Battery durability

[DimmerD]

Okay I Google'd it and didn't see anything that answered what I was looking for. I did see some results pointing back to here at CPF, but it was about durability being how batteries hold up after time, you know, the long run. What spurred this question on was just getting into rechargables, I recently got some RCR123's and it has some warnings on them. Do not knock the battery was the one that spurred this question.
There are "tough as nails" drop ins, tough as nails hosts, what about the batteries? Does anyone make a tougher battery, either primary or rechargeable. There are lights that can withstand shock from being mounted on guns or just plain being tossed around on concrete (HDS). How much shock can batteries handle, has anyone ever thought about that?

 

[Mr Happy]

Okay I Google'd it and didn't see anything that answered what I was looking for. I did see some results pointing back to here at CPF, but it was about durability being how batteries hold up after time, you know, the long run.

That's not surprising. Durable comes from the same root as duration and endurance; you know, holding up in the long run.

If you want to know about toughness and shock resistance then it is true that most batteries are fragile. The battery itself needs to be in a safe enclosure where it is protected from puncturing, from impact, and from excessive shock. Dropping a light with batteries inside it could damage the batteries, especially if they are heavy batteries and you drop the light on one end for example.

Mainly, therefore, it is the battery enclosure that matters more than the battery. The battery enclosure in the light should provide cushioning and protection for the batteries inside. Unfortunately, lights with a metal tube and tight spring don't always meet this requirement.

 

[Robin24k]

Normally, primaries are used when lights are abused, and weapon mounted lights usually use primaries provided by the agency. Primaries are more durable than rechargeables, mostly because they are disposable and damage to the battery won't really be noticed.

Protected Li-Ions are probably the most fragile, since they have circuit boards.

 

[DimmerD]

Well I searched for battery ruggedness and didn't get any hits, only to laptop batteries.
I figured they were fragile due to the circuit boards on the protected ones. So what happens if I drop my flashlight that has a protected Li on in it, will it explode or just not work anymore?

 

[Robin24k]

It's hard to say what a damaged PCB will do, as it could range from disconnecting the battery if solder is broken, to a short circuit if you're really unfortunate.

However, they're still quite rugged compared to things like glass, so dropping your flashlight on the ground shouldn't be an issue. Just to be safe, I would check the voltage and keep a closer eye on it the next time it's charged.

 

[flatline]

Personally, I consider the protection circuitry on the Li-ion cell to be the most fragile part of my flashlight. I will never buy another protected cell. Instead, I'll get IMR cells and just deal with the reduced capacity.

--flatline

 

[HKJ]

Personally, I consider the protection circuitry on the Li-ion cell to be the most fragile part of my flashlight.

That might be the case if you use a direct drive light, but with a buck or boost converter it is often the inductor that is the most fragile part. The problem is that the inductor can break of the circuit board if you drop the light.

 

[flatline]

That might be the case if you use a direct drive light, but with a buck or boost converter it is often the inductor that is the most fragile part. The problem is that the inductor can break of the circuit board if you drop the light.

I was thinking about my HDS Clicky when I made that statement and I'm assuming that since the electronics are potted, the danger of breaking off the inductor is greatly reduced. Perhaps I should have mentioned that in my post.

However, it's my understanding that if the protection circuit is crushed (say, when dropping a light), there's a potential for short-circuiting the cell. If the inductor breaks off, is there a similar risk of short-circuit? Or does the light just stop working?

--flatline

 

[HKJ]

However, it's my understanding that if the protection circuit is crushed (say, when dropping a light), there's a potential for short-circuiting the cell. If the inductor breaks off, is there a similar risk of short-circuit? Or does the light just stop working?

Usual a broken off inductor will just prevent the light from turning on.
The protection circuit does not have a large risk of breaking and even if it shorts the battery, you will still have the ptc protection.
Another points is if there is a short in the light an IMR cells is very bad medicine, but a normal protected cell will just turn off.

Personally I believe the Panasonic 2900 (Used in RediLast and AW cells) are some of the safest cells, they have a special construction with something called a HRL.

 

[DimmerD]

I figured that if the battery were tightly held by the host and the host got knocked then the battery inside took that same knock. Anyway just trying to be safe with them, I heard they tend explode more so being charged than used although there are exceptions to that. Hmm, IMR? More reading to do...