Originally Posted by
Leisesturm
If your answer were credible, then a best practice for blinky maintenance would be to put fresh batteries in them daily, or at least a couple of times a week. The initial voltage of lithium cells is indeed higher, but it drops rapidly with use, just like other AA or AAA technologies so, here again, constant vigilance with recharging if rechargeable, or frequent replacement, if not, would be the best practice. Erm... no, just no.
Actually the electronics in blinkies are able to function at extremely low battery voltage levels. We've all been behind 'that guy' with the batteries so shot you can barely see his blinky but it is flashing away, albeit at a very low light intensity. There is no need to chuck fresh cells out in the trash for optimum performance. Higher voltage is NOT the issue, poor battery contact, i.e. 'bounce' at the contacts is the only problem. Eliminate the bounce through shims, increasing the spring tension, or the re-adjustment of bendable tabs. Of course if thByere is corrosion present this should be removed. Paper towel moistened with a weak acid like vinegar or lemon juice does this easier and better than an eraser which may not even be around in most Generation X/Millenial households.
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Sometimes What actually happened is better than what should happen.
cleaning the contact surface can make for a very small increase in power, just the same result as putting a fresh battery. Out of the 20-25 different types (usually buying 2 of one style) in the last 22 years, only 3-4 pair have had this problem. When testing the batteries on my percentage battery tester (not a volt meter) I discovered that when the problem was at it's worse the batteries were under 20%. Some were almost at 0%. There is no need to
replace the batteries that are fresh.
Indeed the bouncing of the batteries is the root of this problems. But just changing the pressure can on the contacts can change the resistance slightly, probably only a few ohms. The mating surfaces are not perfectly flat,
and can change the size and shape on the contact patch.
Increasing the contact tension, can fix this by keeping the contact pressure higher sometimes. Also batteries can be shimmed so the batteries don't move. Cleaning the contact points keep the power up by keeping the resistance low.
More power from new batteries can also increase the power to the light. The different ideas all help keep the power to the light higher. Some lights may need all of these methods . They all do the same thing, they increase the power to the light. If you're on the road carrying an extra set of batteries is an easy fix. But, most lights don't have this problem