Are you aware of the possible risks and dangers of using Li-ion batteries and do you DO anything to minimize the dangers?

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I use good cells and good chargers, but not AW.. :P

Same.
Using mostly unprotected Sanyo UR18650FM’s, Panasonic NCR18650A’s (and some protected batteries using those 2 cells), and hobby charger.

I use a high quality hobby charger, protected Panasonic 18650’s, protected Sanyo 14500’s, and I always trip the protection on purpose during a discharge test when I get new cells to verify that it works. And even though I do that, I aim to never trip it again.

Oh, and it goes without saying that I never leave my charger unattended when it’s in use. I also monitor charging progress often, and make good use of my DMM to keep an eye on all my cells.

I think I’m kinda lucky in the sense that battery management is, and always has been, a hobby unto itself for me, so I actually enjoy being attentive.

I use all unprotected batteries and charge them in my I4. I keep a fire extinguisher handy and have a thermocouple sitting on them to monitor the temp.

:frowning:

I run well respected brands in a OK charger. The charger keeps on trickle charging without checking voltage, so I just make sure they don’t trickle when they are done for more than an hour, just take em off.

I use an i4 charger and don’t charge them in my house . If I use a lesser charger I put the cells in it and then use a 8 foot extension cord to plug it in to the wall.

Use a quality charger and cells.Always charged inside a metal cabinet thats ventilated and lockable,with no combustable materials inside.I have a powder extinguisher & fire blanket only 2 feet away.All are located outside in my Shed.Ther are two smoke alarms fitted also.Along with two pir burgular alarms,Big Big Dog,motion cameras with image capture and infa red,which connect to personal pager alert,ear bursting sonic syren,pressure matts,high viz signs,shatter proof glass,high grade cut resistant locks x 4,exterior pir sensors connected to a chain of 6 x 200watt flood lights,pricklie strips along all perimitor fence tops,vandal proof paint on all fence panel exteriors,panic alarm with strobe.Hidden,razor wire, barbs,spikes,and power jets of smart water.

Ho,and the Mrs

DON…

At what point are you switching from serious to ironic there? :D

- use cheap and good battery brands . . will order better bats in future

- use cheap chargers . . lucky so far as they cut off acceptably . . will toss if they ever do not . . . will order solar and hobby chargers in future . . sooner if I have to toss one :slight_smile:

- monitor and measure batteries with DMM between uses, before and after charging

- charge only when home and monitoring

- charge in my most protected outlet (behind and under upper bar counter - closely protected on 6 sides without being closed box and no flammables to quickly ignite)

- use only matched pairs of batteries in multi-cell lights

- toss batteries that under-perform (too low volts, poor capacity)

I’ve gotten UFs in deal packages and they have fairly high resistance so draw is limited, but capacity is good.

My new Eneloops with Amazon.com as Amazon seller seem to be genuine (with embossed date codes) and yet duds with low draw and capacity relative to my Duraloops.

Its mostly fabrication after the word Quality….lol

DON…

I send mine out to be charged at Los Alamos. They do a great job!Tongue Out

Seems legit.

But wait.. you dont have any LiIons! Busted!

Only have the “good” Trustfire and Bestinone IMR batteries that I charge in my AW-bought wf-139, Acc-6 or by one of my new mini usb-chargers that I’ve already checked the termination voltage of…

Always attended and checked before and after charge with my DMM.

“Are you aware of the possible risks and dangers of using Li-ion batteries” You kidding me? Not a single day goes by that someone is not talking about the “dangers” of these batteries. They are dangerous, like a car is, drive a POS recklessly and bad things can happen. Use your common sense, your DMM and buy good cells and you will not be living in dangerland.

safety schmafety.... I've purposely been careless lately with li-ions because frankly I find opening katsup bottles, counting to 10, and making shadow puppets rather boorish...

On a more serious note: Every 18650 I use are salvaged from old laptop batteries. I run a capacity test and a max amperage test ( hook it up DD to a copper mounted xml). That gives me a reasonably good indication of internal resistance. Then they're fully charged and left in a drawer for a month, after which I check voltage.

Any cells that are even remotely suspect and/or fail one of the above tests gets tossed. The rest are used with impunity.

I use protected, unprotected, new and used batteries. Never had any hint of a problem with them. I use an Xtar2 charger. Not sure how good that is. I do check them with my dmm and don’t run them down much. I change them often and recharge often. Not sure where the danger could come from with my usage.

From what I understand, charging is the most dangerous part and mostly with dead cells or depleted cells. I avoid that as much as possible.

I intentionally never buy torches that require more than 1 Li-on battery.
Got other things in life to worry about than what my flashlight is doing when I am not around.

countless times lithium battery laptops, cell phones, watches out the wazoo, all that without one missing limb, LCD eye-shrapnel, 3rd degree burns to the trouser pocket-rocket, or dead cat.

Yes, I am very aware that I must be living one heck of a charmed life.