BS CR123 leaking !

Hi !

I just discovered one of my unused BatteryStation CR123 batteries is leaking! Some ugly brown stuff is coming out of the "venting holes" on the top of the battery.
It was stored in a dry room at 20-28 °C, was made in 2004 and never used or misused. It was ok a few weeks ago when I last looked.

This battery was purchased via ebay from a German vendor who claims to be the single importer of these batteries (BS CR123) in Germany, and the rest of the batch was ok so far.

I thought that lithium batteries would not leak ?!?!?!?!?

Is this dangerous or toxic?

bernhard

I think it is as healthy as the stuff comming out of other batteries. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif I would discharge the bad cell - you could try to get a replacement via the German dealer.

In my opinion any battery can leak or fail - it depends on what quality and tolerances the productionfacility is willing to accept.

Some (all?) 123A batteries have a safety valve - it's a physical spike that punctures a plastic membrane as it expands when the internal pressure of the cell increases too much, or too quickly. It's this mechanism not working that has caused a number of 123A cells to rupture and explosively vent. In one reported event the two-123A flashlight spat-forth a 'jet of flame' whilst bezel up in a man's chest rig.

Another story I read on AR15.com was of two LISUN CR123A batteries exploding in a G2+Z32 (which caused the Lamp Assembly and batteries to be ejected from the flashlight. It's lucky that the Z32 Bezel has a push-in snap-fit Lexan lens. A glass lens that would not pop-out could have caused a higher build up of pressure!

I would say that the vent working (leaking) is an example of what should happen if there is a problem within the cell.

Of course, I am no battery expert and I have not seen the cell or experienced anything like brown stuff leaking out of a 123A.

I have had six DL123A batteries frothing white 'foam' inside an M6 that leaked whilst turned on in a hot-tub.

Al

Thanks for the info, Bernhard. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanks.gif
I think I'll look at my RC123 more often, because in my collection I have more than 100 batteries in my Flashlights /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

M6 in a hot tub? I bet there's an interesting story there!

See if the search function drags up anything... It was a long time ago and I've likely remembered it a bit different!

Al

Al, thanx for frightening me with your "jet of flame".
I think I'd better not research that other story of yours ... I might start to fear my own batteries /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif
bk

Another good reason for carrying your light bezel down! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

In either event Keissling, One bad cell is going to happen from time to time. I say just discharge the cell if the leaking isnt really bad, and toss/recycle it. Just dont try tasting the liquid oozing out of it because its not chocolate. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

Yah, ni big deal about a lost cell, but I just thought CR123s would never leak. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif ... now I cannot just leave batts in all my ligths /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
bernhard

That's it...I'm removing all batteries from all lights that I'm not currently using. Thanks for the heads-up. I, too, thought 123's would not leak, per their well-advertised "ten year shelf life." I guess they mean "shelf" in a literal sense, 'cuz that's where they'll be from now on out - not in my lights!

Im suprised BatteryStation hasn't posted up a comment. I think it's all ok though. Sooner or later these things just happen.

I have a Battery Station 123 which has done the same thing. Mine has been in my spare holder in the car during the summer, but the other batteries (older white label from Arc) seem to be fine.

That has happened before. Usually caused by hard impact damaging the seal. Last time I saw this was after UPS dropped a case and the button of the cell vibrated causing the seal to move. This is usually seen right out of the box and not something that happens later on. This can happen to any battery. The likely cause of a leak while in service is along the lines of what Al said, excessive current such as a short. They are designed to vent or leak in those situations rather than explode. We will replace it gladly.

Back to the original topic for a moment, the stuff inside the 123 is bad karma. The MSDS warns of skin burns and eating one that's leaking.......

Doug Owen

The stuff inside any battery is bad. It is all various forms of acid. Use baking soda on your hands after touching ANY battery acid. The baking soda will immediately neutralize the acid so it cannot burn or eat anything from then on.

Hmmm. I wouldn't eat one, even if it wasn't leaking. It doesn't sound really appetizing. I treat ALL leaking cells as stuff I would NOT want to get on my hands. Gloves, tongs, and 'making it someone else's problem' work great. (last set of cells were sent back to the manufacturer. Told the guy who picked them up that they really didn't look pretty.. he still insisted on opening up the light though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif)

Duracell's MSDS can be found here. Heed all precautions.

CR123A batteries and most other small lithium batteries are Lithium Manganese Dioxide and are not too bad. The really bad ones are Lithium Thionyl Chloride. That electrolyte will eat through aluminum and fast. Those would be your much larger lower current C and D size lithiums.

We have sold over 100K of the CR123A batteries this year and that is the second leak problem I have seen. I have seen this with every brand of battery I have ever sold at one point or another (17 years). Nobody is exempt. Usually caused by physical damage seen or unseen somewhere along the way or by shorting the battery. In that case if it did not leak it would likely explode.

I think the problem here is that you guys aren't storing these batteries on shelves. They have a 10 year shelf life, but stick them in a draw or your glove box and you might only get a life of a couple of months. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I crack me up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

bernhard, buying all these 123s is just too risky. You should get yourself some Li-Ion 123s. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

yikes. I just found an MSDS for lithium thionyl chloride. I hope I never have to handle that stuff, especially since I'm not aware of any certified hazmat waste disposal facilities around here.

Speaking of air transport, my dozen Batterystation CR123s arrived today. No leaks on them or the AAs in the CMG lights. Thanks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif