Weird AAA battery thing happened today, I’d like some opinions.

[harrisonm]

This is no big deal, but it really left me scratching my head. I have this thing called a Key Finder. It has a small remote with four different colored buttons on it, and each button color links to a similar colored fob that you put on your key ring. If I can’t find my keys, I push the green button on the remote and the green key fob beeps. It did not work today. So I took the old batteries out of the remote and put new batteries in it. Not only did it not work, but the little red light that comes on telling you your transmitting did not come on. So I put a new battery in the key fob, And it still did not work. So I put the old batteries back in the remote and it started working. I tested the new batteries, they each had 1.6 V. So why would new, good batteries not work but the old ones with only 1.5 V worked fine??? I double tested all of the AAA batteries several times. But the brand new ones with 1.6 V would not work in the remote. Weird.

 

[toolmanmike]

That is strange.

 

[72bluNblu]

After it worked again with the old batteries, did you try the new ones again?

Maybe all the battery swapping fixed a loose connection or cleaned up some corrosion or something…

 

[harrisonm]

Yes I did. When my wife got home, I said, "Look at this.".
So I pushed the green button on the little remote, the little red light illuminated on the remote, and the key fob beeped. Then I took out those old batteries (the original AAA batteries from about 3 years ago) and we tested them. They were at 1.5 volts each. Then we tested the new batteries, and they were at 1.6 volts each. I put them in the little remote and pushed the green button and nothing. The little red light did not come on and the fob did not beep. Then we put the old batteries back in and everything worked fine. WOW! What the hell. I misplace my keys all the time, and I love this thing. The link below will show you what I have. I didn't get it at Home Depot, this is just the first good picture I found. They are cheaper at other places online.

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/EKIEU...p.ds&msclkid=911e5b002d1a18601d98323a469133ff

 

[RogerRamRod]

They are name brand batteries correct?
I would be totally amazed, but they didn't build the batteries (or one of them) "backwards" and the voltmeter showing -1.6?
Thin plastic protector film on battery that you aren't seeing because you don't have your glasses on? (that phenomenon is starting to happen to me)

 

[Bewy]

The contact/connection points are probably corroded/oxidised.

 

[harrisonm]

They are name brand batteries correct?
I would be totally amazed, but they didn't build the batteries (or one of them) "backwards" and the voltmeter showing -1.6?
Thin plastic protector film on battery that you aren't seeing because you don't have your glasses on? (that phenomenon is starting to happen to me)

Energizer! I always buy name brand.

The contact/connection points are probably corroded/oxidised.

That was my first thought, but when I put the old ones back in and things worked fine, I dismissed that thought. However, shame on me. When it comes to electric problems, I always tell people not to overlook or assume anything. I'll try it Friday morning.

 

[George Jets]

1.6 is the wrong voltage.


☆☆☆☆☆

 

[RedFish]

Could be bad batteries.
It's not all about volts. Amps are required.
Ever see a car battery show 12.x volts on a meter and instantly drop to 1.x or 2.x volts at switch on? That is lack of amps.
Volts times amps equals watts.
Volts minus amps equals
whats?

 

[64mopar64]

Whenever a device fails to work I rub the battery & device contact points with a pencil eraser (or my blue jeans if no eraser is around). A high % of the time that gets things going again at least for a little while.