How many of you have multimeters/ohmmeters? When was the last time you checked the battery(ies) in them?

When I moved recently, I found an old one that I had misplaced and replaced. I put it in my battery box for testing. I pulled it out to check the rechargeables from my other battery thread, and noticed something suspicious at the top of the window. Opened it up and, yup, the battery had leaked all over the place.

Fortunately that was a very cheap one, and I had no qualms about just discarding it. It wasn't worth even trying to clean the contacts.

I pulled out my slightly better replacement one, and the battery was dead in it, too, but hadn't leaked yet.

I'm starting to call these "Ninja Batteries". They lay in ambush, concealed, undetected, finally attacking while you aren't looking.

I use mine often so if the battery dies I'd know before they leak.

But in my experience the shell of 9v battery usually contains the leak if there is one.

I do not leave alkaline batteries in anything I value.

I've lost a lot of equipment that way.

I've read this from you so many times. It's finally starting to sink in.

Also twice a year I pull out any gear/tools/equipment and check and test it. Just have a big checklist for the time change.

Yeah, my time change checklist keeps getting longer.