Help! Battery leak in my EoTech

[Flewda]

So this evening I was inspecting my safe and thought I would check out my EoTech 512. Didn't turn on. Okay, no biggie, time to replace the batteries. Except when I removed the battery box I could see a mucus connecting the batteries to the optics as I pulled it away. CRAAAAP one of the batteries leaked. Not sure how long ago it happened, but it was a right mess.

Soooo I take it out to the garage and start inspecting it. The good news is the terminals on the optics itself are in great shape. The battery box is awful. After some toothbrush scrubbing and alcohol soaking I got it pretty clean and put back together. Take it for a test drive, and lo and behold it works! I take it back to the garage to clean off some oil that I figured may have gotten up near the buttons from my CLP when I was last cleaning it. I used a compressed air can to move it around out of some crevices and then dabbed it with a cotton swab. It was red. Then it dawned on me: in the safe the gun sits with the muzzle facing up. The batteries leaked and naturally gravity played its role (lousy gravity) and the battery acid crap leaked down.

So my question is, has anyone else had this happen to them and how did you clean it up? I assume over time this is going to corrode away the insides (at the very least, the buttons). I am not sure the best way to clean it up so that it won't eat away at the scope and won't get traces of battery acid on my fingers every time I turn it on/off. I don't know much about batteries, but some folks were talking about the battery (being an alkaline) is that it's a base, and not an acid. So will this be a problem even other than possible skin irritation?

I've read that I should get Lithium batteries for the future (which is acidic). Sounds like I should keep the battery cap off, too, until I am ready to use. That's real convenient in the event I ever needed to grab it fast :-\

Any help would be appreciated.

J

 

[Davetex]

Give EOTech support a call. Very good folks to deal with. My EOTech had a fading reticle and a busted battery post so I called and they told me to send it in. They fixed it free and sent new batteries back with it. Also it was way out of warranty. Got it back in 2 weeks. Oh, and they replaced the battery posts.

Just call them, can't hurt anything.

 

[shortround]

Same happened to me. At rest, take the batteries out, every time. The Eotech, even when switched off, does funky things to batteries. Stay far away from Rayovac batteries -- I have not had them last in any device and they always leak.

I've had good luck with Duracell and Bunny Batteries.

Eotech does have a fix for battery compartments contaminated by leaking batteries. Give them a call.

 

[Flewda]

Believe it or not these were Duracell. I've never had issues with them in the past.

Like I said, I *think* I got the battery compartment squared away. More concerned with the battery material being in the main piece. I might give them a call and see what they recommend. I got this thing back in 08 so it's way out of warranty for sure, and since this isn't technically a malfunction or issue with the scope itself I don't imagine there's much they will do, but who knows. Might just be something I try to clean up best I can and if it dies for good, then lesson learned.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[vmax]

What it you just set up a reminder and replaced your EO Tech batteries every six months?
I just bought one and I don't want to end up like OP. You could replace them when you do your smoke detectors at the same time. I just can't see leaving them out when I might need the thing in a hurry

 

[Vaquero]

Bunny batteries leak too.
Routine maintenence needs to be more routinely.

 

[BigBoss0311]

Happens. Lithium is the way to go. Your EOTech will be fine. We have dozens of them that this has happened to. The fun part is keeping the springs that the batteries compress in the battery compartment.

 

[Flewda]

Happens. Lithium is the way to go. Your EOTech will be fine. We have dozens of them that this has happened to. The fun part is keeping the springs that the batteries compress in the battery compartment.

Heh, yeah I dang near threw out one of those springs when I was trying to get rid of the leaky batteries. It had stuck to the back of one, but it has that big rubber bumper around it so it didn't even dawn on me that it was from the box. I thought it was just already in the container I was throwing the batteries into. Fortunately I switched containers and didn't bother grabbing it then I realized "Yep, I need that piece" lol. I will be picking up some Lithiums today and that will be that. I am going to set up an every other month reminder to check through all that stuff and make sure there are no issues. I've had this thing since 2007 or 2008 and it's never happened before so it just didn't even occur to me that it would happen.

VMax and Vaquero - definitely going to get that routine going. Good tips.

Thanks guys! As always, you're input is appreciated.

 

[grumper]

Lithium batteries should help. They don't burst and leak like alkalines. Lithiums catch on fire instead but only when you do something crazy like discharge the whole battery at once.

But I don't store lithium batteries in my EOTechs either, because there is still a slight drain even if the sight is off.

 

[Flewda]

Lithium batteries should help. They don't burst and leak like alkalines. Lithiums catch on fire instead but only when you do something crazy like discharge the whole battery at once.

But I don't store lithium batteries in my EOTechs either, because there is still a slight drain even if the sight is off.

Is that just an issue with EoTech? Or do all battery operated items do that?

I just finished cleaning it up and put in some lithiums. I might pop the latch and see if the terminals touch. If they don't, then it'd be super fast and easy to slap the clamp down if I needed it fast.

 

[grumper]

That's just the way disposable batteries are.

The EOTech does slowly leech batteries while turned off, so I never store them with batteries loaded. Happens to prevent the leaking inside the sight problem at the same time.

Sucks if your EOTech is on your HD gun. Only real solution is to routinely check and replace them before they run dry or pop.

 

[Vaquero]

Is that just an issue with EoTech? Or do all battery operated items do that?

I just finished cleaning it up and put in some lithiums. I might pop the latch and see if the terminals touch. If they don't, then it'd be super fast and easy to slap the clamp down if I needed it fast.

Might be able to rig up a pull tape, like on some battery operated items.
A small plastic strip to break contact untill ready for use. Yank the strip out and good to go.

 

[Flewda]

Might be able to rig up a pull tape, like on some battery operated items.
A small plastic strip to break contact untill ready for use. Yank the strip out and good to go.

That's a killer idea! Good call, Vaquero!

 

[Mic]

Mine is not on a home defense weapon so I dont store batteries in it.

 

[SC-Texas]

I run lithium in all night vision and optics.

I take the lithium batteries out of the nvg when it gets put up

 

[TexasRedneck]

Little known fact - contact the battery manufacturer. They will replace or repair the device at no charge.

 

[Mic]

Little known fact - contact the battery manufacturer. They will replace or repair the device at no charge.

Is that any manufacturer TR? That sounds awesome, but it's a tough one to believe universally. I could see maybe one manufacturer doing it.

 

[Flewda]

Hmmm I might try that. It was Duracell, wonder if that would work.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Duracell, Everready - the larger US manufacturers all will. Everready replaced a set of ears for me last year, Duracell a wireless temperature system.