RCR danger or not?

[Tim B]

This morning as I unscrewed the tailcap from a 6P containing two protected Tenergy 900 mAh (yeah right) RCR123A's I heard the short faint hiss of venting pressure that lasted slight more than a second. It wasn't a whole lot of pressure, just enough to make a slight hiss. I had left the light on for a while and it got very warm but not hot enough to avoid holding it with a bare hand.

Is this a normal amount of venting or an omen that catastrophic failure is imminent if I continue to use this particular pair of batteries?

 

[Turbo Guy]

Venting is not normal.

an omen that catastrophic failure is imminent

Most likely not but then if the cells or one of the cells did in fact vent it is now damaged goods and will most likely suffer an increased rate of capacity decline. If they were mine I would discharge and dispose of them but to me cells are not that expensive in the overall scheme of things.

 

[Tim B]

What you said is probably the case. I noticed that when I charge them, one of the cells will have its charge light turn green long before the other one.

 

[buickid]

Toss em and grab some AWs, not worth playing with fire.

 

[csshih]

or hydrofluoric acid..
tho I think that's only from primaries?
someone help me out here.

 

[mdocod]

The Tenergy 3.0V 900mAH rated RCR123s can not be used as direct replacements for CR123s in all applications.

In high drain rate applications, the voltage bucking diode will get very hot and potentially damage the cells. Even the 1.2A rate of a typical LOLA is more than they are designed for.

In direct drive incandescent applications, the actual operating voltage is not the same as CR123s, so you are more likely to blow bulbs.

I'm not sure if this "6P" you speak of in this situation is actually a 6PL or what, but I figured it important to point these things out.

final thoughts:
Did the hiss come just as you were breaking the seal at the O-Ring of the flashlight, or after the tailcap was removed, obviously coming from one of the batteries itself? It would not be unusual for a hiss to occur if you just heated up the light and you had a good seal at the o-ring, the atmosphere in the body of the light would expand from the heat.

 

[Tim B]

The hiss came just as the oring seal broke so the pressure was built up in the light as it was running. I got these cells before reading the numerous threads here about how tenergy inflates their capacity claims.

While we are on this subject are the free titanium innovations cells that battery junction gives away when you order from them any good? With as many lights that I have been ordering from them I am rapidly building up a supply of these free cells.

 

[Oddjob]

In any multicell light it is important to use cells with matching voltages and matching states of discharge. Were the two cell matched? I would use name brand cells to be on the safe side. Not to say name brand cells are infallable but most accidents I have read about were with multicell lights or non name brand cells. Glad nothing more serious happened.