Q&A
- Correct Use of Dry Cell (Battery)
- Do not Leave dry cell in an equipment.
Power of dry cell may be lost in vain if you forget to switch off the equipment. It causes leakage of electrolyte which can damage the equipment. Remove dry cell's) if the equipment will not be in use for a long time.
- Use a same kind of dry batteries in an equipment.
Do not use different kinds of dry batteries or dry batteries in different performance. For instance, if you use a manganese battery and an alkaline battery in an equipment at the same time, the life time of the alkaline battery may be shortened. It is a waste of your money. Low grade batteries are forced to discharge by high grade batteries when they are connected. It may cause electrolyte leakage and/or puncture.
- Replace all dry batteries at once.
Do not mix old batteries and new batteries in an equipment. Life time of newer ones may be affected and shortened by old ones. It also cause electrolyte leakage and/or puncture like mixed use of different kinds of batteries.
- Remove used-up dry batteries as soon as possible and dispose of them.
Used up dry batteries do not recover their power. It may cause electrolyte leakage or other damages if you leave them in an equipment. Therefore it is necessary to remove batteries as soon as they are used up.
- Manganese batteries can be used for a long time if used intermittently.
Voltage of manganese batteries tend to recover a little while they are not in use. Lifetime of these batteries will be a little pro-longed. In the case of alkaline batteries, you cannot expect such recovery of voltage.
- Stick to the instruction about the kind of battery or number of batteries specified by user’s manual or instruction for the equipment.
Kind and number of batteries are specified for each equipment. The most suitable kind and number of batteries are selected and specified to operate the equipment in best condition. Follow the instruction for the equipment about the kind of batteries used.
- You can expect more efficient use of batteries in warmer circumstance than in colder one.
Batteries operate by chemical reaction. The lower the temperature the less active is the chemical reaction. Therefore, you can except more efficient use of batteries in warmer circumstance. The lower the surrounding temperature is the shorter is the life of battery, most suitable temperature is between 20°C and 30°C,
- Avoid reverse insert of battery terminals(＋,－).
When the number of battery used in an equipment is one or two, you can notice the reverse insert because the equipment does not operate in normal state. But in the case of more than three batteries, the equipment can operate. When one battery is inserted reversibly in an equipment, the battery is charged by other batteries and may eventually leak and/or explode.
- Do not solder battery terminals.
It may cause heating the battery and lead to melt or deform its plastic top seal, causing electrolyte leakage or electric shortcut inside the battery. It may also heat the battery too high, and inside pressure of the battery become too high and may cause a danger of damage or expression.
- Safe Use of Battery
- Insert a battery or batteries in right direction as to the polarity of its terminals (＋,－).
Make certain to insert the battery in right direction as to the polarity of its terminals(＋,－) as specified by instruction for the equipment. If you insert it in wrong direction the equipment may not operate in normal state. Moreover, in the case of equipment in which more than three batteries are connected in series, a battery which is installed in revere position by mistake may be over-charged by other batteries and cause electrolyte leakage and/or explosion.
Be sure to see the instruction of equipment and install batteries in correct manner. Rechargeable batteries should also be installed into a charger in correct manner.
- Do not disassemble, or heat, or throw into fire.
It is dangerous to disassemble a battery not only because its contents smear your hands and clothes, but also because it can heat up or its contents can get into your eyes. Some kinds of batteries can heat up and can be combustible. It is also dangerous to heat up a battery or to throw it into fire, because it can ignite or explode.
Lithium metal is used in a negative electrode of a lithium battery. Lithium metal reacts vigorously if it contacts with water and heats up, catches fire. It is dangerous to dismantle it, heat it up or throw it into fire.
- Do not short-circuit terminals.
If you connect between terminals of a battery or batteries with a piece of metal such as necklace or a piece of wire, electric current flows at once and it drains the power of battery. Further it may cause heating up of the metal piece or leakage of electrolyte or explosion.
- Do not recharge a battery which is not rechargeable.
Cylindrical batteries, button batteries, coin batteries are not designed to be rechargeable. Therefore, it is dangerous to recharge these batteries because they may cause leakage and/or explosion.
