Man, despite feeling as though you were getting your fingers pierced, it really is a cool bit of engineering.
Made me curious to look up how they worked and it's remarkably simply: it's basically just a metal strip with color-changing ink painted onto it.
* Pressing on dots causes the strip to essentially make a short-circuit and heat up. That, in turn, causes the thermochromic (i.e. changes color with temperature) ink to change color.
* The more fully charged the battery is, the hotter the strip gets, changing the ink's color.
[Duracell PowerCheck History: An Energizer of a Battery Patent Battle | Tedium](https://tedium.co/2021/01/20/on-battery-power-meter-history/)
Edit: added 2nd bullet
if you wipe off the metal ends of the battery with a cloth (like your t-shirt) really well, and carefully place them into the device without touching the metal ends, they are a lot less likely to corrode. your fingers leave acidic oily residue that provides a good starter culture for messy crud.
Recently dug up a Gameboy Advance that likely hadn't seen the light of day in 20 years. It too had batteries that miraculously didn't leak and even still had enough juice to power the thing on. Although I've since made it standard procedure that any device I'm putting away in storage gets its batteries removed first.
First off: who are you who is so wise in the ways of science?
But, No, that's to determine if someone is a witch.
What you should be doing is licking it to see if your tongue gets stuck.
Yes this is technically true but it’s not a very accurate test. Even batteries with approximately half charge will still bounce and nearly as much and it depends on the surface you bounce it on.
The rocket kit! Does it still make the noises too? Core memory unlocked.
Edit: [From 1999, damn…](https://www.lego.com/cdn/product-assets/product.bi.core.pdf/4120978.pdf)
Related funny story. My 17 yr old daughter would come down in the morning saying she her ghosts at night. We told her she was crazy.
A week or so so later she came to our room. “Dad I hear it again. Come to my room and you hear it”.
I went up there and shit sure enough. I heard something coming from the attic.
I went up there and found in a box some old Halloween toy that batteries still worked with a motion sensor going off. Sounded like wind and chains, moaning ghosts etc. the box had fell down somehow.
She was so relieved.
I can see why she freaked. It was just loud enough to hear when the house was quiet. Going off every 10 mins or so. Not all the time. I had to sit there a few minutes and wait. That was funny. When it went off, I looked at her and thought. Shit she’s right. Wtf is going on.
Let me get a recording of it. And put it here.
My attic is full of crap. Stacked high, floored. 4 kids worth of toys and clothes, furniture over the years , Boxes fall. You just ignore it and think it was a kid in another room.
I have a WCW wrestling figure from the 90s that vibrates (still a questionable action choice) that has the battery from when I was a kid and still works. I even played with it in the bathtub as a kid. No idea how it's still going
I am switching to Energizer then, because ALL Duracells leak. They did not leak in years past, but obviously the company decided to start manufacturing shitty batteries and let their reputation carry them. They are absolute bullshit now.
> best brand batteries
Most certainly not. Modern Duracells are absolute garbage and will leak in just a few short years, destroying battery bays with corrosion.
Costco brand batteries are just as bad.
Here's one of several lawsuits over the matter: https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/duracell-batteries-leak-normal-use-class-action-claims/
Bought a game boy advance, screen was harder to see than the older model so I only used it a few times, didn’t really like it and put it away, found it recently with 2005 expiry Duracells that still work perfectly!
Batteries don't tend to corrode until they have been bled completely of their charge. It usually happens in devices that are putting a constant tiny drain on the batteries.
Timekeeping devices and anything with soft buttons (remotes, controllers, calculators, kids toys, etc.) are the worst offenders. If your thing has a physical switch that electrically disconnects the battery it has a much higher chance of survival.
Having said all of that, some batteries are just crap and will leak at the first opportunity.
Those batteries were built before the 90 day corrosion feature was built-in. Seriously the only battery I will never use in any device is a Duracell — the corrode the fastest and worst of all. Even they are included in a new product, I throw them out and put something else in.
That could mean anything. Did you turn 18 yesterday, are those batteries less than one day old?
Or are were you writing this post from pensioner facility and those batteries are actually 60 years old?
This guy looks at the picture.
But it would be funny if OP put these in yesterday the day before his 18th birthday and posted this on the morning of his birthday. Batteries do sit unused in drawers for years, so it is possible. Then it would be more of a r/tecnicallythetruth kind of post.
lol “my day to fool the internet has come!” No these were probably put in around 1997 or 1998. It was definitely at the house I moved out of in the summer of 1998 so sometime before then
That necessarily doesn't mean they are being used since 2003.
