Cyclops Flashlight Explosion

[HCaul]

To answer your questions:

3. Yes I did wash my hands, but I inhaled a significant amount of the fumes, but I think I'm O.K. The only thing was, I didn't know any better, so I left the batteries out on the table by my bed as I slept. Thank you for your concerns also!

If you inhaled significant fumes from the venting with flame, let me URGE you to get medical attention NOW, even if you don't have any symptoms yet. The symptoms are typically delayed, and there can be significant and dangerous systemic side effects.

H.Caul

 

[Illum]

In all this CR123A research and testing, I just happened to notice that I had just received my first load of Sanyos that said Made In China. No joke. I had never received them before that were made there. New factory I guess. I understand Sanyo is shifting a large part of their manufacturing process of many products to China. I remember as a kid to beware of "made in Japan" and yet now Japan is considered golden. There is a lot of good stuff that comes from China too. Heck, there is crap made right here in the USA too. To my knowledge there is only one or two remaining CR123A factories in the USA and I believe they are Duracell and Energizer. They both still say Made in USA on them.

Times change, nowadays alot of the workforce is shifted to China because of cheap labor. At the present time I prefer to buy things non-china:

Blowdryer from swtizerland
Swiss Army knife with swiss instructions [authentication purposes]
Batteries from USA
Shaver from Germany
etc...

 

[Hans]

China?

==>SF and SL brand Lithiums explicitly states its made in the USA... <==
​

China's Lithium supply is pretty much contaminated, only US's Authentic Lithium is 99.9999% pure and cells are protected from fires!

Can we perhaps keep this out of the threads dealing with the problems with CR123 lights? So far it's not at all clear that the problems are caused by specific brands of CR123 batteries. Introducing this sort of idea into the discussions in this and the other safety related threads makes no sense at all.

It's far more important to discover the causes of these explosions and develop a set of guidelines as to what people can do to avoid this sort of thing happening to them.

Thank you.

Hans

 

[nc987]

I put the flashlight down after using it about 10 minutes (the battery started to go dim while I was using it and getting hot).

The battery went dim and got hot? How were you aware of the batteries heat while they were still inside the flashlight? How does a battery dim? Im sorry, i dont keep up on battery terminology, i just buy surefire batteries which have given me no problems as of yet so can someone explain to me what that means?

 

[jnj1033]

When you say you "put the flashlight down," did that include switching it off?

Sorry if that sounds like a no-brainer question, but some of the discussion on the other battery explosion threads seems to indicate that leaving the light on after it goes dim could be a factor in "venting" incidents.

 

[jclarksnakes]

I always look for the positive aspect of things. After looking at those photos the positive thing in this mishap is that the cheapo Cyclops flashlight seemed to have contained the battery explosion. Apparently there were no dangerous flying projectiles. Room200, welcome to the forum and correct me if I am wrong about no flying projectiles. In these recent mishaps there really does seem to be no common variable except for 123 primary cells. Recent warmer weather comes to mind as a possible issue except that a couple of these mishaps occurred indoors. I still wonder if moisture may have been involved in these mishaps? Just wondering out loud.
jc

 

[Brighteyez]

All of which may contain components made in China or packaging from China. There's no escaping it, especially with anything that has electronic components.

One thing that you can't avoid is the computer that you're using. At least 75% is from China and the rest of it is most probably the product of a Southeast Asian country.

Times change, nowadays alot of the workforce is shifted to China because of cheap labor. At the present time I prefer to buy things non-china:

Blowdryer from swtizerland
Swiss Army knife with swiss instructions [authentication purposes]
Batteries from USA
Shaver from Germany
etc...

 

[room200]

I should have said the bulbs became dim, not the batteries. Also, When I put the flashlight down, I did turn the unit off. The flashlights have never come into contact with any moisture whatsoever. There were no flying projectiles, thank God!!!! I am going to the doctor today based on all of your suggestions. Thanks.

 

[rcashel11]

Welcome, room200!

Thankfully you did not experience a violent explosion.

Hope you're okay despite inhaling all those fumes.

 

[InfidelCastro]

Can we perhaps keep this out of the threads dealing with the problems with CR123 lights? So far it's not at all clear that the problems are caused by specific brands of CR123 batteries. Introducing this sort of idea into the discussions in this and the other safety related threads makes no sense at all..

