www.procontechnology.com.au To search our website - click here. REZAP CHARGER & BATTERIES

Procon Technology can supply the following battery charger and many types of batteries. Please see prices below and for quantity or bulk pricing - contact us. Rezap is now available in 220-240V and 110-120V. In Australia, call 1300304125 (toll free) now to buy!

QUOTE: 'We have been very satisfied with the (Varta D cell) batteries and Rezap system we are using for our remote field cameras.' Rowhan, Department of Sustainability and Environment (Project Officer - Threatened Flora and Fauna).

Some people say that you can't or shouldn't recharge throw-away alkaline batteries. What rubbish! With the exception of Duracell batteries (which seem to leak even when you don't recharge them), I've recharged many makes of alkaline batteries (Energizer, Eveready Gold, Varta High Energy, Kodak, Panasonic, Phillips, Maxell, Sanyo, Sony, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi, GP, Chevron, Coles, DSE Exxtra, Eclipse, Dorcy, Powercell, Rayovac and others) and I've been doing it for over five years now. I also use the Rezap to charge my standard NiMH rechargeable batteries for the digital camera - my preference is now the Varta Ready2Use battery (if you're sick of having to recharge NiMH batteries before using them - try Varta Ready2Use). If you are not as happy with the Rezap charger as I am, then return it to me for a full refund - Peter King. Funny... the only unit ever returned was one where someone received it as a gift and they already had one!

The 'Rezap Battery Doctor' or the 'Rezap Battery Engineer' (RBC883) from Digital Works is a 5-in-1 universal multi-chemistry battery charger. It not only recharges your standard Ni-Cad and NiMH batteries but also recharges ordinary throw-away alkaline batteries - some batteries over 30* times! It also charges Grandcell batteries. What more could you want? Well! It recharges most common battery sizes - AAA, AA, C, D, 9V (PP3) and 6V lattern batteries plus others (see below). And it does this entirely automatically (without fiddling with switches) by using an advanced computer chip that detects which type and size of battery is in each of the four slots and changes the re-charge characteristics accordingly. i.e. you can mix battery types and sizes in the charger! Takes from 5 min. to 17 hours to recharge batteries (max. capacity 4000mAh) depending on the batteries condition. So buy this Australian designed and engineered product and help save the environment...as well as your wallet! Operates on 220-240VAC 50 or 60Hz, comes with manual in English and French (basic instructions are also printed on the back of the charger), 2 year extended warranty and we supply four AA to C and D battery converters and 1 x battery container, 2 x AA Varta alkaline batteries and 2 x AA Varta Ready2Use NiMH batteries (worth around $25) FREE!

*Rezap says 'recharges up to 10 times' (5 times for 9v "transistor" batteries). Our tests show that Varta 'High Energy' batteries (made in Germany) can be recharged over 30 times and still provide some useful power! e.g. with LED torches or MP3 players! One Rezap user says: 'Excellent gadget - saves hundreds of pounds every year for us. We use a large number of ... 9v batteries in radio microphones. Nearly every battery takes a good charge for up to a dozen times. A really good device - saves money and the environment!'

Payment and delivery?
Payment may be made by debit or credit card (AMEX, DC, JCB, VISA or MASTERCARD) by PHONE, FAX or MAIL (or email at your own risk). AUS$ prices are Australian dollars. Note, these are EXPORT prices. For delivery within Australia please add 10% GST (use +GST column). For current exchange rates click here. For an order form that you can print out and fax or mail to us - click here.

Delivery charge within Australia $9.90 (normally by express delivery). Delivery to all overseas destinations: P.O.A. (ask us). EX-GST or DUTY FREE purchases may only be made when the delivery address is outside of Australia. i.e. for EXPORT orders. Prices subject to change without notice. ^Assumes AUS$1 = 75c US.

The VARTA HIGH ENERGY 'silver-top' batteries are MADE IN GERMANY and last as long or longer than Duracell 'copper-top' and Energizer! Varta doesn't spend millions on expensive TV advertising and so can pass the savings onto you. Varta provides one of the best value-for-money alkaline batteries on the market today. A recent test by the German magazine "ComputerBild" (Computer Chip) scored the Varta High Energy AA or Mignon battery the best in performance! See: Varta - Test Results & Awards. Varta also makes PowerOne and Rayovac! A whole range of batteries are available from Procon Technology please email, phone or fax us.

