---
title: "Can you mix one battery brand and a different brand or age?"
description: "One battery brand and a different brand or age: no — it damages something or fails. What actually happens, and what to do instead."
url: https://atoneplace.net/can-you-mix/battery-brands/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Can you mix one battery brand and a different brand or age?

**One battery brand and A different brand or age: No — it damages something or fails**

No — mixing brands, ages or chemistries in one device causes leaks.

## What actually happens

Cells in series discharge together, and a stronger cell will drive current backwards through a weaker one once it is flat. In an alkaline cell that forces hydrogen generation and pressure, and the cell vents potassium hydroxide — the white crust that destroys a remote control. Mixing a fresh cell with a partly used one guarantees an imbalance, and mixing alkaline with rechargeable adds a voltage difference on top.

## What to do instead

Replace all cells in a device at once, same brand and same type, and take them out of anything being stored.

## Around the house

| Combination | Verdict | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vinegar and marble or limestone | Do not | No. Acid etches calcium carbonate permanently. |
| Bleach and laundry detergent | Do not | Usually safe but wasteful — and unsafe if the detergent contains ammonia. |

## Common questions

### Can you mix one battery brand and a different brand or age?

No — it damages something or fails. No — mixing brands, ages or chemistries in one device causes leaks.

### What happens if you do?

Cells in series discharge together, and a stronger cell will drive current backwards through a weaker one once it is flat. In an alkaline cell that forces hydrogen generation and pressure, and the cell vents potassium hydroxide — the white crust that destroys a remote control. Mixing a fresh cell with a partly used one guarantees an imbalance, and mixing alkaline with rechargeable adds a voltage difference on top.

### What should I do instead?

Replace all cells in a device at once, same brand and same type, and take them out of anything being stored.

## Related pages

- [Vinegar and marble or limestone](https://atoneplace.net/can-you-mix/vinegar-and-natural-stone/)
- [Bleach and laundry detergent](https://atoneplace.net/can-you-mix/bleach-and-laundry-detergent/)
- [Bleach and ammonia](https://atoneplace.net/can-you-mix/bleach-and-ammonia/)
- [Bleach and vinegar](https://atoneplace.net/can-you-mix/bleach-and-vinegar/)
- [Bleach and toilet cleaner](https://atoneplace.net/can-you-mix/bleach-and-toilet-cleaner/)
- [Bleach and rubbing alcohol](https://atoneplace.net/can-you-mix/bleach-and-rubbing-alcohol/)
- [Hazard symbols](https://atoneplace.net/symbol/)

## Sources

- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)