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Old 9th Nov 2021, 10:03 pm   #21
Spec-chum
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

I had noticed here in Grantham a good 4 years ago, when I brought a new led lantern torch that several retailers were no longer stocking C and D sizes. I settled for a pack of 4 Sony branded zinc type D's, sold by our local Poundland then and they are still powering that touch to this day. However I do try to avoid zinc type batteries, preferring to use rechargeable or alkaline when possible. When I see those large multipacks like the Poundland Kodak branded ones, it does make me worry a bit on how much of those go into landfill and it not being great for the environment.
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Old 9th Nov 2021, 11:15 pm   #22
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

Wilko normally have a good selection of batteries, with some of the rarer larger batteries available.
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Old 9th Nov 2021, 11:34 pm   #23
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

I wouldn't say that they are being phased out, but they are low-volume products now. As been said earlier, almost no new products use these cellls now.

The cheap, ubiquitous 2D torch once found in every household has been replaced with 3AAA LED torches. Portable radios is no longer as common as they once were. I believe most people do ther listening on their phones nowaday.

The only things in my home that uses these cells are some older torches, clocks and radios. I can't think of any use my friends and family would have of these cells, I guess most people have not bought them for years. My local store has them but the packages are noticeable dusty.

Most C and D cells sold may be to members of this forum
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Old 10th Nov 2021, 10:36 am   #24
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

I bought D-cells for my JVC radio recently from a hardware store.

If D cells went away I'd probably look at some Li-ion solution, perhaps even a homebuilt battery pack with recharging features.
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Old 10th Nov 2021, 11:08 am   #25
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

The only time I need alkaline C/D (can't remember which size) batteries is for the paraffin heater, it hates rechargeables to the point of shutting itself down without warning! Yes, it's got auto everything.
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Old 11th Nov 2021, 12:44 am   #26
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

There are still a few toys that require C cells but I've replaced them with AA cells in many cases. Our lad's robot arm kit uses D cells if I remember right. His Yamaha keyboard can also work on D cells but we always use it with a power supply.
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Old 11th Nov 2021, 11:42 am   #27
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

The only modern device I have that uses C cells is a CatMate automatic dry cat food feeder that has a motor driven mechanism to feed the food out of the hopper. I bought the batteries (Energizer alkaline) from Wilko at the time, which was 3-4 years ago, and it is used so infrequently that I probably won't need any more for years (they are removed and stored in a plastic bag in the box when it's not used).

Everything else I own uses AA or AAA, apart from a multimeter which uses a 9V PP3 (or whatever they are called now).

Last time I went to Wilko for some AA batteries a couple of weeks ago their stocks were depleted generally, with lots of empty hooks, so they do seem to be affected by the general ongoing availability issues many shops are facing currently.
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Old 11th Nov 2021, 11:49 am   #28
DennisCA
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

I bought a sandwich from the local supermarket near my job (rural village) and I thought of this thread and went and looked at the battery section, they had D-cells for sale.
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Old 11th Nov 2021, 3:23 pm   #29
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

I needed a pair of 996 batteries recently for a Magnavox transistor radio of 1960 vintage. I was most surprised to find lots of these branded Panasonic, Ever Ready, etc on eBay.

Luckily they are still used in large lanterns, some of them fitted with LEDs.

If these batteries can survive this long, surely C and D size will continue for many more years.

best regards ... Stef
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Old 12th Nov 2021, 10:21 pm   #30
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

When I visited my local Marks & Spencer today, I noticed that they had plenty of C and D cells on their Duracell battery stand.
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Old 12th Nov 2021, 11:11 pm   #31
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

996 lantern batteries are still very widely used outside of the home.

Tail lights on trains.
Warning lights at road works.
Electric fences for livestock control.

All use 996 batteries. Often zinc carbon types, but air alkaline is catching on.
Alkaline 996 batteries exist but are not popular in the UK.
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Old 13th Nov 2021, 2:14 pm   #32
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

I still use D cells in my Hacker Sovereign III and RPC1 radios, also in the Ever Ready 'Frontguard' and 'Rearguard' lamps on my old Raleigh Wayfarer bike (they are fitted with LEDs bulbs to make them useable in the modern age).
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Old 13th Nov 2021, 3:00 pm   #33
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

Plenty of U2 cells (D type) in ASBo's down in sleepy Dorset. And U11 (C type).
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Old 13th Nov 2021, 5:04 pm   #34
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

I assume "ASBo's is a typo or auto-correction? Did you mean Tesco or Asda?
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Old 13th Nov 2021, 11:59 pm   #35
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

One of the Poundland stores here has Kodak branded C and D cells. I didn’t check if they were alkaline or not, as I just noticed them when I popped in looking (unsuccessfully) for something else.

The general theme seems to be that they are still available but not everywhere that sells batteries has them, so you may need to check a few places.
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Old 14th Nov 2021, 4:41 am   #36
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

As perhaps others have touched on, I think it is more to do with the changing nature of the high-street (competing against online), rather than a phasing out of C and D cells.

In my local town, it is now almost impossible to buy C or D cells from a shop, but, most of the ironmonger type shops (hardware stores in modern parlance), have closed down here to be replaced by budget shops (Homebase with B&M etc.), and those shops that still remain (Wilko) have de-stocked of those types.

But, I was in the Monmouth branch of Handyman House on Friday, and (with this thread in mind), I had a look at their range of batteries. They stocked the full range, and they had C and D cells from multiple manufacturers. In fact they had some batteries I have not seen sold for many years. In particular they had the 3LR12 battery (I had to look the number up on Google, this is the old bike torch battery with two prongs, one short and one long).

Having looked up the battery online to find the number, to my surprise I found it readily available online, where I thought it had disappeared long ago. So it is still available, but, almost exclusively now online.

I also had a look at their torches (lanterns), and they were selling a number which clearly required a C or D cell.

Last edited by Catkins; 14th Nov 2021 at 4:51 am.
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Old 14th Nov 2021, 9:13 am   #37
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Stenning View Post
One of the Poundland stores here has Kodak branded C and D cells. I didn’t check if they were alkaline or not...
The Kodak batteries/cells I get from my local (Workington) Poundland are zinc/carbon, but they generally seem to be good value and last as long as other more expensive ones elsewhere.
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Old 14th Nov 2021, 11:25 pm   #38
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

I noticed some Duracell C and D size alkaline batteries for sale at my local Sainsburys supermarket on Friday. They are definitely not obsolete yet.

However, I'm sure they are less popular than they once were, and I can understand why some shops may have decided not to stock them. Instead, those shops will use the shelf-space for more profitable or faster-selling products. It's exactly like this recent thread: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=181774

Personally, I haven't bought any C or D size batteries for years now. I found the AA to C or D adaptors combined with low self-discharge AA rechargeable batteries are a better option than buying disposable C or D cells. I'm still using some rechargeable AA batteries that I bought 8 years ago. They've certainly saved me money. In the supermarkets, I see bins for customers to return used batteries for recycling. They're mostly full of those Kodak branded ones from Poundland. They may seem like a bargain but in the long run they're false economy.
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Old 15th Nov 2021, 3:29 pm   #39
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

The 3LR12 battery mentioned in post 36 is actually becoming more popular, they are used in a popular brand of head torch and also continental cycle lamps.
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Old 15th Nov 2021, 6:23 pm   #40
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Default Re: C and D cells being phased out?

Interestingly, today I realised I needed some D-cells to replace the ones in some perimeter-security gear. So as I was driving past a branch of B&Q I popped in and found they had plenty of Alkaline D-cells on offer.

Varta, proudly marked "Made in Germany", and with a best-before date of 31-Dec-2030.
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