Customer feedback: 'I cannot praise this product highly enough. ...if you are a big battery user, get one as soon as possible, you won't regret it', Vocrobot, Review Centre. 'Wow...I just received the Rezap RBC883 unit (thanks for the fast delivery) and recharged our two Energizer 9V batteries in our garage door remote controls...there's a saving of $12 already. This looks like it'll pay for itself in no time! In fact, your claim that 'you should never have to buy another battery' is correct...I grab old batteries from work, recharge them and then use them again... and again...' John Hope, Queensland. UPDATE: 'I just thought I'd let you know that I haven't had to buy any 9V batteries for my garage remotes or smoke detectors in years! Thanks again for a great product!' John Hope, Queensland. NOTE: Procon Technology recommends using only NEW 'good-quality' 9V batteries in critical situations such as smoke detectors. 'I bought the Rezap charger because I was sick of forking out for new batteries for my Nintendo Wii remotes every few weeks ... I've now been using the same set of batteries (which you supplied FREE with the charger) for months! I'll be getting more Varta batteries for my Wii fit balance board soon. Thanks for a great product and a great website - it's very informative! A. Banks, NSW. 'Although very new, we are extremely happy with how easy and well the Rezap charger works! We were very impressed with the extra 12 months - FREE!!! Warranty. We will definitely recommend to friends!' Mr Glend Hutchinson, QLD. (note, the Rezap has been around for some time but it's only just getting the publicity it deserves). 'To anyone wanting to save the earth and their money - use Rezap. This gadget brings dead batteries back to life. It has saved our school a lot as we have recycled all sorts of batteries. A great buy...would recommend it to anyone.' Len Peris, Victoria. 'I wish I'd known about this years ago! With four young kids, the amount of batteries we use is enormous. We'd been keeping Energiser in business!' Mrs P. Benskin, WA. 'A terrific product. Will pay for itself in 6 months.' Edmund Harrison, Victoria. 'I really like the fact that I can just put any batteries I use into the machine and it does all the thinking - Good one!' Graham Hodgson, SA. 'I have been using the charger both professionally and personally for almost 12 months and it has proven a great money saver...My son has been zapping aliens with the same set of batteries for months - take note parents!' Terry Hope, Victoria. 'I think it's the bees knees.' Steven Yarrow, Tasmania.

Review on an American website (15th Feb 2009): Value for money 10/10, Overall value 10/10. 'It really does take a well designed product to get me banging on about it. But when I find one, that's exactly what I do. By profession I'm a telecommunications engineer. But I've done other stuff in the areas of industrial design, ergonomics, and marketing and, in my opinion, the RE-ZAP box is right in there. Another one of "these bang-on" products is my company van: Mitsubishi L300 - 2.4L, fuel injected, 5-speed manual. 1996 model with now close to 400,000 original km. My little Road Rocket! Everything in it reflects choice of good materials paint, plastics, wiring insulation, rubber hoses etc etc. Most astounding to me are the engine management electronics. I've personally had no issues in 23 years! My friends are sick of me ranting about it. :) And its handling. :))) The Re-Zap unit is in the same category!'

Email of the year(2006): I am using the Rezap now. It is a very neat package, much better and cheaper than the electronic battery chargers I bought from ... DSE which do not recharge alkaline batteries. Wish I had heard about yours earlier as I have about 30 NiMH AA batteries now. Thank you for spending so much time on the phone answering my questions... Tim Chung, Australia.

Email of the year(2004): 'What can I say. Ordered the Rezap Charger on Monday morning 4th October, it arrived Wednesday morning 6th October just after 9am, by 10am it is in full production re-charging my batteries... Once again thanks for the prompt and professional service, something we don't normally get when dealing with firms down South.' Kevin F, Northern Territory. (note, small items are now sent Express Post within Australia).

