"jbclem" wrote in message
...
I have a portable scanner, Regency HX 1500, that I haven't used for quite
a while.
There is a lot of powdery blue-green stuff that covers the metal battery
connectors/tabs. I've cleaned it off with q-tips dipped in alcohol, but
it always comes
back. I'm storing this scanner without the AA batteries it uses...is
there a way to
permanently stop this blue-green and what exactly is it?

John



It's corrosion from traces of battery electrolyte. Clean it off with
vinegar, that'll react with the alkaline electrolyte and neutralize it. Then
wash it off with water and dry it out.