Sorry, but I think Alzheimers may be setting in here. I put my flashlight batteries in the freezer and now I wonder if they are just supposed to be in the refrig. part and not frozen. Gary"s archives are not working. Help! Did I ruiln them> Getting confused.

-- Betty Alice (Barn266@aol.com), October 01, 1999

Answers

Betty:

Freezing won't hurt the batteries, but it won't help them either. Cool temps. are best.

Godspeed,

-- Pinkrock (aphotonboy@aol.com), October 01, 1999.

Pinkrock, thankyou.

-- Betty Alice ( I think) (Barn266@aol.com), October 01, 1999.

Check them for abnormal swelling or split cases - discard any that are busted.

The rest? Thaw them before using, but please, not in the microwave. 8<)

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), October 01, 1999.

By chilling the batteries down 2x18 degrees F, you double storage time twice, i.e. four times. (This applies to all chemical reactions.) No need to waste precious freezer space, normal refrigeration will do. wolfie

-- wolfie (noxpert@ butiknow.edu), October 01, 1999.

Chilling - yes - reduces the rate of chemical reactions, up to a point though.

The chemical "paste" inside most small batteries is "moist" though - and the chemical action of freezing this water - expansion, separation of the chemicals from the previous mixture, change in electrical current reactions in a solid vice a moist liquid, and other effects that are drastically different in a frozen rather than cooled condition means the "frozen" batteries could be damaged. Not absolutely, but they "could be" - best to look carefully.

The type of chemical reaction is very different in a frozen condition.

For example - chilling down cokes in a refrigerator improves the taste. Freezing canned cokes in a freezer only increases the dispersal of spilled drink across the other food in the freezer. The coke itself is still fine once thawed - although it has no carbonation left, but the can has broken.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), October 01, 1999.

Thanks to all who replied. I shall take batteries out of freezer, check them for swelling, and put them back in refrig. part. They have been in freezer about a month.

-- Betty Alice (Barn266@aol.com), October 01, 1999.

I've stored my alkaline cells in the FREEZER starting around 1982. I've never had one 'burst and get ruined.' Do I live on a different part of the planet (Don't answer that one.)

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), October 02, 1999.

No, you probably live here too. I'm using my experience as a guideline, you may have had different outcome.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), October 03, 1999.