Other Reviews:

'Excellent gadget - saves hundreds of pounds every year for us. We use a large number of ... 9v batteries in radio mics. Nearly every battery takes a good charge for up to a dozen times. A really good device - saves money and the environment!!!' 3rd Jan. 2008 - Review Centre.

Note: This review mentions that 9V batteries he uses are charged 'up to a dozen times', Rezap use a conservative figure of only 5 times! It also mentions the use of 'Duracell' batteries and that some batteries have leaked or exploded* (a bit over-dramatic as the batteries may have EXPANDED & make a popping sound) - NOTE, we do not recommend the recharging of Duracell batteries - try any other make but, in our experience, Varta High Energy (made in Germany) are best!!! *According to these articles, 'Duracell' batteries can exploded !?!? Case 1: click here. Case 2: click here.

'This is just what the doctor ordered - if the patient happens to be a battery. And just about any household battery: alkaline, RAM, titanium, NiCd and NiMH and most sizes: AAAA*, AAA, AA, C, D, six-volt and nine-volt. The ReZAP Battery Doctor, invented locally by Wilson Lee, can recharge several different batteries simultaneously simply by loading them into the unit. The recharger uses a microprocessor to feed a trickle of electric current to each battery until power is restored. The product has also won the support of environmental lobby group Planet Ark, which is planning to feature it in an ad campaign to highlight its green benefits and the need to reduce used batteries in landfill.' Livewire, The Sydney Morning Herald. *AAAA alkaline batteries can no longer be charged!

Special Note: Some so-called 'experts' may tell you that alkaline batteries 'are not worth recharging' because they say you can only get 60% capacity back into the battery. Our own tests show that 70-80% of the original capacity can be restored on first recharge using Rezap. And when an alkaline battery costs 1/10th of the cost of a "good" NiMH battery (in Australia, alkaline batteries can be bought on special for 20c each) and keeps it's charge longer - "say no more". Finally, remember that although they say you can recharge a NiMH battery 500 to 1000 times they can start losing significant capacity (50%) after only 100-200 recharges! Their life is significantly shorter if you use a fast charger! Some USA websites or some 'so-called' experts on advise websites will tell you not to recharge alkaline batteries because they may leak or explode. Except for Duracell batteries - which DO leak and we advise you not to recharge them - we have had no serious problems with any other alkaline battery recharged in the Rezap charger in over five years.

More information on the RBC883:

1. Rezap RBC883 charger size: 23 x 14 x 6cm or 9" x 5" x 2". and weight: 1Kg or 2.2 pounds. This is a solidly built unit, which doesn't use a fan (unlike the Rezap Pro) and is silent in operation (ideal for use in a bedroom whilst sleeping). The batteries may get warm but not hot and are therefore less likely to damage your batteries!

2. Recharges up to four alkaline 1.5V batteries at a time. Sizes include: N(LR1), AAA(LR3 or Small Penlight), AA(LR6, Penlight or Mignon), C(LR14 or Baby), D(LR20 or Mono). Also recharges one 9V (6LR61) PP3 battery and one 6V (4R25) alkaline lattern battery (other large 6V battery sizes can also be recharged). Recharges four 1.2V NiCad or NiMH battery sizes: N, AAA, AA, C, D. Also: 2/3AAA, 5/4AAA, 2/3AA, 4/5AA, 5/4AA, 2/3A, 4/5A, 4/3A, 1/2SC, 2/3SC and 4/5SC and prismatic types (also gum-stick or M type) - batteries must be more than 26mm (1") in length up to 67mm (2.6"). Also can recharge one NiCad or NiMH 7.2V, 8.4V or 9.6V PP3 battery.

3. Rezap provides protection against: overcharge, short circuit, wrong polarity, negative delta voltage, zero delta voltage and over temperature. Also features: faulty battery rejection, timed cutoff control and battery tester. Remember Rezap uses an advanced recharge technique that extends the life of rechargeable batteries.

