Baffled a2k person asks simple flashlight battery question

So no one knows if the bulbs in the casing themselves tend to become defunct before a 6v battery?

Presume you mean battery not flashlight

I'm somewhat confused here. The battery has both positive and negative terminals, each mating with a corresponding terminal in the battery compartment of the lantern

Assuming the new battery is ok, the most likely problem is a burnt-out bulb

Not at all

That might prove fortunate thing since it might prove to be still good

Possibly the firm from which you bought the battery has means for testing one or might have someone who can examine your lantern

I feel much the same way about disposables, they really pile up don't they. We stow all such stuff in the garage with plans to eventually drive it to a local disposal facility

I am wondering whether you're situated in the US

Yes, I'm in the u.s.

1) the flashlight didn't work one day
2) so I figured it was the battery since a lot of time had gone by since I got the flashlight. I think I had replaced the battery once before, but I am not sure.
3) this sized battery is not cheap (the size for a "lantern" flashlight)
4) I finally went to Home Depot and bought a new lantern battery.
5) that did not make the lantern (casing plus a bulb) light up.
6) I did know how to connect the battery - just like the old battery was, besides putting the connection in the right place.
7) I still have both batteries and flashlight casing with the bulb, plus receipt.
8) it is my guess that it is the bulb that is gone.
9) to get a lantern light that works, I may have to purchase a new one, which probably (not sure) has another big new battery in it.
10) Then I will return my purchased new battery and get a different flashlight.
11) I happen to like maglites, but had liked the lantern light - I'm night blind and it throws a pretty good light.

In asking the question, I was just wondering if the bulbs in these kind of flashlights tend to go out over time.

Thank you for the clarification but my response stands pretty well. Still for item 6 it's surprising that you should find it difficult to insert the new battery correctly

Also the last remark is puzzling since most everyone is aware that bulbs of that sort often burn out

No offense but perhaps you're ESL and I'm misunderstanding you

The answer is yes - bulbs can and do go bad. Generally, they're just the smaller siblings of the incandescent lamp bulbs and go bad just about as often. It's the filament that goes.

Also, if the batteries have been in the lantern for too many years, they could have corroded or leaked out on the terminals.

In hardware stores or Radio Shacks you used to be able to buy replacements. I'm not sure about now as it's been 2 decades since I last bought one. FWIW, I have smaller maglites in 2 different sizes.

Sometimes you can go into a Radio Shack or let's say Home Depot/hardware store with the lantern and they'll take a multimeter to the lantern and see if the bulb and the connections are good.

Thanks, that helps - I'm going to do that soon, maybe today, a chore day.
Between my 1x/month Walmart visit (gaaaaah, I don't like it in the first place and it takes me a long time to work my way through it) and Walgreen's and Home Depot I might poop out.

I do have a big maglite and love it, but I remember it as pricey when I bought it. It takes 4 d batteries and is about 15" long, to me a great sturdy flashlight. I really need two serious flashlights though, and being a penny pincher am trying to work with what I have.
Will report.

A new bulb seems the best answer if that is what is going on, and if I can get one.

I know you're situation with tight budget, of course. The lantern can be a life saver and trouble saver under certain conditions - especially with vision issues.

Mercy, I just thought of your having Katy. You defintely need access to a working one.

I wish I could help more but I think you should be just fine with what I advised. The new bulb is most likely the culprit - I'd guess about a 90% chance (assuming no corrosion on the connections).

There's about a 1% chance there's a new D cell battery that can be bad - rare is it is, it can happen.

Often times in Home Depot or particularly in Radio Shack (if the clerk has minimal knowledge), they're willing if not busy to use a meter and/or change to a new bulb. The bulbs are cheap enough. That'll give you another few more years before any trouble might happen again. Good luck.

I don't see any corrosion..

well, off I go. If I don't get to home depot today, I will tomorrow. In Los Angeles, HD was apt to be at least moderately busy a lot of the time, but a few weeks ago when I went there here in the land of now cold sand, it was nearly absent customers, the plant sections, in and outdoors, desolate moonscapes, but so was the rest of the store. I bring this up because otherwise I'd avoid going on a Saturday or Sunday.

If shopping WalMart, try to go on super bowl Sunday, during the game. It will be like you own the store.