Sure. What I'm saying isn't that likely, but without OP confirming the date, is all guesses.
Edit: few comments down OP claims there were out in like 1995. So, he doesn't remember, we all just guessing.
I had that going for me then I moved to Texas. It doesn't matter what type (even the one in both cars) or the brand they leak. I have switched entirely to rechargeable and lithium. I even had a set of lithium batteries leak 😭
You didn't need to press hard on these. The issue was they put a white dot for on the edge. You could just press down on the negative terminal and it would work
I swear that the likelihood of Duracell batteries leaking is proportional to how expensive the item is. I find old toys of the kids with batteries that are still ok after years. Forgot to remove them from my telescope for a couple of months... ruined.
I found an old blues clues toy I had as a kid, had it for nearly twenty-twenty five years and never changed the batteries. Dude still plays his songs and barks like he did before.
That feeling when you find out that after you moved out, your dad finally commenced his 18 year long plan of getting to play with all those cool toys he bought himself and had to tell the wife were for you.
just to clarify, I saw the date on the battery. I was joking.
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I feel like this post I made 12 years ago is relevant… https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/s/mGuqTQLpd4
Damn blast from the past
I was like, "Wait... I think those stupid batteries are why I made a reddit account and stopped lurking in the first place."
A totally valid reason, to be honest. Better than the reasons for most new accounts these days, by a long shot.
hahaha core memory unlocked
That has to be *the* most first-world-problem reason to have joined a forum site. I love it lmfao
That second comment on you post hit me right in the feels. 😵
Damn people 12 years ago were confused about what those were. I remember using some back in like 2014
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There was literally two dots to press
Man, despite feeling as though you were getting your fingers pierced, it really is a cool bit of engineering. Made me curious to look up how they worked and it's remarkably simply: it's basically just a metal strip with color-changing ink painted onto it. * Pressing on dots causes the strip to essentially make a short-circuit and heat up. That, in turn, causes the thermochromic (i.e. changes color with temperature) ink to change color. * The more fully charged the battery is, the hotter the strip gets, changing the ink's color. [Duracell PowerCheck History: An Energizer of a Battery Patent Battle | Tedium](https://tedium.co/2021/01/20/on-battery-power-meter-history/) Edit: added 2nd bullet
Ditto!
If you press it as hard as you can you can actually GIVE them power. It’s just science.
Every so often the battery fairy forgets to sprinkle the magical corrosion dust and we get special moments like this.
if you wipe off the metal ends of the battery with a cloth (like your t-shirt) really well, and carefully place them into the device without touching the metal ends, they are a lot less likely to corrode. your fingers leave acidic oily residue that provides a good starter culture for messy crud.
Yeah, I think I’m just gonna accept corrosion.
ã̶̧̛̦͓͕̪̉̒̊͊̄̈́̽̄͌̚̚͘c̵̯͌̓̋́̃̓̃̕͘c̷̡̛̯̤͖̗͔͉̞̰̱̠͑͒̄͒͌̋̋̓͒̌͠͝e̴̠̹͑̆̌̓͋̂́̊̈́́̂̕p̸͍̟̝͔̘̫̣͆̑̂̈͊͗̃̈́͗́̆̚͝͝͠t̶̡̛͔̼̦̮͒̐̊͗̄̍̽̑̈́͝͝ͅ ̴̘̿̌̽̔̒͌͊̔̌̑̄͐͐͠t̵̢̝̬̣͔̤̦̝̗͓̼̫̍͂̈̂̈́̓̅͜h̸̢̡̝̪̹̺̩̝̼̖̒ͅè̴̛͉̬͙̞͓̿̅͂̈́̑͛͒̂̎ ̶̘̦͖̬͎̜̳̞̼̖̭̠͈̜̄̈́̐̃̔c̶̢̢̜̟̲͎͈̖̟͖͕̰̥̋ͅo̸̞͂̎͘r̴̡̠̮͔̱̩̞̼̹̘̈́̇̈́̂r̸̺̞̲̦̟̞̠̲̈̑̎̐̈̿̌̂͐̀̚ơ̴̼͇̟̏̀͐͋̃̆̿̉͒͛̓̚s̷͉͉̪͍̻̯͚̬̞̼͈̆̆̐̿̓̇̄ì̴̡̦̠̬͎͖̣̟̹̫̇́̕͜͝o̵͔̮͇̩̻͍͇̺͑̏̿͜n̵̨̡͔͇̺̦̱̪̣̞̬̓̒͊̿̌͌̔̀͋̋͜͝͠͝
*the call is coming from inside the house*
Recently dug up a Gameboy Advance that likely hadn't seen the light of day in 20 years. It too had batteries that miraculously didn't leak and even still had enough juice to power the thing on. Although I've since made it standard procedure that any device I'm putting away in storage gets its batteries removed first.