4. Do not attempt to charge Carbon Zinc (such as super heavy duty and general purpose batteries), Zinc Chloride or Lithium batteries in this charger (nor any other type of battery other than that recommended in the manual). We have tried re-charging Nickel Zinc batteries such as the GP Digi1 AA size but this is not as good as recharging alkaline batteries. We have also tried oxy nickel hydroxide batteries such as the Panasonic Oxyride but they didn't perform well and they leaked! Note, the Oxyride is being phased out in favour of a new alkaline battery from Panasonic called the Evolta has just been released with 30% more capacity - these have not been tried in the Rezap.

p.s. further tests recharging the GP Digi1 Nickel-Zinc AA batteries shows that they can provide some useful power in 'low drain' applications - I continue to use one pair I bought two years ago in electronic gadgets like digital multimeters and a graphics calculator.

5. In our experience, non-advertised alkaline batteries are best to use in most applications - as seen on the Today-Tonight TV program. They are cheap - as little as 50c each (on special 20c) because you're not paying for all that expensive advertising! They have a higher voltage than rechargeable batteries (1.5V against 1.2V) and high capacity - therefore your device operates longer (particularly devices which use an inverter circuit such as MP3 players and some LED torches). They do not lose much charge over time - so they are ready to use out of the pack (keep your batteries in a cool dry place - somewhere like the lower shelves of a pantry is ideal). They can be used in all devices - even those that say 'do not use re-chargeable batteries'. Note, there is no evidence that putting your alkaline batteries in a refrigerator will lengthen their life or restore charge. In fact, because of the moisture, they are likely to lose charge quicker. And, if you simply leave your alkaline batteries for a few hours and try them again you WILL find a small restoration of voltage and you'll get a bit more use out of them! Also comparing alkaline with NiMH batteries in a Creative TX MP3 player we found that the alkaline battery lasted 20-24 hours whereas a NiMH lasted only 12-16 hours! We have also found that some high-capacity NiMH batteries (AA and 9V) don't fit into devices because of their larger size! For further information - Click here.

STOP PRESS: The new SANYO eneloop or VARTA Ready2Use NiMH batteries in AA and AAA sizes (for devices that require C and D size batteries try our converters) work straight from the pack! These batteries retain their charge over much longer periods (after 12 months they still have more than 85% of their capacity left whereas other NiMH batteries are often dead flat after 3 months) We are now recommending that you buy these. Our tests in the Creative TX MP3 player show they lasted 12 hours straight from the pack and up to 16 hours when re-charged! My experience suggests that these batteries will last longer (are more realiable) than standard NiMH batteries, indeed the fact that some manufactures of these batteries say that you can recharge them 1,500 times is indicative of this! There are many brands of LSD (Low Self Discharge)* NiMH batteries available now but we believe that Varta Ready2Use represent the best value-for-money and we offer a special guarantee. Buy the Varta Ready2Use together with a Rezap charger from us and we will replace FREE-OF-CHARGE any Ready2Use battery that fails within the first 12 months of operation (recharge them as many times as you like). Conditions: Max. 4 pack of AA and 4 pack of AAA per household and you must use the Rezap charger (lower contacts only).

*Varta calls it ACP (Advanced Capacity Protection) and they retain 85% of their charge after 12 months. Beware of some battery manufacturers trying to claim LSD (Low Self Discharge) when you look at their specifications they have only 70% after 12 months OR, in the case of Energizer 2450mAh STANDARD NiMH batteries they claim 'UP TO 80%' of their charge after 6 months only! To illustrate how good the new LSD batteries are, I've installed 5 x AAA LSD NiMH batteries into my old Nokia 3810 mobile phone 2 years ago! These get charged almost daily and they have performed fantastically!!!! MUCH BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL NOKIA BATTERY!

Adventures in Rechargeable Batteries '...All rechargeable battery manufacturers love to boast about their product's current capacity (mAh). But there is a dirty little secret that they don't want you to hear: SELF-DISCHARGE RATE. ...I bought eight of those Energizer 2500mAh rechargeable NiMH batteries over one year ago. At first, I was very happy about the large current capacity offered by those batteries. But within a few months, I started to notice that they die very quickly in my digital camera. In fact, a set of Sanyo 2000mAh NiMH batteries I bought one year earlier seems to last much longer when used in the same camera. The Eneloop batteries are fantastic. Also, if you want a really cool charger, consider Rezap.'

