Darwin Award Candidate

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

Received 6 x 14500 UF gray from DX.

Charging each w/ BCDX6 revealed one w/ 1.98V...too low to start cycle.

When I recover 18650s that won't charge from old laptop batteries I stick them in my ancient sanyo AA/AAA/D charger for a few minutes (because it hardly makes a AA nicad warm, even if you forget it is in there for a day). If they won't start a cycle after that, junk...

So, I stuck the 14500 in there. Well...a few minutes turned into 24hours. The cell protection must have tripped because the light was off on the charger when I finally remembered. I hooked it up to the BCDX6 and it said 5.1V!!!

I use an all steel cabinet for all my batteries and charging, and I only charge Li-ion in the top drawer...but I'm lucky to have not, at a minimum, destroyed the hobby charger that was in the same drawer.

Time to go put a timer on the outlet that powers the cabinet...and to find a different way to revive cells...

ok, i'm ready for admonishment

2

This kind of thing scares the crap out of me and makes me reconsider my casual attitude toward recharging . . .

learningFoy

3

Won't Ever use Lithium, Ever... Seen the fire & the aftermath, never again. Lucky it wasn't mine, but my friend was hurt.

NiMH, put 'em in the smart charger and don't worry about it. Never had a bad one, or a charging fault in all the years I have used them. I just don't buy all those Lithium lights and stick to AA, AAA, C, D or F. (alphabet batteries are easier to remember than numbered ones).Wink

Glad it wasn't worse for you.

4

Just learn from your mistake and don't repeat it.

Also, that was REALLY DUMB!

Now you've been properly scolded, carry on!

5

A guy goes parachuting but one day his chute fails to open, His reserve won’t open either. As he gets to 200 feet a guy passes him going up !!! He shouts to him, “Hey, by any chance do you know anything about parachutes?”. The guy replies, “Sorry mate, I don’t. Do you know anything about Lithium cells?”

Enough said……

6

imagine how many people have perished from letting the little 'voice' that says 'not a good idea' lose to the more expedient line of thought

and how many of those were repeating a mistake;)

7

It's funny to me, how often we know upfront what's a bad idea... but we do it anyway just to prove ourselves right. ;-)

8

The Four Most Famous Last Words..............

Hey Y'all Watch This!!

9

Human error, nothing to do with Lithium cell safety per sé... plus it didn't blow, did it?

I'm glad that you're alright and the cell didn't go poof.

10

no poof, but it might be more likely to later, I don't know enough about them to say. my guess is it will just die before its siblings.

last night I ran it in a C3 for 5 second bursts (don't care much if I burn it up, i have several). each time it was REALLY bright for the first two seconds then it would sag.

side note, these protected, button top UF gray 14500s are all about 1mm shorter than my alkalines and nimh AAs and don't work in my C3s w/o a magnet

11

I have become less cautious when charging lately. I have left batteries on a charger overnight a few times. I do however feel safer using the xtar wp2 ii and mostly are charging better quality batteries.

12

Uhh is it a good idea to run them??????

13

is it a good idea to "kick start" a lithium cell in a nimh charger? as long as its not my roomate, i wouldnt worry. im interested in if this ell survives the whole adventure

14

the short ones? I don't see why not

the overcharged one? I'd think that it was highly unlikely to have any kind of hazardous failure running it a few seconds at a time with at least 20 minutes in between runs. Probably not very good for the light though!

I just spent 2 nights camping and used the light often w/o issue (same cell is still in it).

15

+1