Sea Hunter leaking battery clean-up

[udon1nano]

I have a Sea Hunter Mark II that has seen little use. I had been removing the battery pack every time I put it away, except, of course, for the last time So I opened it up this morning for the first time this year, to find that the battery pack (8 ea Energizer AA alkaline expiry 03-2023) was covered in clear gel-like slime. I am somewhat puzzled as this does not look like the product of leaking alkaline batteries that I have seen in the past in other devices. There is no evidence of corrosion of any of the contacts, nor of the battery terminals themselves. As I stupidly handled the batteries with my bare hands, it dawned on me that the burning sensation I should have been feeling was absent. It felt almost like some silicone-based fluid. And the smell didn't seem to be what I expected either (obviously a subjective judgement). So, I have questions. First, has anyone else seen a discharge from alkaline batteries similar to what I described? There isn't any silicone-based waterproofing "fill" material internal to the Sea Hunter II electronics that might have leaked into the battery compartment, is there? Assuming this fluid is the battery electrolyte, what steps should I take to clean it up before installing new batteries and testing the detector? I already wiped everything down pretty thoroughly with paper towels. Would it be prudent and safe to swab down the inside of the compartment with cotton balls moistened with vinegar? I have some concern about vinegar leaking into the circuitry if I did that. Other advice (beyond be more careful next time)? Thanks.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[udon1nano]

"Sea Hunter leaking battery clean-up" - I see the forum sw doesn;t allow editing subject lines...

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

"Sea Hunter leaking battery clean-up" - I see the forum sw doesn;t allow editing subject lines...

I fixed it for you, you have to hit "edit post", then "go advance" ...

 

[John-Edmonton]

The battery compartment is separate from the rest of the internal electronics. There should be no leakage to the insides. Leaks on the Mark II or Infinium are quite rare, as it is a well designed water proofed unit. However, somehow, it appears you got water in, or perhaps leaky batteries? If the unit leaked, you would expect a substantial amount of water in the battery compartment, which you didn't mention? Garrett recommends you use a silicone based grease on the the "O" ring gaskets. You can buy a small container at dive shops for a few dollars, which should last you a long time. The same grease should also be added to the AT Series plug-ins. Good luck! Try a new battery pack if you cant salvage yours

 

[udon1nano]

There was no water evident in the compartment. On closer examination of the batteries, at least one is slightly swollen and has a slight breach at the seam, so it is battery leakage. I just wanted to eliminate other possibilities before proceeding with my clean-up. What threw me off was that in every other instance of battery leakage I've seen, the battery and device terminals were corroded and growing blue-green and white excrescences, the fluid was obviously caustic, and a characteristic smell was produced. I observed no evidence of damage here whatsoever. Maybe the fact that the compartment is air as well as water tight inhibited that? Is oxygen required for the reaction that produces the missing symptoms? I also wonder if I might have used silicon grease liberally previously and that combined somehow with the leaked electrolyte, making a fairly viscous, clear, slimy fluid... Anyway, thanks for the information that the battery compartment is physically separated from the electronics. I will proceed with a mild acetic rinse, thoroughly dry, then install new batteries and test the unit to ensure it still functions correctly. Thanks again!

 

[udon1nano]

Thanks. I thought I tried that, but this is my first post here in a very long time, so I could easily have missed it.