Ok…this is a good point. I’m still learning here……
If you discharge a LiIo battery to say ZERO volts, doesn’t that reduce the chances of a fire by reducing the energy available?
I thought it was all that stored energy that was the main hazard?
Fact checking:
Li-ion cells produce oxygen when they start to vent, they will support fire in an airtight container and increase pressure until the container bursts.
The FAA did some tests along that line. I’m looking for a cite/link for that. But a sealed container isn’t a good idea. Ammo box or metal box, yes.
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Abudgetlightforum.com+fire+HF+hydrogen+fluoride
They contain fluorine compounds, but the HF is only produced during combustion — the hazard exists when they burn.
https://www.google.com/search?q=lithium+ion+hydrofluoric+combust
Over-discharge can start crystals growing in the internal liquid chemistry.
Growing crystals can puncture the membrane separating the reacting chemicals.
That starts a reaction producing heat, rapidly.
That’s a good point/question. I had it in my mind that 3.6 = stable long term storage and therefore safer as long as it isn’t shorted externally.
PS — I think I’ll be adding a battery powered smoke alarm to my battery storage box.
yes but what chemistry battery in the smoke alarm LOL
I’ve occasionally had that as well. It’s usually been because I forgot to turn the oven off. Once or twice it’s been something overheating because of a fault. Sometimes it’s been just a fleeting whiff of a burning smell, which has gone and not been traceable to anything. This happened long before I had Li-ion batteries in the house.
Use PVC tape to cover the terminals before putting them in the recycling bin, so they don’t short out in there.
Thanks for posting
Hope all is and stays well
Have some no name / bad name cells and will put tape around they and dump m in the recycle bin.
I store batteries that are not in flashlights in a metal ammo can. I drilled a hole in the top as a blowout valve in the event of a vent. I just put electrical tape over the hole as a valve of sorts.
This would hopefully alert me of a minor vent so i don’t get a faceful of HFA by surprise, but would also keep the can from exploding if i had a major vent.
Yea much safer to buy trustfire you can trust em lol 
Thank you for reporting this Zebretta. I have some of those cells that I have never used, but didn't toss. I will discharge them today and take them to a recycle bin.
I did the same with my amo can expect I drilled a hole where you can’t see it from the outside of can behind the latch
running it to 0v removes all the energy and removes the risk.
good for cells you are going to recycle.
a real recycler will grind them up to recover components.
a whateverfire resleeving operation will still try to charge it for resale.
I'm pretty there was a cultural confusion here. I really don't think anyone meant disrespect or dishonesty over a flashlight battery discussion. People in different places have different ways of expressing themselves. What seems like a backhanded comment one place is a show of respect and humility in another, but I could be wrong.
Didn’t read the whole thread but the only real comment I have about all the comments freaking out over cells randomly bursting into flames.
How many millions and millions of brand name 18650’s are in laptops, power tools and other devices around us every day?
Now how often do you hear about them bursting into flames just sitting around doing nothing (this does not apply to the lipo packs in cells phones and the like or when the batteries are being charged ect).
I would say the odds are pretty good that a brand name cell will be just fine if not abused.
Damn , glad u are alright . I just discharged and tossed some old crappy ultrafire batteries as well . Glad I did. Now to think of it , I was really stupid , they were unwrapped bare 18650s because I was curious what was underneath the wrapping. Thankfully I joined this forum and read battery safety 101.
OK now I have 7 cells (1*26650 and 6*18650)
But just dumping them seems a bit of a waste so isn’t there something I can do with it? Like using the lithium to make some fertilizer or something idk.
??
It’s fairly common for laptop cells to short and start smoking. When they burst into flames or catch fire is the only time we hear about it. Through the years there has been instances where bad batches of cells or bad set ups have caused issues.
you grossly under estimate the numbers of cells in everyday use.
about 75% of households i know of have at least 1 laptop.some have up to 6.
average cell count is 6 per pack.i have 1 with 12.
if this is true everywhere the number is in the billions.if i could find out the number of households in the usa i think the number could be several billion.
that not counting power tools,vapes,flashlights.
there are some of us(myself included)with laptops,vapes,flashlights,converted gadgets,and over 100 18650 cells in their houshold.
and the big news is always some idiot with loose cells in a pocket or a shorted mech mod pipe bomb.
but no *.fire stuff here.
with the sheer bulk of garbage cells in circulation from *.fire companies and shoddy laptop replacement packs the reports of severe issues are rare.