Household Small Battery Storage Box/Case

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Peanut

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I’ve needed a good way to store small household batteries for years. Like most people I have a drawer full of them. I keep a small stapler and a roll of tape in the drawer to close open packages.

For a couple years I’ve been eyeing battery boxes/cases like the one below, waiting for one that met most of my needs and was cheap. I didn’t want to spend more than $20 until trying one out for a while.

The one I bought holds about 75ea AA & AAA batteries, 8 C-cell, 8 D-cell, 8 9v and a small compartment for flat batteries. It has a battery tester which I don’t need (I have a fluke multimeter). It meets all my needs except D-cell storage. I have 6 mag-lights in the house, 4 hold 3 D-cells and the other 2 hold 2 D-cells. I have 3 LED lanterns that use D-cells.

I really like the way this small case organized my big drawer filled with batteries and light bulbs. This case fits in the drawer also, actually 2 or 3 could fit (its a big deep drawer. Maybe I should look for another one just for D-cell storage. I keep about 40 D-cell replacement batteries in the house at all times.

Anyone else have one of these or similar?

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I keep mine in a drawer, but the smaller ones are kept in zip lock bags in the drawer. That makes the search a little easier.

I do like the storage box. I'm thinking that if I had a box like that I would probably keep it in the same drawer where the batteries are now. Not sure that would improve the process.
 
When I cleaned out the big drawer last night I found a dozen AA's & AAA's that had fallen out of pkgs through the years. They checked good. They were my target anyway. Those always fall out of packages..

It occurred to me this morning I could glue up a light weight wooden or plastic tray for all the D-Cells. It doesn't have to have a lid, just sack 3 deep.
 
I get my batteries at Costco and most come on a card. I use my hole punch on the top middle of the card and then an S-hook from chain binders to hang the card on the end of the wire shelving. C and D cells just sit, stacked on the shelf in their original boxes.
 
When I cleaned out the big drawer last night I found a dozen AA's & AAA's that had fallen out of pkgs through the years. They checked good. They were my target anyway. Those always fall out of packages..

It occurred to me this morning I could glue up a light weight wooden or plastic tray for all the D-Cells. It doesn't have to have a lid, just sack 3 deep.

I did the same thing a couple of months ago. The drawer was like a goat's stomach. God knows what was in there. That is when I put everything into it's own zip lock bag, so it is as organized as a drawer can be. The C's and D's are easy, and we seldom use them. The double A's; the triple A's, and the C123's are kept separate, but now are much easier to find.

Your battery box would be ideal if you had to bug out, or grab and go.
 
hey Peanut :We go through about 8 C cell batteries a week, so they don't get time to be stored. But, having a case for my AA, AAA, and Ds would be nice... You didn't say where you got your case....

At the start of Hunting season I will use about a dozen, then it's just the remotes and small stuff. I have switched over the the 18V cordless tools and there are lighting systems that work with them, they last a long time and I always keep half a dozen batteries charged for emergencies.
 
@UrbanHunter @masterspark I got it at amazon... They have dozens of styles available. Most boxes are for non-prepper type households. The boxes hold just a few assorted batteries and have a tester.

The one I bought didn't have the capacity I needed but was close. Prices range from $15 to $30.
 
I just have two boxes. One for charged cells, one for discharged. There are a mixture of LiIon and NiMH chemistries in there, and also a mix of sizes: AA's, AAA's, CR123's, 18650's, 14500's, RCR123's. The "discharged" box is normally empty - it is a temporary holding place only until I get around to recharging its contents. I just have to make sure I am grabbing an AA NiMH for a standard device and not a 14500 - these two batteries are the same size, but different voltages. Accidentally using a 14500 in a AA-sized device not made for the higher voltage will probably destroy it. Normally I would advocate AGAINST storing AA NiMH and 14500's together because of the potential for mix-up. But this is an example of "Do as I say, not as I do".

We also have a bunch of backup alkalines, usually bought at Costco so they are in huge quantity packages. We leave those alkalines in their original packaging - if opened, augmented with scotch tape to hold things together if necessary.
 
If anybody is interested here is a link. I bought myself an early Christmas present. Thanks, Peanut.

https://www.batterydaddy.com/?mid=11327586&msclkid=840156294ede1686175309672acf60cf


I saw the one you bought a couple of days after I started this thread. It's identical to mine except for color.

I still haven't found one just for storing 30 or 40 D-cells. Weight is the problem for a case storing large numbers of D-cells. The biggest one I've found will hold only 8 batteries. It's looking more and more like I'll have to make a case. I bough glue yesterday just for this purpose.
 
I saw the one you bought a couple of days after I started this thread. It's identical to mine except for color.

I still haven't found one just for storing 30 or 40 D-cells. Weight is the problem for a case storing large numbers of D-cells. The biggest one I've found will hold only 8 batteries. It's looking more and more like I'll have to make a case. I bough glue yesterday just for this purpose.

Get a Pelican case for your D-cells. They come in a variety of sizes from small (4-5 inches) to huge for carrying long guns.
 
We seldom use D cells anymore. The package was just shipped, so we will see. It is supposed to come with a tester which is handy. Good Lord willing and the Creek don't rise it will fit in the same drawer we keep all the batteries now. That would be ideal. If not we will find a place.
 
We don't use rechargeable batteries. I do have a couple of rechargeable flashlights that seem to work quite well. This one I keep on my key chain. It is an O Light EOS I believe. You can get it on Amazon for about $15.00.

