Does anybody keep batteries in their Legos?

 

In other words, I have the Technic Motorized Excavator and am worried that if I don't use it the batteries may corrode.  

Does anybody keep batteries in their Legos?

 

In other words, I have the Technic Motorized Excavator and am worried that if I don't use it the batteries may corrode.  

I have had some batteries in the motors, and nothing happened yet. I would take out the batteries when you are not using the motor if possible. If the set is just for display, then you do not need batteries.

I take them out when I know I won't be doing anything with the part for a while or plan on storing it. Better safe than sorry I always say.

In storage, I'd take out the batteries, and try to keep the machinery away form all the other regular bricks, in case some worst case scenario happens, but if you are just keeping the set out on display for a while, I don't see any harm in keeping the batteries in. You never know...a neighbor might come over, and ask for a demonstration!

I remember that my friend had a Technic set that has some of these motors, and one day on of the motors was smoking. He took it out, and threw it in the garbage. After one second of being in the garbage can, it exploded. Good thing it was not in the Lego set, or else that would have been destroyed.

Taking the batteries out from various sets is quite the challenge depending on the model.

The motorized excavator's is a major pain... HMMMFT!  

Taking the batteries out from various sets is quite the challenge depending on the model.

The motorized excavator's is a major pain... HMMMFT!  

Sometimes that is annoying. The motor is right in the middle of the set, and you have to take off different sections of the set just to get it out. Not very fun, you also have to put it back together when you take the batteries out.

What do people do with the light bricks?

What do people do with the light bricks?

Do those require batteries? I do not have any at the moment so I do not know. If they do, I would not worry to much because all it's a light, but there is still a possibility for the battery to corrode.

I believe they have a watch battery or something similar inside. I am too lazy to look up how to open the brick and remove the batteries.

I believe they have a watch battery or something similar inside. I am too lazy to look up how to open the brick and remove the batteries.

If it is something small like that, I would not worry. I have those kind of batteries in many things for a long while and none of them corroded.

Really, take them out.  I have ruined many of my toys (collections and play things) by not taking the small amount of time to take out a watch battery or others.  I have a few original Star Wars spaceships (Tie Fighter and X-Wing) and the battery compartments are ruined beyond repair.  The metal connectors are blotchy and parts have disintegrated.  

 

I also have a  few newer toys, like Robot from the Lost in Space movie, and it, too, has been ruined by not taking out 3 little watch batteries.  The problem with batteries is that you never know when they will start to leak or even explode!  Imagine spending 700.00 on a nice SE Crawler, only to find that the batteries have ruined several of the bricks...that is not where I want my customers to be when they buy my stuff or where I want to be with my collections.  

 

In the time it took me write this post, I could have changed all the batteries in our smoke alarms.  Now go do it before you regret it.

 

 

** Special Note:  If you do find that a battery has leaked and ruined any connection points in a device, never solder the wires directly to a battery!  I have never done this, but you can see some videos of the fires elsewhere.

I try to always put them back in the smoke detecter  

my first motorized controller (6 double A's) did corrode but not worried about the light up bricks

Don't forget about the batteries in the light-up Lightsaber minifigures like the Mace Windu from http://www.brickpicker.com/bpms/set.cfm?set=7261-1  They have a small watch battery in them that can be replaced via a panel in the back.  I replaced one a while ago, no corrosion though luckily.

Sounds like an easy solution.  If you aren't using it take the batteries out.  No point in keeping batteries in anything that doesn't have an ongoing useability like a smoke alarm or you use with such infrequency you have concerns over potential corrosion.

Take the batteries OUT!

Recently bought a bunch of used lots. One had that weird motor and drill set up---ruined with exploded battery. Mind storm control unit----leaked battery juice and contacts corroded and ruined. Able to get the mind storm cleaned up and semi working. Need to solder in new contacts. Think the other motor is toast (blue corrosion)