Effects of storing alkaline light in car?

Instead of risking lithiums venting flame, I've decided to stow a 3D mag between the driver and the passenger seat..

Here in florida the temperature outside can feel up to 90 degrees with 100% noncondensing humidity.

Its placed out of the sun in a white Nissan van.

Is there a possibility the batteries will..say, expand and short?

I would say "Yes".

I only say this based on my personal experiences, and I live in California where there is no humidity but fog. I used to keep Mags in my trunk. It seemed like everytime I went to use them the batteries were nearly dead. Several batteries either leaked or got stuck inside the tube (expanded?). I switched to Princeton Tec waterproof lights. I have never had a problem since then. Sometimes when I do carry a Mag I will take it with me rather than leave it in the car. This seems to have alleviated all my Mag problems but defeats the purpose of a dedicated car light. Go with a waterproof light in the car, especially in your climate.

I have Lith AA and Lith AAA lights in my truck. I've had WAY TOO much trouble with Alks in the Texas summer!

I do keep one 3C M*g w/M*gled with Alk Cs in there, but I very often take the batteries out to check 'em and swap location. So far, so good.....

Alkalines are notorious leakers. If you do carry a light with them in your vehicle, (as PJS said), check them often.

Heat and alkys - no way:thumbsdow

Best regards

_____
Tom

Alkalines... lithiums... I'm thinking of giving my aunt a Brinkmann Maxfire LX or a Surefire G2 -- any inherent dangers of leaving one of those in a HOT car? (Based on personal experience only please!)

I left a 4D mag in my car, new energizer batteries in it. A few months later, dead light, tail cap corroded so bad I simply cannot get it off. Even holding the light in a vice and using pipe wrench, vice grips and a strap spanner. It was an older 4D mag with the thicker body too . I'd had it since the early 90s.

Now have a new 4D mag, and it not's staying in the car.

gotcha...its dead at night...but im gonna go out there and retrieve it before tomorrows sun comes out

Here in Phoenix, I pack the "more valuable" flashlights that use alkalines in an ice pack with blue ice. I refreeze the blue ice each night and repack in the morning. I carry a 2-C Mag LED with 2 spare C batteries as well as some other lights and assorted other items in the pack.

I also carry cheap plastic D lights in the car without an ice pack. I change the batteries in these lights in a laddered rotation so that none of these lights has the same batteries for 3 months. If I lose one of these flashlights due to battery damage, no problem. I use silicon grease on the threads of these cheap flashlights, but moisture could still enter -- no O-rings and moisture can enter through the switch. I also carry a full size Nitestar in the trunk.

Here in Phoenix, we have the heat problems, but not the moisture problems. I do like the waterproof flashlight suggestion.

Right now, the cheap flashlights are 2 Eveready Value Brights and a K-Beam. I have not had any leaking battery problems yet.

thunderlight said:

Here in Phoenix, I pack the "more valuable" flashlights that use alkalines in an ice pack with blue ice. I refreeze the blue ice each night and repack in the morning. I carry a 2-C Mag LED with 2 spare C batteries as well as some other lights and assorted other items in the pack.

I also carry cheap plastic D lights in the car without an ice pack. I change the batteries in these lights in a laddered rotation so that none of these lights has the same batteries for 3 months. If I lose one of these flashlights due to battery damage, no problem. I use silicon grease on the threads of these cheap flashlights, but moisture could still enter -- no O-rings and moisture can enter through the switch. I also carry a full size Nitestar in the trunk.

Here in Phoenix, we have the heat problems, but not the moisture problems. I do like the waterproof flashlight suggestion.

Right now, the cheap flashlights are 2 Eveready Value Brights and a K-Beam. I have not had any leaking battery problems yet.

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nice...but temperatures down to a certain degree defeats the output of alkalines, pretty much make your flashlight useless...except the "billy stick" part

Car's a tough environment for any disposable battery/cell. I haven't had any problems with either alkalines or lithiums (CR123), but I do tend to check them often, such when I service my car (four times a year).

I am confident enough in both types of battery chemistry to put them in my wife's car; she has a G2 and a 3C Maglite, which I also check four times per year. If we make the trip from our home in Los Angeles to, say, Las Vegas during the summer months, I'll check things out when we get back. But then, I usually give the cars a once-over before and after any drive three hours or longer.