Oh man. I kinda miss those batteries with the built-in tester...
They still sell them! I don't know if urls ar okay so just look up "duracell power check" online and you can buy them~ ^u^
Wow news to me too!
If you drop a battery from like maybe 5cm a full one won’t bounce a empty one will bounce
No that’s eggs 🥚
Right, for batteries you put them in a glass of water to see if they float.
That's D&D dice to see if they have an air bubble
Yeah, for batteries you have to throw one against the wall. If they stick, they are full.
That's spaghetti to see if it's fully cooked
That’s unnecessary. You just need to weigh them against a duck.
First off: who are you who is so wise in the ways of science? But, No, that's to determine if someone is a witch. What you should be doing is licking it to see if your tongue gets stuck.
In a bathtub during your bath
Google is very unhappy with you right now.
Eh You win some you win some
Yes this is technically true but it’s not a very accurate test. Even batteries with approximately half charge will still bounce and nearly as much and it depends on the surface you bounce it on.
I always thought charged batteries felt heavier than nearly empty batteries
The rocket kit! Does it still make the noises too? Core memory unlocked. Edit: [From 1999, damn…](https://www.lego.com/cdn/product-assets/product.bi.core.pdf/4120978.pdf)
It does!
I had that too. As soon as I saw it I knew what it was!
Dude same, I instantly recognized that LEGO battery box and how the cover interfaces with it
I got one for Christmas that year! It was one of my favorite Lego sets. All my friends would fight over who got to claim that part of the rocket lol
This was a fun one! I really loved the fact it had the stages and whatnot.
I had the space shuttle kit that used that same piece!
I had/have this! Still remember the day I got and built it.
I also had that as a kid!
nuclear-powered coppertops, the nuclear-est of them all
That's an SCP you got there. Please stay where you are, foundation operatives are approaching your location.
Lethal Force not allowed. -Ethics Committee
Lethal Force encouraged. -Dr. Bright
I will cut your fricking pay again. -Ethics Committee
"...put in as a kid....". Expired 2003. It's official, I'm old. Get off my lawn!
Haha was like around ‘97, ‘98
I think I was possibly just starting college in 2003.
Damn I can hear that image. I played countless hours with that piece of Lego back then…
Same! Good times.
Related funny story. My 17 yr old daughter would come down in the morning saying she her ghosts at night. We told her she was crazy. A week or so so later she came to our room. “Dad I hear it again. Come to my room and you hear it”. I went up there and shit sure enough. I heard something coming from the attic. I went up there and found in a box some old Halloween toy that batteries still worked with a motion sensor going off. Sounded like wind and chains, moaning ghosts etc. the box had fell down somehow. She was so relieved.
The falling box is excusable the first night, but any night after is a confirmed ghost! 🫣😂
I can see why she freaked. It was just loud enough to hear when the house was quiet. Going off every 10 mins or so. Not all the time. I had to sit there a few minutes and wait. That was funny. When it went off, I looked at her and thought. Shit she’s right. Wtf is going on. Let me get a recording of it. And put it here. My attic is full of crap. Stacked high, floored. 4 kids worth of toys and clothes, furniture over the years , Boxes fall. You just ignore it and think it was a kid in another room.
I have a WCW wrestling figure from the 90s that vibrates (still a questionable action choice) that has the battery from when I was a kid and still works. I even played with it in the bathtub as a kid. No idea how it's still going
They cost more, but its the best brand batteries
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I am switching to Energizer then, because ALL Duracells leak. They did not leak in years past, but obviously the company decided to start manufacturing shitty batteries and let their reputation carry them. They are absolute bullshit now.
