Flashlight go BOOM ! Switch gone.

I was depleting 2nd generation Eneloops. Had the extension tube on. Heard a pop like a cap gun. Noticed my basically new unused Olight S15a go boom. Switch button left for the afterlife. I have read these flashlights are just about impossible to take apart. Anyone got any experience replacing the button top. Flashlight works fine. I have to check to see if light is older than five years old.

Sounds like an internal gas build up from batteries.

They’re not bad to take apart, the worst part is the pill gets stuck on the switch boot and you have a high probability of ripping the boot on second thought you’re good to go!

Guess that’s why eneloop says not to use in airtight devices. I take o rings out. Try to keep myself and light dry.

I was completely aware that the flashlight batteries one or both out gassed and caused an internal build up of gas. I do not usually turn on my flashlights on high just to discharge the batteries. But today I have my reasons to act this way.
:innocent:

I learn something new everyday here.

I think playdough or chewing gum placed on the switch will work just fine as a switch cover.
:slight_smile:

That sounds like the voice of experience to me.
:+1:

The first flashlight to go boom for me was an Armytek partner 2A. Same generation of Eneloops inside I think.

I’ve noticed an occasional hiss and smell when opening up a light that had run a while on Eneloops. None of those lights had side switches, so good thing I avoid open flames when checking batteries I guess.

had this happen once, was a fenix E series with side switch, think it’s only an issue with 2xAA lights and batteries that dont have matching voltage. Think they were early eneloops as well, but it caused a lot of damage and had to toss the light.

Did that with a Sunwayman V20A once, years ago, by accidentally mixing a charged Eneloop with a discharged one. The discharged one reverse-charged and outgassed, of course.

The switch boot swelled up to the size of a large marble by the time I noticed, but deflated with a high-pitched squeak when I opened the light. The light was completely unaffected by the experience - it became my belt EDC for a while - but the abused cell was a dead loss. Score one for Sunwayman :slight_smile: