Mixing different types of batteries: should you do it or not?
Gin and tonic, whiskey and cola, vodka and tomato juice? In the cocktail bar, mixing is generally okay. But when it comes to batteries, mixing is usually not okay. But why is that? And are there exceptions?
Mixing old and new: is that allowed?
We all know it: a flashlight that barely emits a beam of light, a smoke detector that beeps because the batteries are almost dead (and of course at 2 AM), a remote control that only follows your commands after you pressed the button 7 times... Off to the pantry then for 2 new batteries. But unfortunately: there's only one left in the blister pack. So, replace just one battery instead of two? No. This will cause the old battery to discharge too deeply, causing the battery to swell.
As a result: The battery will eventually burst due to the pressure, allowing the electrolyte to escape and damaging the flashlight, the remote control will completely stop working, and the smoke detector will also fail.
Mixing brand X and brand Y: is that allowed?
Back to the pantry: relief, because there you find a battery in a blister pack, and another one in a different packaging. And they are even identical in composition too! Only, one is from brand X and the other from brand Y. Would that make a difference? Unfortunately, it does.
When you combine different brands, the combined performance of the batteries can diminish. Therefore, it's better to always use batteries of the same brand, and preferably batteries with the same expiration date. If you don't do this, there can be a loss in performance.
Mixing type X and type Y: is that allowed?
Once again in the pantry: hooray, 2 brand new batteries! And from the same brand, too! However, one is a single-use alkaline battery, while the other is a rechargeable lithium battery. You can see where this is going: mixing batteries with different chemical compositions is not a good idea. So always use alkaline with alkaline, lithium with lithium, and so on. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging your device and losing some performance. For each device, you should also use the type of batteries recommended by the device's manufacturer.
Video
Replace all batteries in your device at once
Also choose batteries from the same brand and with the same state of charge. Also, check out the instruction manual of the device. Use batteries with the recommended composition, and use batteries of which the composition is identical. That is better for you (because it is safer), better for your device, and better for the performance of your device. Half-full orphan batteries can still be used in devices that only require one battery, like a wall clock or kitchen scale.