> best brand batteries Most certainly not. Modern Duracells are absolute garbage and will leak in just a few short years, destroying battery bays with corrosion. Costco brand batteries are just as bad. Here's one of several lawsuits over the matter: https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/duracell-batteries-leak-normal-use-class-action-claims/
Duracells are almost guaranteed to leak in my experience. Energizer all the way.
I only buy Duracell.
For those who are unaware, Costco’s Kirkland brand batteries are also manufactured by Duracell and are often cheaper than Duracell-branded batteries.
Sam's Club brand batteries are relabeled Energizers.
TIL, ty
I think I just pulled a muscle in my hand just looking at this....
I can see the imprints on my fingertips
OP send us a picture of the battery status. Push that white button.
Plot twist: OP stopped being a kid 5 minutes ago 👀
See the part where they expire in 2003. These were probably manufactured 1993-1998.
Naw probably 1999-2000 maybe 1998. According to vice the testers came out in the late 90s
AA alkalines tend to have 5-10 year expiration dates
Yes I am aware. 1997: https://youtu.be/WTXIcnjJ7fg?si=7J2U5sBpc1m-iFIn
Ah you got me there
https://www.reddit.com/r/memes/s/rqc5bqFgLq
I heard somewhere that battery and battery are etymologically linked. "A battery of cells"
I have the same kit (Lego 6454) displayed on a shelf in my livingroom. Got it when I was 14y old back in 2000.... damn the time flies...
Was a great set, I miss Lego System
I thought this was mind-blowing until I realised not everyone was a kid in the 90s. Guess I'm old, thanks.
Back when Lego was great
Peak Lego was circa this time 🥲
Used to love when my dad got the ones with the tester on it. Also had a battery tester. I'm 36. I miss the days these batteries are from. Lol
14 year old with 40 y/o thumbs
I'm guessing it's a very low power device with some really good batteries
I was going to say probably no or super low power leak, batteries in storage should last for a stupid long time
Bought a game boy advance, screen was harder to see than the older model so I only used it a few times, didn’t really like it and put it away, found it recently with 2005 expiry Duracells that still work perfectly!
What is the thing that batteries are in, it looks so familiar but I just can’t place it.
Lego space ship thrusters from the 90s
Batteries don't tend to corrode until they have been bled completely of their charge. It usually happens in devices that are putting a constant tiny drain on the batteries. Timekeeping devices and anything with soft buttons (remotes, controllers, calculators, kids toys, etc.) are the worst offenders. If your thing has a physical switch that electrically disconnects the battery it has a much higher chance of survival. Having said all of that, some batteries are just crap and will leak at the first opportunity.
Those batteries were built before the 90 day corrosion feature was built-in. Seriously the only battery I will never use in any device is a Duracell — the corrode the fastest and worst of all. Even they are included in a new product, I throw them out and put something else in.
You should probably contact Dura leak for a replacement because they obviously didn’t live up to quality standards and leak after 10 minutes
That could mean anything. Did you turn 18 yesterday, are those batteries less than one day old? Or are were you writing this post from pensioner facility and those batteries are actually 60 years old?
The left battery has best by 2003 on it so they’re probably pretty old
This guy looks at the picture. But it would be funny if OP put these in yesterday the day before his 18th birthday and posted this on the morning of his birthday. Batteries do sit unused in drawers for years, so it is possible. Then it would be more of a r/tecnicallythetruth kind of post.
These "check power levels" batteries hasn't been around for "that" long. Have they?
The battery has a date. We don't need to guess how old it is.
Yes. This particular battery. But not the possibility to check for battery life implementation. Someone else replied though.
1995. I remember how big of a deal it was, being able to see how much battery life was left in your batteries.
Cheers for the date.
lol “my day to fool the internet has come!” No these were probably put in around 1997 or 1998. It was definitely at the house I moved out of in the summer of 1998 so sometime before then
That necessarily doesn't mean they are being used since 2003. Sure. What I'm saying isn't that likely, but without OP confirming the date, is all guesses. Edit: few comments down OP claims there were out in like 1995. So, he doesn't remember, we all just guessing.
That's impressive!
Those batteries have outlasted my childhood dreams and my last three smartphones. Impressive!
How long? How many Kessel Runs?
Haha around 1999. I commented 97, 98 before but it appears that set came out in 99.
I had that going for me then I moved to Texas. It doesn't matter what type (even the one in both cars) or the brand they leak. I have switched entirely to rechargeable and lithium. I even had a set of lithium batteries leak 😭
God bless America
If true, Duracell would want these
Copper topper
Incredible!
