I used to use Duracell D-size several years ago and they were excellent. But that equipment died, so no more need for D-size.

The only other long-service batteries are the button batteries in computers. Even though they are only supposed to last 10 years, in some cases a few made it to 20 years.

Light bulb on a holder. there is a limit on current draw before you bend it.

Ahh STC very interesting, and interesting thing is from ignorance I used pure DC and achieved remarkable results.
Probably a case as hinted: even though they are "flat" that is dropped down to say 0.8 volt per cell, they are not exhausted and there is active chemical action to be had by "re-heating" (my term!) and even the stirring up with DC does the job.

Yes now I vaguely remember a discussion in RH mag about rough DC being used in the Battery/Mains Radio Rejuvinator switch positions, and the assymetrical spiky bit of the wave knocked the dendrils off the carbon atoms that insulated the rings of Saturn from some bloody thing. Maked sense to me.
The green machine refresher thing that Jaycar sold had endless explanations about computer algorithms and stuff which just sounded like BS to me.

Fred.

The article says the "dirty DC" as you call it follows electroplating practice for a bright smooth zinc plate; DC gives a spongy deposit.

This spongy deposit with DC might be OK for alkaline manganese cells where the anode is powdered zinc in a steel case. And they can't explode because there is a vent valve.
But a carbon zinc cell with its zinc body evidently can leak due to the spongy zinc deposit.

STC, you mentioned plating and that triggered a memory for me.

At a place I worked at as an apprentice, we did our own cadmium plating, for nuts bolts brackets ect.
The power supply was a dirty big transformer with a even bigger bank of plate rectifiers feeding bus bars to the trough bath.
The power supply was simply rack mounted above the bath (fumes!) and exposed to touch.
Beside that on the same rack were bottles of Cyanide, Acid and other chemicals, exposed to touch!
The floor was always flooded with spills and leakages from the bath so you stood in the wet and with bare hands tied objects up with wire and hung them in bath with a spark or two.
What could possibly go wrong!

How would that go with OH&S nowadays!!!!!!
We survived and maybe got tougher.

Fred.

I have had bad events with Duracells, a prized torch totally ruined and the battery cradle of a AWA portable badly damaged. Now would not use Duracells if they were free.

Pity because as others have remarked years ago Duracells were the best cells that could be bought.

Now use Fujitsu's for important applications (expensive), Varta's good value and not so long ago bought a couple of packs of 20 Maxcell AA's for just $10 each pack.

I believe Maxcell are a reasonable battery and will be interesting to see how they go over time.

I have found the yellow duratech rechargeable from Jaycar are the bees knees now.