Small torch forgotten in a rucksack, has had a leakage from an Alkaline
battery. Is there any easily available household chemical that I am best
using to flush the torch out with. Thanks.

"john east" wrote in
:

Small torch forgotten in a rucksack, has had a leakage from
an Alkaline battery. Is there any easily available
household chemical that I am best using to flush the torch
out with. Thanks.

Since you say "flush", it sounds like it went all over the
place.

If so, take it apart, wash everything in warm water with some
Ajax and scrub with soft brush. It's OK to get everything wet as
long as you let it dry before reassembling.

Some metal parts which suffered slight corrosion may need some
gentle filing or at least a q-tip dipped in alcohol or
industrial electronics cleaning spray.

On Fri, 2 Sep 2011 18:11:09 +0100, john east wrote:

Small torch forgotten in a rucksack, has had a leakage from an Alkaline
battery. Is there any easily available household chemical that I am best
using to flush the torch out with. Thanks.

Buy a new one.

john east writes and having writ moves on.
Small torch forgotten in a rucksack, has had a leakage from an Alkaline
battery. Is there any easily available household chemical that I am best
using to flush the torch out with. Thanks.

Try vinegar and baking soda.

Mike "your torch has poison ivy" Yetto
--
In theory, theory and practice are the same.
In practice they are not.

Probably easier to buy new torch. Make sure to bag and mark the old one
hazardous waste though .. grin.
Actually, I have a strip light torch that had some problems from this and
could not find out how to get it to bits!

Brian

--
Brian Gaff -
Note:- In order to reduce spam, any email without 'Brian Gaff'
in the display name may be lost.
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"thanatoid" wrote in message
...
"john east" wrote in
:

Small torch forgotten in a rucksack, has had a leakage from
an Alkaline battery. Is there any easily available
household chemical that I am best using to flush the torch
out with. Thanks.

Since you say "flush", it sounds like it went all over the
place.

If so, take it apart, wash everything in warm water with some
Ajax and scrub with soft brush. It's OK to get everything wet as
long as you let it dry before reassembling.

Some metal parts which suffered slight corrosion may need some
gentle filing or at least a q-tip dipped in alcohol or
industrial electronics cleaning spray.

"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
...
Probably easier to buy new torch. Make sure to bag and mark the old one
hazardous waste though .. grin.
Actually, I have a strip light torch that had some problems from this
and could not find out how to get it to bits!


I took one apart and washed it in hot water to remove the cr@p left from
alkaline batteries leaking.
Its not as bad as the acid that leaks from cheap batteries.

john east wrote on Sep 2, 2011:

Small torch forgotten in a rucksack, has had a leakage from an Alkaline
battery. Is there any easily available household chemical that I am best
using to flush the torch out with. Thanks.



The electrolyte in alkaline batteries is potassium hydroxide which is a very
corrosive alkaline (like caustic soda - sodium hydroxide). Presumably a mild
acid such as vinegar or citric acid would be best to flush it out with.

--
Mike Lane
UK North Yorkshire
mike_lane at mac dot com

In message . com
Mike Lane wrote:

john east wrote on Sep 2, 2011:

Small torch forgotten in a rucksack, has had a leakage from an Alkaline
battery. Is there any easily available household chemical that I am best
using to flush the torch out with. Thanks.



The electrolyte in alkaline batteries is potassium hydroxide which is a very
corrosive alkaline (like caustic soda - sodium hydroxide). Presumably a mild
acid such as vinegar or citric acid would be best to flush it out with.

I agree and use lemon juice then cotton buds soaked with electrical
solvent.

--
John Bryan

responding to
http://www.homeownershub.com/diy/Cle...age-24639-.htm
Jasprt2 wrote:
Ajax is a bit harsh. (thus the corrosion warning)
You will get a good result using baking soda instead.
It neutralizes the acid and also breaks the adhesion of its residue.
You can use it on car battery terminals as well.

J.





john east wrote:


Small torch forgotten in a rucksack, has had a leakage from an Alkaline
battery. Is there any easily available household chemical that I am
best
using to flush the torch out with. Thanks.





-------------------------------------

Jasprt2 writes and having writ moves on.
responding to
http://www.homeownershub.com/diy/Cle...age-24639-.htm
Jasprt2 wrote:
Ajax is a bit harsh. (thus the corrosion warning)
You will get a good result using baking soda instead.
It neutralizes the acid and also breaks the adhesion of its residue.
You can use it on car battery terminals as well.

J.

Alkaline batteries are not acid based so an acid should be added
to the baking soda to a mildly acidic buffer solution. White
vinegar should do nicely.

Mike "has the OP tried anything yet?" Yetto
--
In theory, theory and practice are the same.
In practice they are not.