As part of my duties back in my days of being a conservation field ranger, I was required to be proficient as a wildfire firefighter. I recently read a post from @smithlabs (Toby) in The Pew Community about disposable batteries in thermometers running flat while in storage - you can find the post here. It reminded me of a little trick that we used to combat this issue.
Some Background
Fires are not a constant through the year and tend to have a peak fire season of 4 to 5 months and when out of season (usually the winter months) our packs would sit patiently waiting for when we would require their service again. When I first started there, we certainly didn't have the best systems in place and everything was very chaotic and disorganised. Our gear was a disaster too. We rectified that after a while but I do not know how many fire lines I arrived at where my head lamp battery was not functional, the battery had run flat even though the headlamp wasn't switched on.
A Simple Fix
My manager came up with a cunning plan that we rolled out. Without having to remove the batteries that you would then have to find in your pack and put into the headlamp, inserting a small square of thin plastic between the battery terminal and the headlamp contact broke the circuit and extended the battery life. It also prevented the headlamp from being accidentally turned on while rummaging in your pack for something else and then running flat.
It may only be a small thing but this kind of small alteration can be quite effective. I've subsequently used this with my camera remote shutter release and it yielded the same result. It can be used for any battery powered electronics that you don't use regularly. Of course you would need to periodically check the batteries for expansions or cracks and battery acid leaks as any of these can ruin the contact plates of your equipment and damage it or fuse it. It's not the best practice to keep the battery in place, but in this instance it saved time and was an appropriate fix that I thought I would share. It's similar to disconnecting the battery of your car if you'll not be running it for a while which is also a smart thing to do.
Anyone got other useful battery tricks to share?
I do this with electrical appliances that I need ready to go but may not be used often, my hand-held Garmin GPS unit for instance. It's a good little hack to employ and if you've ever lost an appliance due to battery corrosion one you'll remember to do.
A great post and thanks for putting it in my community. This is exactly what this community is for.
A dab of the grey grease used for connecting aluminium and copper wire will protect the contacts in portable gear, without interrupting the connection like common grease can.
Informative post, with good content!
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I forgot to say, @smithlabs has loads of good things to say. Smart dude.
Thanks for not saying smart aleck dude, ROFLOL; dodged that one....
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That insulator will help battery life, and avoid corrosion from leakage!
I have heated them to restore some capacity too!
Thanks for coming by!
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Hi Toby
Oh that's a very good tip! I used to put AA batteries in the sun when I was a kid, I'd forgotten about that. Great reminder, thank you.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Just a bailout when you're in a bind, but it works.
You have a nice weekend too, and keep your batteries dry!
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That's a great suggestion! Also, I haven't tried it yet, but I heard that baking soda can remove corrosion in some cases.
Also, if possible don't expose your batteries to extreme cold if at all possible (I've heard of some people trying to keep them in the fridge)
Primary batteries (non rechargeable) have a shelf life, so remember this when prepping. Rechargeable or secondary batteries have a limited number of charge times, dependent on type, charge speed, and discharge Cut off levels.
Always plan worst case use!
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Those are good points :) How about those little fold up wallet / backpack solar units? Some can even provide direct power without a battery bank. But are they any good?
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Cute, ROFLOL!
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They are usually low power, but enough to make a difference. Good in a bug out bag, but usually only 10 watts or so. But some power is better than none!
The big panels are 250 watts, and will charge my batteries in parallel, but they are not portable! But, trade offs can be helpful. Smaller systems have their place!
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Are the big ones hard to install?
They are 4 by 2 foot, and weigh about 25 pounds. I have seen them leaned at the right angle, at ground level.
I plan a much more complex mounting that tracks the Sun.
Pick your poison, and install it!
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For me price matters 😂
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