fuyume
Enlightened
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2021
- Messages
- 323
I'm very glad tonight that I took the time to examine this forum, because I honestly had no idea of the level of risk involved in using lithium primary cells, particularly so in multi-cell series configurations. I use a Bushnell 20154 2xCR123A flashlight that I bought on a whim on clearance at Walmart a few years ago, and I use it infrequently around the house as a utility flashlight.
I just disassembled it and took the Duracell batteries out and will permanently discontinue the use of this flashlight. I had stopped using my Leatherman Serac S3 because of the expense of the batteries, so the good news is now I have a battery for it and a spare that each probably have a decent amount of life left in them. But first, the next thing I'm going to do is grab a multimeter and read the voltage of them.
I never really liked that flashlight, because it turns on in Hi mode and has very sharply machined edges that make it very uncomfortable to hold, but I was honestly thinking of buying a Fenix E20 v2.0 to use around the house and putting Energizer L91s in it, anyway, as I had already decided to standardise on AAs.
I think if I do get an E20, I will stick to alkalines, and henceforth only ever use lithiums in single-cell devices. And when the two remaining CR123As finally go dead, I will pass my Serac S3 onto someone else who can better afford the batteries.
I've never had a lithium battery of any kind totally fail, but I have seen one of my cell phone and one of my laptop batteries bulge. I disposed of the cell phone battery, but the laptop battery is still somewhere in the house. But now I know I definitely do not ever want to experience a catastrophic failure of a flashlight battery.
I just disassembled it and took the Duracell batteries out and will permanently discontinue the use of this flashlight. I had stopped using my Leatherman Serac S3 because of the expense of the batteries, so the good news is now I have a battery for it and a spare that each probably have a decent amount of life left in them. But first, the next thing I'm going to do is grab a multimeter and read the voltage of them.
I never really liked that flashlight, because it turns on in Hi mode and has very sharply machined edges that make it very uncomfortable to hold, but I was honestly thinking of buying a Fenix E20 v2.0 to use around the house and putting Energizer L91s in it, anyway, as I had already decided to standardise on AAs.
I think if I do get an E20, I will stick to alkalines, and henceforth only ever use lithiums in single-cell devices. And when the two remaining CR123As finally go dead, I will pass my Serac S3 onto someone else who can better afford the batteries.
I've never had a lithium battery of any kind totally fail, but I have seen one of my cell phone and one of my laptop batteries bulge. I disposed of the cell phone battery, but the laptop battery is still somewhere in the house. But now I know I definitely do not ever want to experience a catastrophic failure of a flashlight battery.