PeterD said something like:

....[rip]...

Most likely 'fake' Energizer batteries. Common problem, take a very
cheap import battery, put a new lable on it, and sell it for *more*
than it is worth!

I've heard of such things....is there a way to distinguish batteries I
wonder?


As to moist cardboard draining them, IMHO unlikely unless the
cardboard or moisture has some contamination (salt?) that increases
conductivity.

Yep, but I am also wondering about the acidity. I know from my comic book
collection years that all paper products, and in *particular* brown
corregated cardboards, are far below PH-7. I don't know if there is a salt
that is in it, or something else very mildly conductive. I'm getting more
convinced from you guys however that I'm barking up the wrong tree here...


Easy enough to test, just put some (say two or three) batteries in
series and connect to cardboard while measuring the current. Bet it
reads zero.

With my multimeter, a miniscule current flow would be within the noise.


I think you got scammed with sub-standard (or very outdated)
batteries.

Understood. It's also possible that the seller doesn't know /his/ supplier
well enough, though I'm certainly not making assumptions in any direction
right now.

I did notice that a couple of the batteries didn't have dates on them at
all. And some of those had "made in singapore" stamped on their sides. Is
it possible for energizer to be manufactured there on occassion?

The seller to me buys the energizer-AA's in bulk lots of 5000. He is
interested in getting to the bottom of this---is there a way for him to know
what's what? I have moved beyond caring about this particular order and am
interested in figuring out /how/ to safely buy batteries cheaply.

For example, the children's toys eat up AA's like candy, and we have a baby
swing chair that uses more C batteries than a woman's prison...



--
"So I just, uh... I just cut them up like regular chickens?"
"Sure, just cut them up like regular chickens."