WORST design "feature" --- the boards
are mounting to the inside side of
the cabinet and the PCB layout has the battery and the top center of the
board which over course eventually deteriorated, burst open and oozes
battery acid to all of the adjacent components and traces. That's
Who would think that some 30 years later it would still be used and
collected? ;o) But remember: Vinegar is your friend. Use vinegar to clean
the electrolyte from the battery and you'll be happy ;o)
For alkaline electrolyte batteries, which includes NiCds, you want a
chemically weak acid. VInegar is fine, as you say, but I find a solution
of citric acid to be as good, and it smells nicer :-)
It's pretty safe on PCBs and electronic components (at least, it'll do no
more damage than the electrolyte has done). It's also pretty harmless to
you. You can get citric acid from pharmacies, and I beleive home brewing
shops (for people who make their own beer)
-tony