I've had a few alkalines swell up, but they give a pretty long warning message before leaking. And I replace them at around 1.3 volts open-circuit voltage; any lower and they seem more eager to leak.

I replace the batteries in the lights permanently residing in my car - often.
To be more specific, twice a year the alkalines, once a year the lithiums.
The extreme temperatures found in a car hasten the aging of batteries. After three years inside a car, no battery would provide much energy.

Anthony

about the alkaines expanding in the battery tube..... :thinking:

What If I slightly overdrive my 3D mag by using 4 Cs....no matter how big they expand it aint no way of getting themselves stuck up in d'ere [no pun intended]?

Lived in Florida for a long time. I've thrown away a number of Mags because of corrosion, everything from minimags to 3D's. It's not just the expansion. The lights won't work when you need them. I've got three lights in my car: an A2, a G2 with 3W LED, and a government issue ultra G with a lithium in it. In my boat, which is left on the coast and stored in the sun, I have three lights, including a 2C 3X123 mod. It has been in the dry box in my boat for three years and lights every time. Alkalines wouldn't have made it through one season. I just don't think the risk of lithiums is very great when taken in context. I still haven't ever heard of one Surefire that exploded....lots of Pelicans, though.

davidra said:

I just don't think the risk of lithiums is very great when taken in context. I still haven't ever heard of one Surefire that exploded....lots of Pelicans, though.

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There was one 9P explosion noted on another forum. PM Newbie for the link and pics; I forgot where it is. "Reasonably safe" or not, it is bad to downplay the possible dangers. Better safe than sorry, no?

No, not really. What you need to know is the abolute risk of such an occurence. This forum is filled with people that use 123's and Surefire flashlights, and there is only one report of a problem, and that was on another forum? I would guess that there are more explosions of alkalines per year, given that people throw them in fires and try to recharge them. Are you aware of any product that is totally risk free? Is the risk of a lithium exploding greater than the risk that you'll get in an auto accident within the next month? I bet it's a lot less, and I bet you're not going to stop driving. Not saying anyone has to use them, but they offer incredible advantages over alkalines.

now that I think about it...

the lead acid battery on the car would probably have more of a chance of exploding from heat than lithiums


I may be wrong. Usually I am

Perhaps I understand something wrong but the question was:"Effects of storing alkaline lights in a car?"

So the guys postet their experiences or thoughts about that. Me too, and since one of my lights leaks their alkys and the light was finished after that my statement was, no.

The member carrot tolds his thoughts and what's wrong with them? He is right, there is a risk with extremly heat (take a look about the recommend storage temperatures of Lithium cells davidra) and Lithium cells.
And what's about the comparison of acidents and batteries?

The whole life is a risk, sure , but fact is, alkalines and Lithiums too will have a higher risk to get fail in extremly hot temperatures. Also is there a difference of storing the light in the car. Behind the front window, a black light can get hotter than 100 degrees in the sun. And then there is definately a risk of leaks and perhaps extension of gas, and if the light has no hole at the batterie tube,like a dive-light then......bummmm.

So it's easy to answer the question and to eliminate the risk. Yes, it could be dangerous and leave the batteries outside the tube at the coolest place in the car.

BTW the car batterie: It's a different situation, because the storage room for that one is good ventilatet and it has a pressure valve, and the sun will never shine directly on it. So there it will be never so hot like inside the parking car.

Best regards

____
Tom

I keep NiMH AA in my SL jr Lux in my car year round. Seems to do fine.

The blue ice doesn't freeze the lights during the Summer in Phoenix. It keeps the lights at a reasonable operating temperature. As the long Summer becomes a memory, I no longer use the ice packs for this purpose as it would be counterproductive as you indicate.

The lights never get cold enough during the Summer, packed this way, to significantly impinge on the capability of the flashlights and/or alkaline batteries. Moreover, once separated from the ice packs, the lights will get very warm rather quickly. I suspect the same would be true in the hottest months in Florida.

There is no question that if you're willing to take the [probably small] risk associated with lithiums, that these would be the more appropriate choice for a car light.