First, the tip for storing batteries, learned from Alejandra of Alejandra.tv. I got one of those craft organizers from City Mill and stuck all those loose batteries that were rolling around on my shelf after the Costco mammoth packs were opened up and batteries would spill out in freedom.
Works pretty good, though I am not sure if the ends should be all facing the same way so I put the more plentiful smaller sized ones (AAA) in a small plastic bag in order to control them.
When moving this battery case around, it is better to hold the case level instead of carrying it like a suitcase – less rolling and moving in the compartments.
Aunty really likes this storage solution. It was a great way to grab up all those potentially good batteries that were hanging/hiding out in the closet that I hated to open. However, some of those batteries didn’t look so good, and one even was dated 2011(!), but the Chang in me (sorry for the ethnic slur, but my friend Chang would understand) couldn’t just toss them out – what if they were still okay?
Musings is a blog that is written and maintained by a former school teacher named Kay. I don’t even know her but I love to visit and eavesdrop. One of her posts referred to a YouTube video about battery testing without any tools. The video is below. I did the test on the big batteries in my case – those D size ones, thinking that they were too big to fall. Unfortunately, or maybe it was fortunate, they aren’t too big to fail, and fall they did. Parting with potentially good batteries would have been tough. Parting with junk ones is easy. Mahalo for the tip, Kay!
Update: Bill Harvey is one of the smartest people Aunty knows. Bill emailed Aunty with an additional tip to test those 9 volt batteries where both terminals are on the same end. Touch your tongue to the terminals and if there is a slight tingle, then it’s still good. Aunty hasn’t tried that one yet – maybe one of these days when she needs a little excitement. Also, even if some of the batteries fail the falling test, they may still have enough of a charge left to work, just not at full capacity. Mahalo for the tip, Bill!
Update on update: Aunty found a 9 volt battery lying around and did the tongue testing. Wooohooo! Tongue got a yowza of a tingle. Then, the battery started getting quite hot, so Aunty tossed it in the outside trash can in case it decided to blow. It was a bit too exciting for Aunty.