Tenergy Explosion

[ilLUMENati]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7m61plCjVE

This is a bit alarming for a noob who just received his shipment of 50 tenergy 123 batteries from 4sevens. I thought it was a good deal, or did I just get ripped off?

p.s.
My lights that use 123s are my fenix P1D CE and Olight M20 warrior I don't have a $urefire.

 

[Cydonia]

Damn. Another incident. Those cheapo CR123A cells are bad news.
Looks like you cut up your hand too.
There can be a lot of dangerous fumes from such explosions and fires.

 

[Norm]

Damn. Another incident. Those cheapo CR123A cells are bad news.
Looks like you cut up your hand too.
There can be a lot of dangerous fumes from such explosions and fires.

That clip was posted October 06, 2007
I think ilLUMENati was just drawing attention to it.
:welcome: ilLUMENati
Norm

 

[matrixshaman]

I don't think that was ilLUMENati who made the video - he just saw it and was alarmed by it. IMO the level of problem with Lithium or CR123 batteries is fairly rare but with millions in use any problem that does occur makes the rounds quickly thanks to the Internet. I've intentionally abused the heck out of some with no flame outs or explosions. But that is not to downplay the POTENTIAL danger they have - just that it is fairly rare if treated properly. The biggest problem is from using two or more CR123's in series (2 cell or more lights) when the batteries are not at the same voltage or power. I personally don't use hardly any 2 cell lights other than one Surefire that has had it's two batteries replaced by a single 17670 rechargeable (same size as 2 x CR123's).

 

[mdocod]

Pretty impressive damage in that one!

CR123 backwards says:

THREE!! TWO!!! ONE!!!! RAPID COMBUSTION!!!!!

 

[Fallingwater]

CR123 backwards says:
THREE!! TWO!!! ONE!!!! RAPID COMBUSTION!!!!!

 

[hopkins]

 

[Gunnerboy]

My experience with Tenergy CR123A's were all good. We don't even know if that guy used three fresh cells or not.

 

[jzmtl]

All brands blow up, there's a thread with SF cell blowing up in a SF light quite similar to that here somewhere. You just have to take all the precautions and accept that there's still some risk.

 

[bluecrow76]

That's why everyone should own a small volt meter ($5 at Harbor Freight) or battery tester and test often, especially in multiple cell lights! Vigilance is worth the time.

 

[D-Dog]

All brands blow up, there's a thread with SF cell blowing up in a SF light quite similar to that here somewhere. You just have to take all the precautions and accept that there's still some risk.

Still, God forbid you were really hurt, if a Surefire blows up with Surefire cells, you have a much better stance legally (although many would just use it as an excuse to sue)

I wouldn't worry as much about the lights you have as even the M20 on max only will draw about 760ma which is much less than a SF M3. Even with that said, I would look into a ZTS tester just to make sure you are putting in batteries with the same state of charge as any 2 cell light is more dangerous

 

[hopkins]

some of the chemicals inside are 'bioaccumulative': what goes in does not come out of the body.

Link to other 'venting with flame' events: makes you think how close we all
are to some disaster.:huh::duh2:oo:

http://ntsb.gov/events/2006/PhiladelphiaPA/Exhibits/350665.pdf

 

[tsask]

Ive got six of them. I think most explosions happen with TWO or more cells. I was planning on using the Tenergy CR123 primaries in single cell lights as gifts. no laughing matter with unwanted explosions!

 

[Sgt. LED]

ZTS mini!

Cheap insurance IMO. I got too close for comfort once.

After a thread here got me thinking about Kb I got myself a ZTS mini and went through my primary stash.

I found some 20% in my fresh cells and some 0%! Brand did not seem to matter as it was clearly a screwup on somebody's part tossing the bad in with the good and not realizing it. A 2 second test during battery changes and the cost of the tester was nothing compared to the cost of some of my lights.
:shrug:

And 1 cell will not blow as far as I know.

 

[hopkins]

no matter how safe our flashlights are, there are 100+ other people on the jet,
with you, who may have no idea on how to pack their extra cells to prevent
short circuit and fire.

That NTSB report I linked to above shows how all types of batteries
are a danger. Ignition of nearby materials is a real problem.

 

[UnknownVT]

And 1 cell will not blow as far as I know.

It is rarer, but it does happen - Battery explosion with Fenix P1D

Here's a useful thread with lots of links -

Exploding Batteries

 

[Superdave]

I think my 9P almost blew the other day, thank god the Panasonic batteries shut down. I lent it to a guy and he ran it for about 15 minutes on fresh cells with the LF EO-9 bulb in.. it shut off and he tossed it at me, the body was so hot that it started to melt the carpet where it landed..


I unscrewed the tailcap and let the batteries roll out, once it all cooled down the light worked just fine.

 

[Shsesc]

Operator error...

Isn't he using two different battery types? One looks longer than the other.

 

[D-Dog]

I think my 9P almost blew the other day, thank god the Panasonic batteries shut down. I lent it to a guy and he ran it for about 15 minutes on fresh cells with the LF EO-9 bulb in.. it shut off and he tossed it at me, the body was so hot that it started to melt the carpet where it landed..


I unscrewed the tailcap and let the batteries roll out, once it all cooled down the light worked just fine.

Did you notice if there was any pressure buildup when you later opened the light? If so, that may have been due to the seal on one of the batteries going poof, saving your 9P and that other guy. Wow... hot enough to melt carpet... that sounds above the rated 100 degrees C for primaries... Glad you were ok, however, this is a testimate to how although rare, these things can happen

 

[mdocod]

Operator error...

Isn't he using two different battery types? One looks longer than the other.

I was looking at that also.. It's hard to tell, looks like 2 cells might just be fused together... On the other hand, it might be a 17670 li-ion mixed with a primary, if that were the case, then the 17670 would have reverse charged the cap out of the CR123, in which case, operator error would be the case for sure.

Eric