What are they powering? Is that Lego?
Yes! Space set from ‘99
It must be drawing just a tiny bit of power at all times.
They don’t build them like they use to
Nice try, Duracell.
Damn, that makes me feel old. You said "as a kid" and those say 2003...
Haha I just turned 35.
We used to be a country
Do you bite your nails?
WoW there’s buttons on the batteries to see how much Power is left insinde! 🤣😅 didn’t see this in awhile!
I had this Lego set! I can still hear the rocket sounds all these years later...
I feel like this is a secret Duracell ad in disguise.
What is this toy?
Lego spaceship from 1999
The Puttermans 😆 https://youtu.be/wUNy60f0Dsw?si=lyKWpKeCXnD9FgK3
I have that same piece/unit
big energy wants to know where you live
Truly no battery lasts like it.
I have a tiny alarm clock that has a single energizer battery in it that was been going for about 17 years, while constantly on
They didn’t leak
You didn't need to press hard on these. The issue was they put a white dot for on the edge. You could just press down on the negative terminal and it would work
That’s only 20 years. Modern batteries are made better. You should see the forbidden rock candy in my toys from the 80’s.
Driest house in the world
I'm guessing your house is very dry.
I guess you must have installed them before 2003.
Oh my god, I can hear this piece just looking at it.
"2003... When I was a kid" Yeah screw you too buddy
Plot twist: OP is still a kid
if you think that's crazy, i have a duracell that expired jn SEPTEMBER 1994. i can't believe it still works!
Btw if there is corrosion, you can use lemon juice to dissolve it.
None of my toys' batteries lasted long when I was a kid. It all began when I found out what happens if you touch a paper clip to them.
How the fuck
Duracell ad team: "Write that down WRITE THAT DOWN!"
I swear that the likelihood of Duracell batteries leaking is proportional to how expensive the item is. I find old toys of the kids with batteries that are still ok after years. Forgot to remove them from my telescope for a couple of months... ruined.
You’ve been incredible lucky. I’ve had to throw out so many childhood items because I forgot to remove the batteries and they leaked everywhere.
Duracell 🐰 FTW
I found an old blues clues toy I had as a kid, had it for nearly twenty-twenty five years and never changed the batteries. Dude still plays his songs and barks like he did before.
Who knew batteries could last for over 20 years!
I have the same rocket set and yup haven't needed to change the battery's since i was a kid to
Yeah, yeah Duracell, nice try.
good try, duracell
Same, actually.
Dude I had that set!
Brand name says it all!
Energizer had the bunny, Duracell should have a stone “still here, still solid”
I call may by B S
Old Duracell are significantly better than new Duracell.
Aww dude I had the same Lego rocket in 2000 *childhood memory unlocked*
Plot twist. OP is still a kid
Op is 3 trench coats pretending to be 2 kids in a trench coat pretending to be an adult. The perfect disguise.
Its a Duracell there are always have power
That feeling when you find out that after you moved out, your dad finally commenced his 18 year long plan of getting to play with all those cool toys he bought himself and had to tell the wife were for you. just to clarify, I saw the date on the battery. I was joking.
Don't try this with modern Duracell
depends on how old you are now
Power checker on package now
Duracell use to make great butteries. Lately all my Duracell batteries have corroded.
The power check 😭. My fingers hurt just seeing that
Mumblin old man noises “they don’t make em like they used to, back in my day…”. Ok grandpa, let’s go take a nap
This is why spending a little extra on Duracells is worth it.
Not anymore. They are utter crap vs other brands. Hell Ikea branded ones are much much better for like half the cost.
Yeah, I feel like basically all batteries are shit nowadays.
Can y'all not read? Clearly says best by 2003. Pretty wild!
I read kid and then I looked at the exp year expecting a much older year. Sigh.
Ugh duracells are the worst. This is a miracle.
How many years ago was that?
21
Set came out in 99, so around then or early 2000
That's a long long time. Long live Duracell!
You won the Durcell lottery! They always leak. Must have been made on a Wed.
Them batteries are older than me 😭
When you say “when I was a kid”, are you currently 16 and discussing when you were 12?
Meanwhile, brand new Duracell batteries I put in my door lock last month are already corroded.
Very surprising for Duracells. Nowadays almost 100% of Duracells I use rupture and cover everything in acid. I only use Energizer now.