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How long had the batteries been in there , shows how powerful those little CR 123's are
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Lithium batteries can react badly, looks like this was one of those times.
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![]() ![]() Holy crap, that's one hell of an explosion! Tag for SureFire's solution... |
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In on one.
Jesus that aluminum body was holding a whole lot of pressure. Glad you're ok OP ETA: Glad I buy Fenix flashlights....(sorry, wanted to be the first ![]() |
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Im no expert. But I am going to guess it was a battery malfunction/issue. The fact that the battery is the only thing I am aware of in the flashlight that has a charge and was blown in half as seen by your pic.
Send it back to surefire and get a new one...or six be sure to send me one of the six for giving you the great idea. ![]() I am glad you are ok. |
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Quoted:
How long had the batteries been in there , shows how powerful those little CR 123's are 2 or 3 weeks I guess. I use it as a back up light. Even working days you always want a light on you. This is for when I dont have the big light. |
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I bet you a pay check it was lithium batteries that got compromised and water got in them somehow........ever seen what happens when you touch raw lithium to water? And being in a tight cylinder like that it acted like a gun barrel.
Guarantee that is what happened. ![]() EDIT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxhW7TtXIAM |
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Are your batteries as ancient as that box appears to be, or do you just reuse it? I don't know if old batteries would matter or not, but that was my first thought.
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Holy shit! You are lucky that didn't go off while it was on your belt.
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It's called "Rapid Vent with Flame". It's not the first time this has happened with those CR123 batteries. More common with the cheapy versions. I'm guessing you didn't use the light much and the batts were pretty old? Please tell me I'm right, because that was a hell of a thing you just had happen.
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WOW!I've heard of this before,but never seen one documented this good!
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Quoted: I bet you a pay check it was lithium batteries that got compromised and water got in them somehow........ever seen what happens when you touch raw lithium to water? And being in a tight cylinder like that it acted like a gun barrel. Guarantee that is what happened. Yep. |
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wow ive never heard of that happening I have. I've been using AAA lights more lately. |
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This isn't unheard of with CR123 batteries, as others have alluded to.
However, this is the first time I've actually seen pictures of it. IIRC, most flashlight companies warn against the use of certain types of batteries because of the danger of this occurring under the right circumstances. I''m curious as to what Surefire will say..... |
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So what would happen if you mount a Surefire on a Glock? Would we all die?
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Glad your hand is ok.
That said very nice job with the write up. I will be curious to see what Surefire has to say. I love surefire lights and have been carrying them for years. Crazy. |
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impressive , email surefire and i bet they send you a few new lights and anything else you want to keep your mouth shut and avoid being sued.
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Lithium has it's place but LED lights sure seem safer and more practical.
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Quoted:
So what would happen if you mount a Surefire on a Glock? Would we all die? we would go out with one hell of a bang |
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Quoted:
It's called "Rapid Vent with Flame". It's not the first time this has happened with those CR123 batteries. More common with the cheapy versions. I'm guessing you didn't use the light much and the batts were pretty old? Please tell me I'm right, because that was a hell of a thing you just had happen. Yep. More common than people think, this episode was...excessive, however. Glad you're OK! |
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IBKJEHAWIH
In Before Keith J explains how and why it happened. |
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thats why i went away from pretty much anything cr123a related a few years ago.
lithium batteries can be VERY bad when they fail |
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They should put some kind of pressure relief valve in the housing....
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Wow, I've also got a surefire 6P/9P that converts from 2 CR123's to a recharge-style battery from surefire, and I've had mine since 1987 or so, never seen or even HEARD of anything like that ever happening.
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The batteries are than likely at fault here. Once the batteries blew, the aluminum body acted the same way as a pipe bomb does. The pressure expands until the container (body) can no longer retain it and it explodes releasing its energy almost instantly. I'm sure that Surefire will make things right.
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Quoted: impressive , email surefire and i bet they send you a few new ligts and anything else you want to keep your mouth shut and avoid being sued. little late for that isn't it? |
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Quoted:
Are your batteries as ancient as that box appears to be, or do you just reuse it? I don't know if old batteries would matter or not, but that was my first thought. I believe they have a 12 year shelf life so I don't think it would matter. I do know that if he sends the light to Surefire they will send him a new one. http://theprepared.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=66&Itemid=40 |
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Umm....wow. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that your batteries had a SERIOUS defect. If they were SF bats then SF owes you a new light and some bats that don't blow up.
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It does happen from time to time. If you go over to Candlepowerforums (the flashlight geeks) and check there, you'll find some more stories. In fact I'd reccomend the OP go over there and register just to tell his story and show the pictures, they'll be fascinated.
One member posted that he had one go off just sitting in a cabinet, and the battery cap went through the cabinet door. One thing that can happen with paired Lithium CR123A's is if one cell is weak and dead, and the other cell is at full charge, the good cell will try to charge the dead one. Or if from manufacturing variances one battery has an unusualy high internal impedance. And in either case... Lithium primaries don't take too kindly to being charged. ![]() You can get tested and resistance-matched pairs of CR123A batteries that are soldered together in a stick so there's almost no chance of this happening. I'm wondering if the last time the OP changed the batteries he accidentaly reinserted an old one with the new one. http://www.batteryjunction.com/titanium-cr123a-double.html Quoted:
Lithium has it's place but LED lights sure seem safer and more practical. LOL WUT? ![]() You can have a lithium powered LED flashlight. What are you talking about? I have several LED flashlights that use CR123A's... |
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He is pretty lucky that this happened in an aluminum body flashlight. Would a G2 have jacked up his hand?
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