{"id":909,"date":"2016-10-02T14:27:39","date_gmt":"2016-10-02T14:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventureproof.com\/?page_id=909"},"modified":"2018-03-11T01:19:48","modified_gmt":"2018-03-11T01:19:48","slug":"keep-discharged-batteries-in-separate-ziplock","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/adventureproof.com\/?page_id=909","title":{"rendered":"Don’t mix new and used batteries"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Most of us now carry electronics into the wilderness,\u00a0such as\u00a0GPS, headlamps and\u00a0cameras. \u00a0Inevitably, this also means carrying a\u00a0pile of new and used\u00a0batteries. \u00a0And while many\u00a0things go\u00a0great together\u2014like marzipan and chocolate, sunsets and water, or\u00a0vodka and orange juice\u2014this isn’t true of new and used\u00a0batteries. \u00a0In fact, both battery\u00a0and electronics manufacturers warn\u00a0against mixing batteries. \u00a0But is this advice intended\u00a0to protect you or to increase battery sales?<\/p>\n<\/div>

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New and used batteries look the same<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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A volt meter can determine a battery’s charge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>
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It turns out there\u00a0are actually three good\u00a0reasons not to mix\u00a0batteries of\u00a0differing states\u00a0of charge, or voltages. \u00a0First, a used\u00a0battery has\u00a0higher internal\u00a0resistance to current flow than a\u00a0new\u00a0one, and will heat up when the current of a fresh\u00a0battery passes through it. \u00a0If it overheats, the old\u00a0battery can\u00a0leak or rupture. \u00a0Second, the voltage required by the device may be\u00a0the sum total of all batteries. \u00a0Using weak\u00a0batteries will reduce the overall voltage\u00a0available, and the added resistance of the old\u00a0batteries will impede whatever voltage remains. \u00a0Your device could perform poorly\u00a0or fail to work at all. \u00a0Third, using a new\u00a0battery together with a discharged\u00a0one will drain energy from the new battery. \u00a0The fresh\u00a0battery may actually\u00a0try to charge the\u00a0old one,\u00a0wasting energy. \u00a0This can cause your device to stop working prematurely. \u00a0Which of these risks apply is a function of how a given\u00a0device is wired, but since this is hard to tell, best to assume all\u00a0of these are possible.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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Unfortunately batteries\u00a0look the same regardless of their state of charge, so unless you carry a volt meter it’s hard to\u00a0tell\u00a0if\u00a0the little suckers are charged. \u00a0The longer the trip or expedition, the greater the risk of mixing up the batteries. \u00a0To prevent this, it’s best to start a\u00a0trip with fresh\u00a0batteries in all devices. \u00a0Store any extra batteries in\u00a0a ziploc bag marked “Full” or “New”. \u00a0Carry another ziploc marked “Empty”, “Discharged”, “Old”, “Used”, “Depleted”, “Dead”, “The Kaiser Wears Blue on Tuesdays” or whatever else clearly indicates that these batteries aren’t fully charged. \u00a0As batteries are drained put them into this\u00a0bag so they can’t mix with the others. \u00a0After all, the more your electronics work as designed, the sooner you can get home to enjoy that vodka and orange juice.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Adopt a system to prevent mixing new and used batteries<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

Considerations:<\/em><\/p>\n