6. It is recommended that alkaline batteries be re-charged before they go completely flat (less than 0.9 volt). Most electronic devices will cut-off at this level but many devices (old torches for example) will drain the batteries completely if left on - BEWARE! If your device has a low battery indicator, replace or recharge the batteries as soon as this indicator shows.

7. As we've had trouble with Duracell coppertop and Ultra batteries leaking, I cannot recommend you use these batteries. Surprisingly you may get greater battery life (i.e. more charge cycles) if you use less well known brands such as the Varta High Energy batteries. NOTE, because of this experience, I recommend that you re-charge alkaline batteries frequently (immediately after any heavy use), always check the batteries in the device regularly (remove them if you're not going to use the device for a long time) and always dispose of batteries that are rejected by the Rezap (my latest advise is that you should try to charge them a second time and if rejected again then dispose of the battery). Remember, if using recharged batteries in a torch that's not used very often or only for emergencies please take the batteries out - insert them only when needed.

8. Nine volt alkaline batteries (PP3) and six volt alkaline lattern batteries (PJ996 and 991 style) may also be recharged up to 5 times (due to their multi-cell construction don't expect too much from these batteries). Two crocodile clips are provided (stored in a neat compartment located at the bottom of the charger - which also stores the power cord) that are used to connect to 6V alkaline lantern batteries. To save even more money on lattern batteries, use our adapter PH9224 that converts four D cells to a lattern battery (you can recharge these batteries 10 or 15 times).

9. Charging time is typically 1 to 17 hours* depending on the batteries condition - the LED lamp on each slot shows when charging is finished. Each slot provides up to 250mA recharge current. The maximum NiCd or NiMH battery capacity that can be recharged is stated as; 4000mAh for AA (use the top contact position* for batteries greater than 2200mAh) and 4000mAh for C and D sizes. Recharge higher capacity NiCd/NiMH cells at your own risk - one customer has reported that his charger failed after trying to recharge 9000mAh NiMH D size cells! NOTE, it has been the experience of the Rezap people that many NiMH batteries do not have the stated capacity - you may be paying extra for nothing! You should be questioning batteries now labeled as 2600mAh (2.6 Ah or 2,600 mAh) or above (the rezap will happily recharge such batteries) *To make it easier to use the top contact position we now provide four AA to C/D cell converters. These can also be used to power your C or D cell torches/radio/boom box or other device using AA cells with the bonus that the batteries weigh less. e.g. using the D size converter it weighs 1/3 the amount! Take note, Maglite owners! *if the battery is fully charged, it takes only a few minutes to indicate this!

10. The manufacturers of Rezap have thought of everything. The charger has a power-on lamp (one expensive charger I tried, costing $150, didn't have this) and each slot has it's own small LED that flashes whilst charging and turns on when finished. The LED will turn off if the battery is rejected. Slot 1 can be used to test AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries and uses the four green LEDs to indicate the battery's charge condition. The charger also has two holes at the back to hang your Rezap up. And, as you can see, the charger has a cover that allows it to detect any temperature rise and shut-down the charger BUT the best thing is that dust and 'rubbish' don't get into the charging slots - like so may other chargers!

11. Note, new PP3 re-chargeable NiMH 9.6V batteries (8 x 1.2V cells) are now available. The Rezap, with it's higher voltage, is capable of re-charging this type of battery! Note, most PP3 NiMH or NiCd batteries are only 8.4V (7 x 1.2V cells). Some OLD batteries are only 7.2V - BEWARE!

12. When going on holidays, our recommendation is to just take a bunch of alkaline batteries (box of AA or AAA) and re-charge them when you get home! Or you can now take your Rezap in the car and use our low-cost 240V inverter MI-5121 ($45+GST) to power the Rezap (and your laptop computer etc.) from the car's cigarette lighter socket!

13. We no longer recommend Energizer NiMH batteries. In AAA size they are not only very expensive but 'Made in China' and had the worst capacity we tested. In the 2500mAh AA size they were 'Made in Japan' and although the highest capacity we tested they lost their charge very quickly. See: Adventures in Rechargeable Batteries. We recommend you buy Varta Ready2Use (most economical) or Sanyo eneloop - both we stock.

