Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Alkaline Battery

I have a clock which says I must only use a Zinc Carbon battery and specifically says I must not use an alkaline battery. Why would that be - I use alkaline batteries in all of my other clocks and has never occurred to me to consider what type of battery I was using.
 

davenn

Moderator
Hi Raymondo
welcome to EP :)

That's an oddball one !
I cant think of any good reason why an alkaline one couldn't be used

Dave
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
Moderator
Can you still even get zinc carbon batteries?

Is it possible that early alkaline batteries had a lower shelf life than zinc carbon?
 
Perhaps the clock's electronics or electro-mechanics is sensitive to voltage/current, which is notably higher in alkalines?
Does the clock contain any (white) LED? I have a few simplest torches with LEDs connected to batteries directly, using no voltage/current limiting electronics, and if alkalines are used there LEDs get damaged with too high current (zinc carbon's voltage tends to fall very quickly on any substantial load). I can safely use "weakened" alkalines there though - the ones that stop being usable in MP3 player, remote control, automatic blood pressure meter, and the like.
 
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