PDP-8 /e/f/m memory

[Tony Duell]

> 
> On 8/15/2006 at 11:26 PM ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk wrote:
> 
> >Actually, I thought the electrolyte was alkaline....
> 
> It is--and stong alkaline solutions are bad news for aluminum, magnesium
> and zinc.  Combines with the metal, liberating hydrogen.

Indeed. I was simply commenting on the OP's statement that the 'acid' 
made a right mess of the Maglite.

Incidentally, if the corrosion isn't too bad, a good thing to use to 
clean it up is a chemically weak acid. I use citric acid, disolved in 
water and applied with a cotton bud. It's good on PCBs that have suffered 
from NiCd leakage, for example.

-tony