14. Rezap can be powered from your car's cigarette lighter socket using our 240V inverter MI-5121 ($45+GST). If you require both 240V and 110V operation simply buy the 110V version and a stepdown transformer MF1091 ($45+GST). Note, most hotels around the world have shaver sockets in the room that can be used to power the Rezap (10 Watts only is required). Please check the voltage before plugging it in!

15. WARNING. Do not use re-charged (including NiCd and NiMH) batteries in critical applications such as in smoke detectors (some people do this BUT they do so at their own risk). Always replace with a fresh long-life battery. The removed battery may then be re-charged and used in any non-critical device...toys, radio, garage remote controls etc. Note, as alkaline batteries are repeatedly re-charged they loose capacity and increase their internal resistance (therefore you get larger voltage drop under heavy loads). When this becomes a problem, simply use them in less demanding applications such as; remote controls, clocks, electronic games and other gadgets etc. That way, you'll get years of use out of your old batteries! By-the-way alkaline batteries are best to use in these low-drain applications because they don't loose their charge over time - typically NiMH batteries will go flat in two or three months (except Sanyo eneloop and Varta Ready2Use).

Rezap is the only alkaline battery charger currently on the market with: 1. AC pulse charge technology (Recognized as the most effective charge method for alkaline batteries). 2. Zero delta voltage, short-circuit and temperature protection. 3. Automatic detection of different types of batteries being charged (user-friendly with no confusing button or switch selections to make). 4. Full alkaline battery charge-safe protection. 5. Full overcharge protection safeguarding damage to batteries. 6. Charges RAM (Rechargeable Alkaline Manganese)* and Titanium batteries as well as Ni-Cad (Nickel Cadium) and NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries. 7. Charges 6V lattern type and 9V PP3 "transistor" batteries as well as N and many other sizes of battery. 8. Endorsed by Planet Ark. 9. Most of the profits stay in Australia because it is designed and engineered in Australia.

*The only RAM battery on the market now appears to be 'Grandcell' and they state, on the pack, these can now be 'recharged up to 50 times'.

International standards: The RBC883 Rezap Battery Doctor complies with the following Australian (AS), New Zealand (NZS) and international standards of electrical safety: AS3108:1994, AS3350.1.2000, AS3350.2.29.2001, EN206041A, EN60335.1, EN60335.2.29, EMC and C-Tick (AS1044.1995), CE (EN50082-1), FCC Part 15 Class B - ANSI C63.4-1992, UL1310 - 4th edition - class 2 power units, CSA standard C22.2 No. CAN/CSA-223-M91, CSA informs - power supplies no. 3. CSA Technical Information Letter No. Q-13 (Battery Charger for Charging Alkaline Batteries). The Rezap uses AlkalineMax Technology (TM) and is approved by major quality assurance test centres.

Fast chargers - the verdict: Please note that the Rezap charger is not a fast charger (it can take up to 17 hours to charge a completely 'dead' D size battery fully). The designers of Rezap were going to release a fast universal NiMH battery charger but found that most chargers claiming to charge in one hour or less just didn't live up to their claims! They may be able to top-up a battery or give a partial charge but it is impossible to fully charge a high-capacity battery in that time. And, if you try, it most likely will reduce the battery's life! You would be better off just carrying around a pack of alkaline batteries for emergencies (we no longer recommend lithium batteries because these are too expensive) and always use two or more sets of NiMH batteries (preferably Sanyo eneloop or Varta Ready2Use which retain their charge over long periods) - use one set whilst the other set is being slowly re-charged. You may have also seen a couple of chargers claiming 15 minute charge times (these have recently been taken off the market). Fast chargers are also more likely to 'burn-out' due to the high current they use and the high temperatures generated - much to the horror of some people who now own a Rezap! According to 'The Doc' it might take 15 minutes to charge a battery but it'll take 30 minutes to cool down before you can use it!

