My LD20 almost Blew up ! P.s. The batteries in it that is...

Hy all,

I`ve been edc`ing my 2 month old Fenix LD20 (2AA) and yesterday i used it while hiking.

It had eneloops in it (bought them 4 month ago, and used them about 3 to 4 times since then) which were charged about 3 weeks ago( They had already been in use in that light for about a week). I used it for about 40 minutes on middle and high with no incidents when suddenly I tryed to tighten the head for turbo.

It was almost impossible to turn the head so i looked at the light and saw the rubber clicky bulging out like a bubble. I instantly screwed the light open with force and discovered that something must have vented inside because after opening and screwing the head back on everything was ok again (tailcap flat , head could be screwed to turbo with minimal force).
The batteries looked ok as everything else.

So I started to use the light again for about 3 Minutes and the same happened again, I reacted immediately and screwed it open for the pressure to leave.

I was wearing gloves and it was raining so i don`t know if the light got hot but I am pretty shure that it was cold when used.

After I got home I opened it and looked at the eneloops and the interior of the light ... nothing. Batteries all normal looking as the flashlight itself.

Now I don`t know what to do. I have no masuring equippment and it`s expensive to send the light back to canada from germany. I also love the warm tint of the led... . But I don`t wanna risk an explosion!

Any ideas ? Thank`s guys!

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

Are you certain you were using REAL eneloops ? Not fake ones ?

Looks like your batteries are venting. I suggest you use your LD20 with another batteries, just to check if the problem is on your eneloops.

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

Federal LG said:

Are you certain you were using REAL eneloops ? Not fake ones ?

Looks like your batteries are venting. I suggest you use your LD20 with another batteries, just to check if the problem is on your eneloops.

Click to expand...

Well i got them from a reputable dealer on ebay germany who has only good feedback and sold thousands of eneloops.... .

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

There is nothing in the flashlight to cause it to outgas. Its the batteries. They are venting gas, or at least 1 of the 2 of them is. Maybe both may not be both. The only way to tell is to test them individually and see if one is discharged. Until the battery destroys itself there really won't be anything to see visually. So saying you didn't see anything wrong doesn't mean nothing is wrong!!!.

If one battery is discharged the other battery will try to reverse charge it to run the light. this has been discussed in numerous threads about multiple batteries in series in the other section for batteries and electronics. Safest bet, throw them both away. Test out your light with 2 regular alkaline batteries for now and see how it works. Just run it a few minutes at a time, and then take them out and inspect the inside. See if they feel hot right away.

In the long term get yourself a battery tester or a single cell light that has no regulation to use as a battery tester and figure out if your batteries are in good shape. don't assume just because they came off the charger that they are good. Batteries eventually die.

Do some research and maintenance and don't blame the flashlight unless you have some real evidence that it doesn't work right. A perfectly good flashlight will cause this phenomenon by having a fully charged and a discharged battery set in series. That is the easiest way to go

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

But did you test your LD20 with another set of batteries ?

I mean, just to check if the problem is on your flashlight, or on your set of eneloops... I guess the problem is in your eneloops.

Everytime that I see those "My light (Surefire, Fenix, Novatac, Tiablo, Dereelight...) almost explode..." threads, I think the thread´s name should be "My batteries almost made my flashlight explode...", or something like that.

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

You may have one cell that has an internal short in it.

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

This thread might be helpful.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/115466

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

This isn't the first time this has happened on CPF, It's definitely the batteries.

EDIT: Zatoichi beat me to it.

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

Federal LG said:

But did you test your LD20 with another set of batteries ?

I mean, just to check if the problem is on your flashlight, or on your set of eneloops...

Click to expand...

No not yet. I will tomorrow... I was just a bit well scared off so I wasn`t in the mood to test my faith again so soon.

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

MrGman said:

There is nothing in the flashlight to cause it to outgas. Its the batteries. They are venting gas, or at least 1 of the 2 of them is. Maybe both may not be both. The only way to tell is to test them individually and see if one is discharged. Until the battery destroys itself there really won't be anything to see visually. So saying you didn't see anything wrong doesn't mean nothing is wrong!!!.

If one battery is discharged the other battery will try to reverse charge it to run the light. this has been discussed in numerous threads about multiple batteries in series in the other section for batteries and electronics. Safest bet, throw them both away. Test out your light with 2 regular alkaline batteries for now and see how it works. Just run it a few minutes at a time, and then take them out and inspect the inside. See if they feel hot right away.

In the long term get yourself a battery tester or a single cell light that has no regulation to use as a battery tester and figure out if your batteries are in good shape. don't assume just because they came off the charger that they are good. Batteries eventually die.

Do some research and maintenance and don't blame the flashlight unless you have some real evidence that it doesn't work right. A perfectly good flashlight will cause this phenomenon by having a fully charged and a discharged battery set in series. That is the easiest way to go

Click to expand...

You are right, I should throw the 2 batteries away!

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

My link wasn't as useful as I thought. I'm sure the one I read was similar but the poster was using NiMH. Either I can't find that one or I'm losing the plot.

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

Exactly the same thing has happened two times with one of the Fenix E20 in my 4E20, when it had run for some hour continual drive and the lights became warm. I use new Duracell NiMh 2650 mAh cells.

Regards, Patric

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

Zatoichi said:

This thread might be helpful.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/115466

Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. I is helpful but I thought that venting is mostly associated with cr123 cells which is why i sold my P3D... ;(.

And in this thread it`s alkaline. I thought when I stick to reputable and well known eneloops it wouldn`t happen... I guess I was wrong.

Well 1 cell aa lights seem to be the only safe way ha?!

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

Swedpat said:

Exactly the same thing has happened two times with one of the Fenix E20 in my 4E20, when it had run for some hour continual drive and the lights became warm. I use new Duracell NiMh 2650 mAh cells.

Regards, Patric

Click to expand...

So what was it ??? The batteries or the light?

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

Does anyone know what the worst that can happen is with NiMH's 'venting' like this? I've read quite a lot about lithiums (highly toxic fumes, combustion, explosions!), but I was under the impression NiMH's weren't really dangerous. I imagine the gas buildup could blow off the rubber button cover or something, but how toxic is the stuff it's venting, and are the cells likely to leak or worse? Basically I'm asking if it can do anything worse than maybe damage the flashlight.

+ 1 ?!

I wonder what would happen if similar problem is to happen to lights without rubber boots. So far I read, someone saw fumes in the emitter head.

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

lumenlover2 said:

So what was it ??? The batteries or the light?

Click to expand...

Theres no way of really knowing without testing each cell individually. my guess is its one or both of the cells... but thats just a wild guess.

:sigh:

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

Eneloops are usually pretty reliable but try another set out before returning the light as the same thing will probably just happen with the replacement LD20.

Re: My LD20 almost Blew up !

Zatoichi said:

how toxic is the stuff it's venting, and are the cells likely to leak or worse?

Click to expand...

I would like to know this too, as I am new to eneloops.