I'm just wondering when it will be clear...

This makes no sense. If you don't discuss it, how will it ever be clear?

 

[Illum]

All of which may contain components made in China or packaging from China. There's no escaping it, especially with anything that has electronic components.

One thing that you can't avoid is the computer that you're using. At least 75% is from China and the rest of it is most probably the product of a Southeast Asian country.

Heh, I Immigrated from Taiwan 10 years ago, relatives in both china and Taiwan.

Im trying to avoid products made my my own country, does this make me a hypocrite?

 

[jason9987]

On your other light are the batteries tight when putting them in? also is the tail spring very tight?
I would think if it is a battery problem the 3,4, and 6 cell surefires would be more prone to this but it seems limited to two cell lights and mostly the Pelican M6, which leads me to belive its a problem with the light

 

[Brighteyez]

No, it doesn't make you a hypocrite. It does make for a topic of conversation though as I'm sure there are people who would be interested in why you would prefer to not purchase products made in either of those countries. There appear to be a number of members of this site who are of Chinese ancestry, though they may American, Canadian, Australian, British, or Singaporean, by nationality (or other countries that I may have missed, my apologies,) in addition to those who might be Chinese or Taiwanese by nationality.

I'm sure there are reasons why a person may want to have as little to do with their native land, it may involve religious or political persecution, renoucing citizenship, a dislike of governmental or business practices, in some cases as a means of assimulation into their new country, amongst a myriad of other potential reasons. I'm sure whatever reason you might have, it is certainly a reasonable one, and even if it isn't, it should be reasonable from your perspective.

Heh, I Immigrated from Taiwan 10 years ago, relatives in both china and Taiwan.

Im trying to avoid products made my my own country, does this make me a hypocrite?

 

[Archangel]

I second the thought of keeping this thread on the original topic. While the other issue is worth discussing, it's not worth discussing *here*. Feel free to start a new thread if you'd like to carry on.

 

[NewBie]

There were no flying projectiles, thank God!!!! I am going to the doctor today based on all of your suggestions. Thanks.

Thank goodness everything is okay, so far!

How did your doctor visit go?

 

[NewBie]

In all this CR123A research and testing, I just happened to notice that I had just received my first load of Sanyos that said Made In China. No joke. I had never received them before that were made there. New factory I guess. I understand Sanyo is shifting a large part of their manufacturing process of many products to China. I remember as a kid to beware of "made in Japan" and yet now Japan is considered golden. There is a lot of good stuff that comes from China too. Heck, there is crap made right here in the USA too. To my knowledge there is only one or two remaining CR123A factories in the USA and I believe they are Duracell and Energizer. They both still say Made in USA on them.

Just a fyi, I have Streamlight, SureFire, Panasonic, Energizer, Browning, and Duracell cells sitting here, that all say made in the USA.

Upon dis-assembly of the cells, to look at the internals carefully, all but the Duracell batteries appear to be Energizer cells- Including Surefire.

 

[InfidelCastro]

Just a fyi, I have Streamlight, SureFire, Panasonic, Energizer, Browning, and Duracell cells sitting here, that all say made in the USA.

Upon dis-assembly of the cells, to look at the internals carefully, all but the Duracell batteries appear to be Energizer cells- Including Surefire.

I hear this often, but that always makes me wonder why my Energizer brand cells generally totally suck, while my Surefire batteries always kickass..

 

[frisco]

Maybe somebody in the know could chime in here. It seems to me that you should never run multi 123 cell primary batteries down to nothing. One battery is sure to dump before the other. I know there are many "thrifty" flashlight users that want to get every last penny of juice out of there batteries. Would it be wise to change at the first sign of the light level falling off?

frisco

 

[Lit Up]

:eeksign: 1 watt Lux, small size and 24 hours of runtime?
GIMMIE, GIMMIE, GIMMIE!

No Surprise, there are already 1Ws powered by hydrogen
http://www.angstrompower.com/products_a2.html

"non-surefire A2"

 

[InfidelCastro]

:eeksign: 1 watt Lux, small size and 24 hours of runtime?
GIMMIE, GIMMIE, GIMMIE!

Holy crap that seems dangerous though.

As the power level of flashlights goes up, it appears the danger level does too.