7 January 2007: THE DOC says - "Recently, on Bulletin Boards, there has been threads where users are blaming battery manufacturers for poor quality cells. Sorry folks, the problems are not caused (in the majority of cases) by poor quality cells*, but rather by very fast chargers and users having poor charging techniques. Most high capacity AA cells are not designed to be charged in less than 2 hours, never mind 15 or 30 minutes! You will, at some time, damage most AA cells charging them that fast. There are trade-offs between charging speed and cell life."

*I have been told by the Rezap engineers that some 'no-name' brand high-capacity NiMH batteries have leaked and 'appear' to have alkaline chemicals in them - you can conclude what you will from that!

Alkaline battery leakage: All batteries can leak - not just alkaline! It is therefore always recommended that if you are not using a device (e.g. torch, remote control) for a long period of time that you remove the batteries. When a 'good quality' alkaline battery leaks it first appears to have a discolouration around the metal terminals (sometimes a white powder appears). Look out for this and always dispose of these batteries (thoughtfully). In my experience the worst batteries are Duracell*, which will leak a liquid everywhere inside a device which will then require extensive cleaning (if not cleaned up immediately the battery terminals may corrode). Warning: always wash your hands after touching any leaking battery and do not touch sensitive parts of the body (i.e. your eyes or mouth). Varta batteries, on the other hand, have a unique 'leakage protection' in that small amounts of liquid will flow under the outside jacket of the battery and not inside your device! When buying alkaline batteries, or using those which have been sitting around, always check the use-by date. On the Varta 'HIGH ENERGY' range of batteries this is clearly printed on each battery in the format 'JUN-2013' or 'JUN2013'. Note, some batteries will show the manufacture date and not the best-before date and some will show it in the numerical format MM-YY which could be YY-MM, who knows? Others will print it as MM-YYYY which is better but 'JUN-2013' is definitely the best! A typical alkaline battery has a shelf life of 5 years+. Over time a battery will lose charge (i.e. some capacity). If a battery is near its use-by date try recharging it using Rezap before use. Note, you often can buy batteries near or past their use-by date cheaply!

*I recently sold many packs of batteries to a hi-tech medical equipment supplier (who supplies the Australian military) who insisted on using Varta batteries. He told me that Duracell were the worst, in his experience, for leakage! I told him that many fake Duracell batteries had been supplied out of China and that I don't trust any alkaline battery from China! To illustrate my point, I currently have a pack of Energizer batteries supplied with a Chinese made product that have started to leak!!!!

+The use-by date (best before date or shelf life) is generally when the battery has lost 15% of it's capacity (i.e. has 85% left). Some manufacturers now use a figure of 80% (20% lost capacity) so, of course, these batteries have a longer shelf life (e.g. 7 years). Note, the new Panasonic Evolta has a 10 year shelf life!

To clean up after a battery has leaked: I use a video-head cleaner or contact cleaner such as the Australian product: CO Contact Cleaner made by CRC Industries. It's important to use a product that does not affect plastic and does not leave a residue. The cleaner is used to flush away the chemicals leaked from the battery and then evaporates quickly (leaving no residue) - you can also use a clean tissue or cloth to aid cleanup. If your battery terminals have corroded then harsher cleaning of the contacts may be necessary using a small metal file to rid the contact of all corrosion. All contacts can then be treated with a 'good' contact rejuvenator such as DeOxit from Caig Laboratories (which we now sell). In fact, treating your battery terminals (and all metal inside the battery holder) with DeOxit before leakage occurs will help stop corrosion! Note, Caig Laboratories uses a leaking Duracell coppertop battery in one of their examples!

Disclaimer: The above specifications may be subject to change without notice. The manufacturer and Procon Technology hold no responsibility for damage expenses, lost profits, or any other claims arising from the use of these products. As our advise is never to recharge Duracell batteries and to always remove batteries whenever a device isn't used for a long period of time, we cannot accept liability under these circumstances (not that anyone has ever asked). After many years of experience in recharging alkaline batteries, I've had very little problem except with Duracell. Other batteries (which I keep longer than I should) tend to only discolour around the contacts or show a white powder - they should definitely be thrown away when this happens!

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In Australia Phone: 1300304125 (toll free) or 03-98306288 FAX: 03-98306481.
International Phone: +61-3-98306288 FAX: +61-3-98306481. Created by: Peter E. King.
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