Rossen Reports: Should I keep batteries in the fridge? We found out
Ever heard the old myth that you should store your batteries in the fridge to hold their charge longer?
Our viewer Ken asked Rossen Reports about it in this week’s Rossen Responds.
"I’ve heard that batteries stored in your refrigerator or freezer will retain more of its power than if you keep them elsewhere," Ken said. "Is that a fact? Or a myth?"
We looked into it and found that refrigerating batteries is not necessary.
All batteries drain over time, even if they're not actively being used, through a process called self-discharge. The idea behind the myth was that if you put batteries in the fridge, the cold would slow down the chemical reaction that causes them to drain in the first place, making the battery last longer.
Your typical household battery, like an AA or AAA, which you would put in a remote, is designed to work at room temperature. Modern batteries are also much more efficient than they used to be. So, putting them in the refrigerator can do more harm than good. Condensation from putting batteries in the refrigerator can damage them. Extreme cold and extreme heat can also reduce battery life.
Instead, you should store batteries somewhere dry, where they aren’t susceptible to humidity, and at normal room temperature, around 68 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Have a question for Jeff Rossen? He's answering your consumer questions every Friday in the new segment "Rossen Responds." Email your questions to him at RossenResponds@hearst.com.
