My AW 18650 leaked, is this possible?

[richardcpf]

Yesterday I did a runtime test with my JET III pro ibs and an AW Cell. I had the light submerged in a glass of water to keep it cold. The runtime was about 1:25 at full brightness.

When I took the flashlight off the water, the inside was completly dry and there were no sign of the water in the threads, I cheked the tailcap and switch, both were dry. So I put it all back together. Today when I turned on the flashlight it lasted about 2 minutes bfore going off, so I took the cell out to recharge it, but then suddenly I felt some kind of water around the battery and inside the battery tube, it didn't have a peculiar smell or color, was just like water. Then i proceded to disarm the click switch and again, I didnt saw any sign of water in there.

It is possible for a li-ion to leak? I have done the same test with an ultrafire and tenergy battery, and nothing happened to them. The flashlight is fine but I higly doubt using that battery again. What do you guys think? Was the battery or the flashlight? it is supossed to be IPX8 and I dont think there is a high pressure in a glass of water.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Richard,

Li-Ion electrolyte does have an odor to it. If you smell nothing, it would suggest that somehow water got into the light.

Tom

 

[bullfrog]

Hello Richard,

Li-Ion electrolyte does have an odor to it. If you smell nothing, it would suggest that somehow water got into the light.

Tom

Just curious - how would you describe that smell...?

Thank you!
-Harry

 

[65535]

It's the sweet smell you smell when you open a new surefire or any light that uses CR123 cells for that matter. While the electrolytes are quite a bit different they all share a similar smell. Hard to describe.

 

[Youfoundnemo]

I love that lithium battery smell, put fresh primaries in a sc1 spare carrier and then set the carrier on your dashboard for a hour or so on a hot day (the wont go boom...well they didnt for me) then open it up and take a whiff, smellls good dont it?

 

[richardcpf]

Well, it didn't smell anything like my CR123s...

I guess my JetIII wasnt so waterproof after all.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Harry,

:devil: It smells like Li-Ion electrolyte...

I can't think of a comparison, but it is a bit sweet with a bit of smokey oak (from treated lumber) added...

Tom

 

[bullfrog]

Hey guys - thanks!

Sounds like it might make a nice cologne

I guess its a good thing I dont know what it smells like and hopefully wont ever find out...

Thanks again.

 

[65535]

When kept in something like a light with a small space and well sealed the smell will build up whether or not the cell is damaged.

Likely you are smelling the gel lubricant and seeing water.

 

[kirkg]

I bought a couple of rcr123's from AW. When I open the package I noted that one of them was leaking. The fluid was clear. I didn't notice any smell- but them I didn't put it to my noise and sniff. AW replaced the leaking bat.

 

[LED_Thrift]

After the runtime test did you open the light by taking off the tailcap? Maybe water infiltrated from the head end but didn't work its way down into the battery section until later.

 

[carbine15]

you gotta do the suction test if you're gonna submerge your lights just to test the o-ring seals.

 

[petersmith6]

im a scuba diver so my lights have to be water tight. did you grease your o-ring's ? if not take of the o-ring and aply a Thin coat of silicon grease,dry o-rings can be hopless. second thing to try is to put you flash light (with out AW 18650)in the water and see if it leaks to rule it out.