Did I Kill These Brand New Cells?

So, the above are brand new buttonless Panasonic NCR 18650B's, which I foolishly dented in my TM16 by misaligning the battery compartment guide rods, are the subject at hand [pun intended].

My first instinct was that these cell were beyond saving, and thus I stored them away and have not touched them since the damage. However, over on this thread (http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...n-6-Months-Since-Becoming-a-Flashoholic/page2) I was told to just do a charge/discharge test on them, and that they'd probably be fine.

Considering this is a question I'd rather have well answered rather than "probably okay but be ready for an explosion hold my beer"-status, I figured I'd get direct opinions on the matter in a dedicated thread in the proper location. I'm being extra cautious because I know well that lithium batteries aren't something to mess with...very similar to Wu Tang Clan in concept, really.....

Are the cans punctured?

What are those black dots in the center of the bottoms?

What do they measure, voltage wise?

Have you tried to use them?

Have you tried charging them up if you have used them?

What do they charge up to?

How bad do the dents look in person and how deep do they go?

They cost you what, about $8 each, so if you decide it's not worth using, then you're not out a lot of cash.

Chris

Very hard to tell if they are safe, i would buy a new pair and be done with it.
Then you can enjoy your excellent tm16 for extended use, blasting it on turbo as much as you like with proper peace of mind.
I think you will feel much more at ease eliminating any possibility of failure.

swan said:

Very hard to tell if they are safe, i would buy a new pair and be done with it.
Then you can enjoy your excellent tm16 for extended use, blasting it on turbo as much as you like with proper peace of mind.
I think you will feel much more at ease eliminating any possibility of failure.

Click to expand...

I already bought new cells...I actually bought these cells just to have on hand, and had more than the two. Little did I realize that the TM16 can't take buttonless cells. So, I ordered some EVVA's from Mountain Electronics, and problem solved. To note, the EVVA's from Mountain Electronics actually showed up dented due to being inserted into the battery holders slightly off...but they seem to be doing fine, so NBD.

The main reason I even bother to bring up these cells is just because they are there in front of me. They look fine, really, but I'm terrified of them exploding into flame and spraying HF gas in my face. And yes, I realize they can't do that...and no, knowing that isn't helpful unless I can vet the batteries as okay).

So, to answer the questions posed by CG, a pretty cool dude, if I might say so:

ChrisGarrett:

Are the cans punctured?
--No, it doesn't look like it, though there may be damage I can't see under the wrapping. Would I see anything leaking? Is there a way to confirm this non-destructively?
What are those black dots in the center of the bottoms?
--Camera effect...all purchased cells look like that, but the picture made it more pronounced,
What do they measure, voltage wise?
--I have not purchased a tester yet....I own a Maha 808, and nitecore D2 and UM10. I intend to purchase a tester following additional research / your suggestion.
Have you tried to use them?
--Nope....I don't want to expose everyone in my condo complex to a battery fire, therefore they're untouched.
Have you tried charging them up if you have used them?
--They were fully charged when damage was incurred,
What do they charge up to?
--Unknown
How bad do the dents look in person and how deep do they go?
--Bad-ish.....but not all that bad. If I didn't have a healthy fear of these things, I'd likely use them.
They cost you what, about $8 each, so if you decide it's not worth using, then you're not out a lot of cash.
--Yep....I have no problem getting them recycled immediately, but if they still have utility, then I'd rather use them.

Thanks ChrisGarrett...people weren't lying about you knowing your stuff. I expect that if I take the precautions you [or other's I've read here] suggest, I'll be able to utilize or dispose of these cells safely.

GunRaptor said:

I expect that if I take the precautions you [or other's I've read here] suggest, I'll be able to utilize or dispose of these cells safely.

Click to expand...

I'm a reloader, so by definition, I'm a 'risk taker.' This doesn't have to be a big production, so follow some basic common sense rules and see what you see.

Go to RatShack, Home Depot, Lowes or somewhere online and get a decent DMM (digital multimeter.) This will give you an idea of where your cells are on the voltage scale. It'll also tell you where your charger is at, after cells/batteries have been charged.

Measure the cells, seeing where they're at. Get a light that takes an 18650 and install one of them. Get a watch, or timer and go outside and start the light, notating where your voltages were at, before the runtime test. Go 10-15 minutes and stop, remeasuring the cells and feeling them for temperature. They should be warm, but not flesh searing hot.

If you hear hissing and popping, or if you see smoke, promptly throw the light off of your patio.

Chris

not sure if its the lighting but the bottoms look convex.should be flat.i have cells with tiny dings like that and no problem.but if they are convex(bulged) then something is wrong.in that case run them down and recycle.

What usually damages cells are impacts like being dropped onto a hard surface. Pressure dents in the casing ( deep dents not withstanding) should not have any real effect internally if they are constructed like most. Just test the voltage and put them through the normal steps of usage. Monitor carefully till you determine if they are trustworthy or not.

Yes!! send them to me so i can use them please

Sound advice above, they will be fine imo and have done worse to some of my cells from dropping a light to being compressed inside. As long as not punctured(you would no doubt know that if the case) you should get many years of use..........

Quite a few of my flat tops are very flat tops, as Chris said, check them for piece of mind.