

[Perfection]

Here's what I'd do if this happened to me.

I guess either one of two things happened:
1. The threads are hopelessly destroyed.
2. The threads are clogged with salts from the destroyed battery.

I'd attempt to dissolve out the salts by submerging the flashlight in a bucket of warm water (i'd give myself a 50-50 chance of bothering wearing gloves, and would attempt to avoid getting water in the lamp part). If the thing doesn't open it's junk and I'd toss it, if it does, I'd clean it out then disassemble and dry it.

How moronic is my suggestion? Would I kill myself, others?

 

[Borek]

Your chances of killing someone (including yourself) are probably lower than during drive to a store to buy milk you forgot to buy an hour earlier.