Surge - ticking time bomb?

I was going to purchase three Princeton Tec Surges but after reading this insightful thread...

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=316604&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1

There were some horror stories in that thread.

Have those extra simple fools at Princeton Tec put a "purge valve" on the newer Surges yet?

I've got a bunch of PT 40's, maybe, I should drill holes in those suckers for safety?

I think my Streamlight ProPolymers have purge valves?

Maybe, I'll just order two Strions and one TL-3 and be done with it.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

It's a dive light. Wouldn't a purge valve compromise its depth rating somewhat?

Exploding flashlight shuts down LAX in September 2004:

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/US/West/09/04/lax.incident/

A search on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's website for flashlight-related recalls:

http://search.cpsc.gov/query.html?qt=flashlight&x=0&y=0

(Fuji Power and AT&T Fuji Power CR-123 batteries were recalled twice, in October 2003 and February 2004...)

Hmmm... a Google search for flashlight-related class action lawsuits turned up nothing.

Heeeeyyyyy... we could fund CPF in perpetuity if we were all willing to suppress any sense of ethics and personal responsibility...

Nah!

Never had a problem with mine. And it gets used a lot. I do use NiMH in it so I don't know if it makes a difference in pressure build up.

I used to recharge fire extinguishers and they all had holes drilled in the threads if the cap in case one was opened while charged. If you don't plan to dive with it, I think drilling a small hole in the part of the body covered by the bezel would leave it fairly waterproof, but not gas tight. I'll be doing mine.

All the stories I read on the links posted could be called anecdotal and lack in important details, such as if basic, well-known (I hope, especially on this board) safety procedures have been followed, such as:

1) Never mix batteries (always use same chemistry from same manufacturer and same batch),
2) Never leave empty batteries in the light (especially not rechargeables),
3) Store gas tight lights partially opened if loaded with batteries (especially dive lights like the Surge),
4) Do not run down rechargeables down to absolute minimum,
5) Prevent accidental turn-on and accidental, unnoticed rundown of batteries.

If you don't follow this rules, ANY flashlight is hazardous. If you follow them, even the Surge is a fairly safe light.

The little pellet thinge that rattles around in the Surge is NOT something left over from manufacture....it is a Lithium pellet that is put inside the Surge to adsorb any Hydrogen gas that might be generated by bad batteries! DON'T TAKE THE PELLET OUT OF THE SURGE! It's in there to prevent your Surge from going bang!

If the little catalytic platinum pellet makes the Surge safe, then would it be even safer if I loaded up the battery compartment with a bunch of BBs and Gillette Platinum razor blades?

(Note to Homeland Security screening-bot: I'M JOKING! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nana.gif )

[ QUOTE ]
Roy said:

The little pellet thinge that rattles around in the Surge is NOT something left over from manufacture....it is a Lithium pellet that is put inside the Surge to adsorb any Hydrogen gas that might be generated by bad batteries! DON'T TAKE THE PELLET OUT OF THE SURGE! It's in there to prevent your Surge from going bang!

[/ QUOTE ]

Where exactly is this pellet located in the light for verification purposes of the newer Surges?

Can I add more pellets for safety? Please say yes.

Where to buy more pellets?

Should I drill holes into the Surge? How many?

In very simple terms, how, when and why do the Surges explode?

I want to buy a bunch of these suckers but not at the cost of safety. It is not realistic to keep them unscrewed when not in use, they need to be ready to go regardless of who grabs them in a panic situation.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

old surges had problems new ones are fine they arent bombs the company knows what they are doin the lights are safe

Oppps! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

That's Platium pellet not a Lithiun pellet.

Where exactly is this pellet located in the light?

Does it need to be replaced at intervals?

[ QUOTE ]
Freshman said:
Where exactly is this pellet located in the light?

Does it need to be replaced at intervals?

[/ QUOTE ]

in the head with the LEDS and no you can't replace it i dont think

I think if your flashlight explodes and shuts down LAX for a couple hours, it's time to replace the pellet. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I used a surge through several battery changes and never had a problem. It does kind of scare me that I've not known its whereabouts for over a year now and it has Duracell alks installed.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

the surge does not have leds and the platinum pellet will probably never have to be replaced

I have 2 Surges: one older style with lithiums stays in my trunk, the newer one with NiMH has gone on ~40 dives with me as a back-up light. I *always* disassemble sealed dive gear before going to the airport 'cos I don't want an explosion in the unpressurized baggage compartment. I'd hate to count on o-rings sealing against negative pressure, when they're designed to protect against positive pressure.

No problems with either light, and the older one went to 100' a few times. I've used the newer one regularly, and it's always worked perfectly. I'd planned to redesign the PCB with a switcher to bring the intensity back up with rechargeables, but it hasn't been needed. Due to the older problems with flooding at the switch gland, I'd like to see manufacturers start using magnets and reed switches to eliminate the breach in the case, but that won't happen anytime soon if it costs a couple of extra bucks.

Adding a purge valve would just introduce another failure point. It's a lot safer to simply treat all sealed dive gear as a potential explosive, and leave it unsealed until you're diving it. In fact, when I went to Bonaire last year, the baggage inspector specifically asked if I'd disassembled any dive lights, and I was able to answer YES.

I did attach the Surge to my MTB and ride for more than 500km. Arrh...and 2 dives. No problem at all.

Coming down to it, if I have to count pellets in my flashlight just to prevent it from exploding or being somewhat safe--not unless it is some kind of the doomsday-flashlight-end-of-flashaholic thing, I think people should really reconsider their option before buying.

[ QUOTE ]
I think people should really reconsider their option before buying.

[/ QUOTE ]
Um, reconsider their options and not buy a dive light? Seems that any dive light using alkaline batteries will have this potential.

[ QUOTE ]
Roy said:
Oppps! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

That's Platium pellet not a Lithiun pellet.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not to worry, Roy, it doesn't absorb the gas either. It's a catalyst (just like the catalytic converter in your car), it recombines the gas back into water vapor (to prevent explosion on turn on or off).

And so no, it doesn't ever 'wear out', 'fill up', or otherwise need replacement.

Standard fare in dive lights for a lot of years now. Or so the nice guy at PT told me when I called and asked.

Doug Owen