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Do any of you use rechargeable batteries?
We don't use batteries as much as you guys do but I also have a drawer with loose ones rattling around.
Need to get some new flashlights.
@joel does your friend keep them in original packaging or plastic bag (in freezer)?
I use the larger 18V rechargable for saws, drills, and 2 nightstand lights (I keep all the batteries I have fully charged), I have a small stock pile of AA and AAA rechargable batteries but I don't trust them for mission - critical activities. They are helpful around the house, but for me it seems that they unexpectedly go bad at the worst time.. 1/2 hour after dark in the woods half mile from the truck..
Not good. Now, I always carry 2 lights + spare batteries.

This week I got my annual order 50AAA, 25 AA, 4 - 9Vs; store them in the original packaging in the "beer (Actually Diet Coke)" Fridge crisper.... I have 4 of the old 4-D-Cell Maglights - I keep batteries with them but not in them (I have lost gear to leaking batteries), I keep a set of rechargable batteries ready for each - in case we have a prolonged power outage.
 
We don't use rechargeable batteries. I do have a couple of rechargeable flashlights that seem to work quite well. This one I keep on my key chain. It is an O Light EOS I believe. You can get it on Amazon for about $15.00.

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My wife and I both have one of those on our keychains. Great little lights and they hold a charge for a very long time. I like Olight flashlights, I have several.
I have a shop full of 20v DeWalt tools with 8 batteries and 4 chargers. I do not leave the batteries on the chargers unless I am going to be in my shop while they charge.
I have a bunch or 18650 rechargeable batteries and I did buy cases to hold them.
The AAA and AA batteries are in zip lock bags.
My SILs brother had his house burn to the ground. The fire department investigated and determined the fire started in his garage because of a tool battery overheating. He left the batteries on the charger all the time.
They lost everything. It was just lucky his wife heard windows breaking just as they went to bed. His brand new $90,000 F350 was just a puddle of melted aluminum.
Get a Pelican case for your D-cells. They come in a variety of sizes from small (4-5 inches) to huge for carrying long guns.
The cases at Harbor Freight are very good and about half the price of Pelican cases. I use those for things like first-aid kits and to keep small stuff organized.
1800 Weatherproof Protective Case – Small
 
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I tried the rechargeable route 15 or so years ago. There was no universal charging station available at that time. I had to buy a special charger for every type of rechargeable battery, and for every size battery. There were even variations with the same type and size made by different manufacturers, sometimes they required different chargers.

I ended up with a 15+ chargers and even the chargers were unreliable. I finally tossed the whole pile of crap in the trash.

All of these issues could have been resolved by now but I have taken the time to research it.
 
Do any of you use rechargeable batteries?
We don't use batteries as much as you guys do but I also have a drawer with loose ones rattling around.
Need to get some new flashlights.
@joel does your friend keep them in original packaging or plastic bag (in freezer)?
My friend buy them in plastic cartons & puts the cartons in the carry out bags, so they do not touch the food bags.
They are in the same corner, so they are easy to find, she live alone & does not freeze a lot of food.
I have three freezers, she has one, she rotated her batteries after Y2K, gave us some & they worked just fine & they were a few years old.
You could put them in chest freezer baskets or on the top shelf in an up right freezer.
 
Do any of you use rechargeable batteries?
We don't use batteries as much as you guys do but I also have a drawer with loose ones rattling around.
Need to get some new flashlights.
@joel does your friend keep them in original packaging or plastic bag (in freezer)?
Weed trimmer, mower, chainsaw, leaf blower all take the same battery. Drills and impact wrench each have their own batteries. A number of flashlights with the same rechargeable battery that uses the same charger as our phones. I have some rechargeable AA and AAA batteries but rarely use them. I also have some adapters to use the AA in C or D cells.
 
Everything I own either runs off 6 volt lantern batteries or plugs into the wall.
I do have 2 battery chargers - for car batteries.
 
Battery Box/Case part 2

I found what I needed at HF yesterday. A cheap plastic ammo can, it'll hold 54 D-cell batteries with a little room to spare. A few pieces of thin cardboard fills the gaps nicely. so there isn't very much movement.

Also, it insulates the battery ends from each other and the layers. It certainly qualifies as water resistant.

I have 43 D-cells in it now, gross weight is 12.3lbs. Now my battery storage problems are solved.

Also, the same ammo can is at WM for the same $5 price.


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Battery Box/Case part 2

I found what I needed at HF yesterday. A cheap plastic ammo can, it'll hold 54 D-cell batteries with a little room to spare. A few pieces of thin cardboard fills the gaps nicely. so there isn't very much movement.

Also, it insulates the battery ends from each other and the layers. It certainly qualifies as water resistant.

I have 43 D-cells in it now, gross weight is 12.3lbs. Now my battery storage problems are solved.

Also, the same ammo can is at WM for the same $5 price.


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I have quite a few of those, curiously enough my batteries look much different. LOL

That's a good idea though, I think I'll put my batteries in one.
 
I have a few of the older, larger metal ammo cans. I kept one filled with tools I'd put on the tractor when working remotely. The metal ones make great tool boxes. They are also good for ammo!

I hadn't seen these small plastic ones before, haven't been looking, just happened to notice them. But they are perfect for my needs.
 
I also have the metal cans & bought the plastic can on sale at HF, but none are used for batteries. I freeze my batteries for long storage, but I could us the plastic cans for that.
 
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