Accidentally Charged CR123A Lithium Battery - Is it Dangerous?

[MarkF786]

I have an Olight CR123A battery sitting next to an Olight RCR123A and charged the wrong one. I charged it in a Nitecore D2, and it took the battery up to 3.7V (normally 3V).

Is there any danger in doing this? And is the battery now safe to use?

 

[sticktodrum]

Well, if it didn't explode or vent, then it's likely safe just sitting there. However I would just toss it.

 

[nfetterly]

Well, if it didn't explode or vent, then it's likely safe just sitting there. However I would just toss it.

Far away, outside. Into the ocean, or a sandpit. I wouldn't use it.

 

[Str8stroke]

You are lucky to be here typing! Wow. I wouldn't advise using it or trying to charge it again. lol

 

[neutralwhite]

Call the bomb squad and let them blow it to pieces!.
dont use it!.

 

[bigburly912]

Don't use it please. Too many of these bad threads already.

 

[MarkF786]

Now I don't know how to get rid of the damn thing.

 

[Str8stroke]

Dig a hole and stick it in. That way you have a tiny little battery funeral. :candle:

 

[FroggyTaco]

I have an Olight CR123A battery sitting next to an Olight RCR123A and charged the wrong one. I charged it in a Nitecore D2, and it took the battery up to 3.7V (normally 3V).

Is there any danger in doing this? And is the battery now safe to use?

And 3.7V is the nominal voltage. The charger was actually trying to charge it to 4.2V

 

[just like me]

Now I don't know how to get rid of the damn thing.

Most hardware stores have a battery recycling bin. Typically you can dispose of non-rechargable batteries with normal household waste, but in the case of rechargeables or lithium batteries, or if you have a bunch of batteries to dispose of at once, they should be dropped at a retailer with a recycling program.

 

[oKtosiTe]

Most hardware stores have a battery recycling bin. Typically you can dispose of non-rechargable batteries with normal household waste, but in the case of rechargeables or lithium batteries, or if you have a bunch of batteries to dispose of at once, they should be dropped at a retailer with a recycling program.

Huh? In what country is it okay to just toss alkalines in the trash? I didn't know that was still a thing... :shakehead

 

[sticktodrum]

In the same country where the recycling bins are emptied into the same trash dumpster.

And our trash here in NYC ends up in Staten Island so... *tosses two pounds of batteries down the chute*

But I like the funeral idea.

 

[oKtosiTe]

In the same country where the recycling bins are emptied into the same trash dumpster.

And our trash here in NYC ends up in Staten Island so... *tosses two pounds of batteries down the chute*

But I like the funeral idea.

Here we sort newspapers, packaging paper, glass, plastic, metal, drink containers, electronics, batteries and construction waste among others.
Most apartment complexes have dedicated recycling rooms. It all goes through different recycling processes. The remaining trash (food waste, cat sand, vacuum cleaner bags, etc) gets converted to electricity in clean incineration plants. In fact, Sweden imports trash from other countries just to convert it to energy.
Now I know most countries recycle less, but I just didn't think batteries still went to landfills...

 

[Kurt_Woloch]

Here in Austria, we also have several fractions of waste. We've got yellow tons for plastic bottles, blue tons for metal cans and parts and more tons for paper, glass, bio waste and the "remainder". "Problem goods" should be brought to a collection point for that. Batteries are usually taken back by each dealer selling them, i.e. supermarkets. All batteries go to a facility in Vienna where a highly-trained woman sorts them. Zinc-Carbon and Alkaline batteries are recycled at that facility while button cells go to Germany and rechargeables go to Germany, Sweden or France for recycling (according to Wikipedia). They don't write what happens to Lithium primaries though...

These collections at dealers are in place since 1991. I can remember because back then all batteries were raised in price by about 10-20% to account for the collection and recycling costs. As of 2002, the quota of batteries actually coming back was 44% in Austria (also according to Wikipedia).

 

[recDNA]

Here we sort newspapers, packaging paper, glass, plastic, metal, drink containers, electronics, batteries and construction waste among others.
Most apartment complexes have dedicated recycling rooms. It all goes through different recycling processes. The remaining trash (food waste, cat sand, vacuum cleaner bags, etc) gets converted to electricity in clean incineration plants. In fact, Sweden imports trash from other countries just to convert it to energy.
Now I know most countries recycle less, but I just didn't think batteries still went to landfills...

The key thing is this battery is dangerous and I would not want it indoors for the amount of time it has been discussed. It needs to be somewhere so if it vents or burns no harm will be done. Others are more expert than I but I would at least have it outdoors by now

 

[Roger Sully]

At my office the building management company has a strict recycling policy. Cans, papers, regular trash all get tossed into different containers. The building management then has a company that comes by and cleans up every night. They walk past the desks with a large garbage can and proceed to dump everything into it and then toss it all into the dumpster outside SMH....

 

[oKtosiTe]

The key thing is this battery is dangerous and I would not want it indoors for the amount of time it has been discussed. It needs to be somewhere so if it vents or burns no harm will be done. Others are more expert than I but I would at least have it outdoors by now

No discussion there.

 

[Ladd]

In the same country where the recycling bins are emptied into the same trash dumpster.

And our trash here in NYC ends up in Staten Island so... *tosses two pounds of batteries down the chute*

But I like the funeral idea.

It is illegal to toss rechargeable batteries into the trash in NY.

Retailers selling such batteries are required by law to take used batteries and display signage, and educate customers on proper disposal.


As of June 8, 2011, all New York retailers (except for grocers occupying less than 14,000 square feet of display space ) selling rechargeable batteries will be required to accept used batteries of the same type for recycling, display signage, and educate customers on recycling. Please note: rechargeable batteries contained in electronic products must be removed prior to disposal of such product. - See more at: http://www.call2recycle.org/newyork/#sthash.q73MQ4Y5.dpuf

 

[jrmcferren]

I most definitely would toss it. While primary lithium cells CAN be recharged and used it is already known that this was overcharged and therefore could fail in some manner at any time. Remember, most modern "Primary" cells can in fact be recharged, but the safety risks (especially on lithium) and the poor economic advantages (mainly on alkaline) prevent this from being done. The only consumer primary cell today that cannot be recharged is the carbon zinc cell.

 

[MarkF786]

I left the battery outside last night and had my wife take it, along with a large collection of old batteries to our township's recycling station. They told her we should just throw all batteries in the trash, which surprised me. This is in New Jersey, which I guess makes it less surprising.