How to Replace Battery in Battery-Powered Trash Can | Swap Leads the Right Way

Battery-powered trash cans use replaceable alkaline batteries, typically 4 D-cells or 4 AA/C-cells depending on the model, swapped via a compartment on the base or lid.

Most sensor trash cans run on common household batteries, and replacing them is a roughly five-minute job — once you know where the compartment hides and which cells your model expects. The catch is that the answer varies by brand and model. A 13-gallon upright from iTouchless takes four D-size batteries, while a smaller 4-gallon iTouchless model runs on four AAs. Mixing up the size, or the replacement steps, is the most common reason a lid stops opening. The steps below walk through the general procedure, with the exact specs for popular models.

Where the Battery Compartment Sits on Your Model

Sensor cans hide the battery compartment in one of two places: the base of the unit or the underside of the lid. Checking the bottom is usually the faster move — many models, including most Ninestars cans, keep the compartment at the bottom of the base with a cap you squeeze and pull open. Lid-mounted compartments are common on step-can designs and some iTouchless oval models, where the cover lifts off to reveal the cells underneath.

On any model, the pattern is the same after you find the compartment: open the lid or remove the inner bucket if one blocks the base, then look for a small door or cap near the bottom rim. If you own a battery-powered can with an odor filter, the filter housing often sits beside or above the battery door — don’t mistake it for the compartment. The official battery door usually has a small tab or latch, and often a battery icon printed on it.

Model-specific battery specs: the iTouchless 13-gallon oval sensor can runs on 4 D-size batteries, as does the standard 13-gallon sensor kitchen model, where official manuals say one set can power the can up to two years or 10,000 usages. The iTouchless 4-gallon/15-liter sensor can takes 4 AA batteries instead. Several iTouchless wide models use 4 C-size batteries, with manuals rating a fresh set at up to three years of lid use. Ninestars sensor cans typically take 2 D-size batteries in the base compartment.

The Step-by-Step Battery Swap That Works on Most Sensor Cans

The procedure below follows the sequence in official iTouchless and Ninestars manuals, adapted for the two compartment locations. You’ll complete the whole swap in under five minutes.

1. Open the lid and remove the inner bucket if the compartment sits in the base. If the door is on the lid’s underside, set the lid upside down on a towel instead.
2. Locate the battery compartment — bottom/base, or lid underside, depending on your model.
3. Open the cover using the tab or latch. On Ninestars base units, squeeze the tab on the battery cap and pull it open. On iTouchless lid units, slide or lift the door free.
4. Remove all old batteries and replace them with a fresh set of the exact type and count listed for your model. Match the +/− polarity markings inside the compartment.
5. Close the cover firmly until it clicks, or until the seal sits flush. A loose door is the most common cause of a sensor that stops responding right after a swap.
6. Test the lid. Wave your hand over the sensor — the lid should open within a second. If it doesn’t, reseat the batteries and confirm the cover is fully closed.

If your can has an optional AC adapter, run it on batteries or the adapter — never both at once. iTouchless manuals state the unit can be powered by only one source at a time. And when you swap, replace the entire set. Mixing fresh cells with older ones shortens overall life and can trigger low-battery warnings prematurely.

Signs Your Sensor Can Needs New Batteries and Common Mistakes

Most sensor cans give a clear warning before they quit: a yellow or amber indicator light on iTouchless models, or a rapidly flashing LED on Ninestars units. Some lids also start opening slower or only partially as voltage drops, which readers often mistake for a motor problem. When that light appears, replace the batteries promptly — a dead set left in the compartment risks battery acid leakage that can corrode the contacts and permanently damage the sensor board.

Three habits cause most premature failures:

• Mixing old and new batteries. Replace all cells at once with a matched new alkaline set. iTouchless manuals explicitly say not to use old batteries for low-battery replacement.
• Using rechargeable batteries where the manual forbids them. iTouchless manuals specifically prohibit rechargeables in their sensor cans, since their lower voltage can confuse the sensor circuit.
• Skipping polarity checks. Reversed cells won’t damage most units, but the can won’t power on, and it wastes a troubleshooting cycle.

Once the lid responds again, the job is done. For help deciding which model is worth upgrading to when your current can finally gives out, our tested roundup of the best battery-powered trash cans available now compares capacities, battery life, and sensor reliability side by side.