Questions and answers can wait. Right now all that matters is SubAlpine's recovery.
SubAlpine was heroically (truly) gracious enough to post, as a warning to us, but surely because he'd like to have as much information as fast as possible about what happened to him. Obviously, to all, his recovery is of tremendous importance, but even to SubAlpine, his recovery
is not all that matters, and questions and answers
cannot wait. If you don't want to engage in dialogue, no matter what the reason, then be quiet. But I respectfully request that unless you're (royally, meaning, *anyone*) a moderator, please do not try to silence others who have every right to post, and may have concern for similar circumstances. We're in the middle of Winter, if anyone hasn't noticed, and the circumstance SubAlpine described sounds all too familiar.
That said, its nothing personal, and I'm not questioning your empathy, but it is wise to avoid speaking from authority if you're not, and, further, dialogue itself will only serve to help SubAlpine, and
everyone, including you. Suppressing dialogue, and sitting vigil with respectful moments of silence --that is what can wait, because that, whatever that is, is about honoring our fallen compadre, showing respect for an injured human, which is important to us, but neither is that all that matters; its simply good manors. This is a forum. A forum is an incredible knowledge-base resource as vast as the knowledge of all its members combined, and these members are not some primitive tribe shackled by dogma.
Thousands of us have used lights with more powerful LEDs driven harder to higher surface and internal temperatures than should be possible with this light/drop-in combination. Snow has hit our lights before and will again without causing this. It seems very unlikely the XP-G R5 in this light's drop-in (ostensibly putting out ~300 lumen), combined with snow, slush, or saliva, were factors in some thermal shock event.
It's hard not to suspect cells and/or the charger/charging process but given the circumstances liquid infiltration must also be on the list of suspects.
While it probably goes without saying, it won't hurt to say it: for safety's sake any remaining cells and whatever charger(s) were being used should be quarantined until/unless a cause can be pinpointed, or until they can be checked out by someone with the requisite knowledge and equipment.
Seems most likely.
And this all is worth being repeated, so I quoted you. It was my first suspicion as well. It is the simplest explanation, and not at all hard to imagine, as it has happened before to others (though this is the first instance I've heard of LiFePO4 cells doing this).
tandem, is it your opinion and experience that if the cells were frozen solid, it would still be unlikely to be a thermal shock event? Also, if you can address the next sentence regarding toxicity, even if it is elsewhere on the Internet, please do so. I read your posts, I know you know.
SubAlpine, my understanding is that there is toxic gas that can be released from Li-ion cells in certain instances, and I'm not one to take chances with important info -- idk what anyone else knows, no one does, so I will risk patronizing because its that important. When you're able to answer, of course... where was your light before you put it in your mouth? Pocket? Or had it been sitting in your truck?
I expect that the light wasn't frozen solid or SubAlpine probably would have noticed his saliva and tongue freezing to it, but lets not sit silent and instead shine a bright bright light in all the dark corners while we can.
