Heh... Duracells, perhaps?

For years I've had an issue with Duracell AAA batteries lasting only a few weeks in URC remotes. I test them after this, and 3 batteries will be okay, but one will be completely dead. As I discovered, a certain percentage come dead right out the package. The high voltage of the 3 fresh batteries is enough to compensate and sustain the remote for a few weeks, but it doesn't take much usage for them to fall below the minimum threshold.