Battery Damage

Alkaline Battery Damage

A very common issue with many electronic arcade games is damage to the circuit board and components due to battery leakage. People tend to use the term 'Acid Damage' when in reality it is 'Alkaline' which is a corrosive, caustic base much like lye. The actual chemical compound that leaks out is Potassium Hydroxide and they off-gas hydrogen

• Cause
  • As an alkaline battery ages, it will self-discharge and eventually leak. This leaking can be the result of two factors
  1. Hydrogen gas is generated as the cell discharges and pressure builds. When the pressure is high enough, the seals will leak and cause a rupture.
     • As Hydrogen is lighter than air, it will rise and can cause corrosion to devices above the battery
  2. The steel outer canister can corrode and rust away allowing the electrolyte (Potassium Hydroxide) to leak.
  • Once the Potassium Hydroxide comes in contact with air, it absorbs carbon dioxide and forms Potassium Carbonate. This is a crystalline structure that will grow and spread out across the PCB over time.

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