- How to do when electrolyte leaked from a cell was licked by an infant or a child, or when it was put into an eye.
- When electrolyte is licked, rinse out the month fully with tap water or other clean water and gargle enough to clean the mouth. When electrolyte is put into an eye wash it fully with clear water such as tap-water and consult your physician immediately.
- How to do when a child inadvertently swallowed a button cell.
- Small batteries (silver oxide batteries, alkaline button batteries, zinc air batteries, lithium coin batteries) can be put into an infant’s mouth and there is a danger of accident by being swallowed. Therefore, these batteries should be kept where small children cannot access If one of these batteries are swallowed, consult your physician immediately. Dispose of used up batteries according to a specified procedure, if any.
Keep batteries where an infants or children can not access lest they should be swallowed.
- Rechargeability of dry batteries :
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Nowadays somebody advocates and promote to recharge dry battery (in particular alkaline batteries) on the pretext of resource conservation, But, itself, it is very dangerous to recharge the dry batteries which are not designed and manufactured to be rechargeable.
In general, a battery emits gas while it is being recharged. If the inside of battery is filled with such gas, inner pressure goes up and may sometimes lead to explosion. . When a battery is installed upside down (with + terminal and - terminal reversibly installed), this battery is charged by other batteries and may lead to electrolyte leakage and/or explosion. Therefore all alkaline batteries designed and manufactured in Japan have safety vent valve. But once safety vent valve of alkaline battery operates, It does not recover to the formal state. After that, even if explosion can be prevented, electrolyte in the battery may leak. There are several chargers in the market today with which manufactures of them assert dry batteries can be charged depending on the situation.
But, since dry batteries are not designed and manufactured for the purpose of recharge, they have chances of dangerous accident if they are recharged. We can not assure safety as a result of such conduct.
We recommend you to purchase rechargeable batteries made for this purpose if you are to recharge them. For the purchase of charger consult charger manufactures.
- Can several batteries manufactured by different companies be mixed and used?
- Battery has a compatibility among several manufactures. But mixed use of batteries from different manufactures in a same equipment is not to be recommended. It is because batteries have some difference in characteristics among them depending on each manufactures even in the same grade of battery. It also be recommended not to mix or use batteries of different grade even if they are manufactured in the same manufactures.
- I would like to know how to dispose of used up batteries.
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- Used up manganese batteries and alkaline batteries are not designated as hazardous waste. They may be disposed of with other incombustible waste. But some local governments may adopt different waste collection system from other ones. Depend on the instruction of your local government.
- (In Japan)there is a collection system for used up button batteries (alkaline button batteries, silver oxide batteries, zinc-air batteries). Bring these batteries to a store which sells batteries and put them in [Button Battery Collection Box]. About 600,000 of such boxes have been distributed to stores and other facilities.
- (In Japan)used up lithium batteries are allowed to be disposed of with other incombustible waste. But in this case too, like manganese batteries and alkaline batteries, the measure adopted to dispose of them in one local government may be different of other local government. Therefore, depend on the instruction of your local government. Moreover, when lithium batteries are to be disposed of they may contact with other metal product, lead to heat up or explosion and even combustion. To prevent such accident, be sure to cover + and - terminals with an adhesive tape before they are discarded.
- Recycle Act in Japan specified that used Nickel Cadmium batteries and nickel metal hydride batteries should be collected. Toshiba Battery Co., Ltd. decided to use its sales channel to collect these used up batteries.
- Can a charger for Nickel Cadmium batteries be used for charging Nickel Metal Hydride batteries?
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Most of chargers for Nickel Cadmium batteries are to be charged with current intended to charge them in 8～15 hours. These types of chargers can charge Nickel Metal Hydride batteries.
But in the case of Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, the effect of over- charge on the battery is more severe than in the case of Nickel Cadmium batteries. In such situation, the life-of the Nickel Metal Hydride battery may be shortened or may lead to electrolyte leakage depending on the way of charging.
The manufactures of batteries and chargers do not guarantee such usage and offer chargers for exclusive use for Nickel Metal Hydride batteries.
