Thanks Hank. Wasn’t smoking and no flames….so I’m thinking I’m probably just fighting that nasty flu going around and it has nothing at all to do with battery mishap or Hydroflouric Acid. Just coincidence that I had a LiIo battery meltdown a few days ago.
whew!
Here are a bunch of places to get Calcium Gluconate Gel
And some more for Saline Solution
But I think they are mainly used to neutralize external contact so you don’t end up looking like this………. 
.
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And as far as what you said here… “EVERYONE has these batteries around. If it was that dangerous would they be allowed?”
Sure they would be…… things that “can be” dangerous are allowed all the time.
You probably do just have the flu or the ‘crud’. But, if you have any doubts at all; it might not hurt to get checked out. Reading other peoples opinions on the internet is not always the best way to diagnosis a potential problem.
Think about it………
Hope you get to feeling better soon…………. :+1:
~
Now, shifting gears a bit. Did you have time or feel like taking that battery apart yet?
It would really be good to actually know what was in it. 
And like I said, if you don’t feel like doing it; if you’ll mail it to me I will. I’ll even pay postage………
Yeah hopefully it is just a cold/flu and unrelated. Just pay careful attention to any symptoms you are having. A cold/flu would have a temperature associated with it and HFA exposure probably would not, so take your temp.
Also, regarding the calcium question, some people with fluoride exposure will take OTC calcium and magnesium supplements. Both bind with flouride IIRC and help combat systemic exposure. Aside from that, most people are magnesium deficient anyway so normal dosages of mag won’t hurt.
And yes, an 18650 is big enough to produce a toxic amount of HFA especially in an enclosed space. HFA exposure can have delayed onset symptoms (days or weeks later).
Want a dead-as-a-stump 26650? 
No physical damage, just “protected” to death.
Can probably still find it. No idea why I even kept it…
Only if it did something weird like Zebretta’s did. Then I’d be glad to take it to see what is actually in it.
I have a feeling his may in deed be interesting. … mini cell & sand, rocks, dirt,…… who knows?
Well I'm surprised to learn just how much toxic mess these can release. It's not some trace amounts. The first paper I found also measured it in fire and my reaction was the same as Zebretta. Then I found this:
http://www.mdpi.com/2313-0105/2/1/5/pdf
And not to scare you but in the conclusions they say:
"If the ignition of the cell is prevented, which can be done most effectively by a textile composite, the gas emission is far more dangerous."
Hmm..
Dang!
Do get that PDF. It has extensive footnotes which are linked.
Scary reading.
Agreed… that sounds as though it could be pretty serious.
Seems to kinda blow the “no flames, no health problem” theory right out of the water too. 
Yep.
I’m sticking with my “you have to know when not to inhale” advice to anyone taking up li-ion battery powered lights ….
Unfortunately, most people are unaware of exactly how toxic flourine-based compounds can be. There are even common prescription antibiotics which are flourinated and cause severe reactions in people. HF is particularly toxic.
I don’t think anyone would keep these “Ultrafire” or other unknown-quality batteries in their house if they were aware of the severity of the risk they pose.
What this statement leaves out is that even smaller non-fatal exposure to HF can cause long-term or permanent health damage and the furthermore the effects can have a delayed onset. So, someone exposed might have no clue and only days or weeks later they start coming down with symptoms at which point they may not realize it was related to their exposure.
Reading about some of the symptoms of exposure to HF on CDC’s website…. pretty nasty stuff…
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mmg/mmg.asp?id=1142&tid=250#bookmark02
I don’t even pretend to understand most of what is in the links below, besides the fact that HF seems to be some serious stuff…
But, it does put a whole new light on hank’s advice…. “you have to know when not to inhale” …. :+1:
And I might add to that you better know when to run when not inhaling…………
Facts About Hydrogen Fluoride (Hydrofluoric Acid) / CDC
Good cautionary links there. Main point is it may take 24 hours or more after exposure before your lungs suddenly quit working right.
Imagine what firefighters have to think about facing an electrical vehicle fire.
And now there are Li-ion replacement starter batteries for your regular gas engine vehicle.
From the Medical Management Guidelines:
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Dare we use our LiIon’s without it………. That ’be’ the question?
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You do not have to remember not to inhale or remember when to run even.
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Disclaimer: Despite this little pun… CF is some serious stuff. 
You have higher risk of death and injury from raised blood pressure from reading forum threads about batteries than from batteries randomly exploding.
Of course don’t buy the cheapest Chinese garbage batteries, that is a given. Just like don’t buy the cheapest Chinese ammo, or the cheapest Chinese propane tank. These things can be as safe or as dangerous as you want.
The chances of a quality cell exploding from normal use is ridiculously low. And laptops aren’t “regularly” smoking and catching fire. There is no more inherent danger in these 18650’s than there is in a dozen products you use everyday without thought, and probably less in fact.
Our man from Texas said it best a few pages back.
Well said Nord…. I agree.
But there also should be a happy medium between “the sky is falling” and “the sky will never fall”.
Because once in a blue moon, “the sky does fall”.
If “you” happen to be in the teenie tiny minority it does “fall on”, “you” will hopefully get a much better outcome for yourself if you darn well realize……
CF & CF exposure can be very serious. In fact…. it could KILL you or damage you beyond repair.
So, with that knowledge of risk; let us neither blow it out of proportion nor blow it off.
Let us proceed with our hobby, just as we do with other dangers in our daily lives & environment; and enjoy it.
But with the full knowledge that if “the sky does fall on us”…. in this case_
we know “when to not inhale & when to run”.
Stuff happens. When this battery was overheating the ONLY thing I thought about was fire……not Hydroflouric acid dangers.
By the time I found it, it “probably” had already mostly vented because it was too hot to handle by the time I found it.
May I offer a word of advice in hindsight?
1). IF YOU SMELL AN ODOR like something is burning or see smoke and you have Lithium based batteries on hand….assume there is HFA already in the air. Open windows immediately….and remember that breathing “could” be hazardous to your health.
2). Have a steel or glass container with a lid ALWAYS nearby so that if a battery just happens to go into meltdown you can get it contained and outdoors asap assuming you locate the suspect battery quickly.
3). If you can’t find the source of the burning smell, ventilate the room or area as much as possible until you do. A battery that goes thermal overload will probably finish doing its thing within 1 hour. If you can’t find the source……ventilate the area for at least 4 hours and don’t let people or pets in the area. (I’m being presumptuous a bit)
All this said…think of firemen who work in situations where there most likely are lithium based batteries AND fire.
Think of the people on all those flights and in elevators and at home sleeping when those Samsung Note 7’s were all going thermal.
Somehow it seems most people do not get long lasting health problems from HFA when batteries and fire mix….or I think we’d be hearing more about it.
Anything but glass. HF eats right through glass.
Maybe a ceramic flowerpot (without drain hole) and some kind of lid. Just enough to toss it outside.
the nasty ones as far as hf are lithium primarys.
cr123,ect