Safety of Lithium Primary AA's?

[more_vampires]

In January, I installed a trio of Energizer Ultimate lithium AAAs in my Maglite XL50, and after three months of moderate use, the light began dropping down to the lower light level after only 10 seconds or so at full brightness. I checked the cells, and found one reading only .7V. I took the prudent action and tossed that cell.

I wonder what venting/explosion/fire danger might have happened if I continued using that light with that bad cell? I don't plan on testing this possibility, but my question appears to be somewhat similar to the OP's - so I thought I'd get some additional opinions regarding risks from Primary Lithium AAA cells. Many thanks.
WriteAway

The critical point that I have not yet seen mentioned is the only real danger comes from mixing and matching live and partially depleted batteries. If you match the set and leave them in the flashlight until dead, you'll be fine. It's when you have a fresh hot live one and a dead one that things can get exciting.

Any battery can be dangerous if mistreated, but the paranoia of Lithium AA's is WAY to high in this thread. CR123's in series and rechargeable Li-ion's are responsible for incidences 99% of the time. However, if you follow the rules, you won't have a problem with them either.

Lithium AA's and AAA's are generally not dangerous at all without doing something extremely stupid.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?214954-CR123A-vs-hot-AZ-sun

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?277891-Eneloops-in-the-car-in-the-summer

I was just planning on using them in basic off-the-shelf 2AA flashlights, more specifically the Inova X2 and the 2AA Mini MagLED. I don't know the current draw of those two flashlights, but I don't think they are much more than 500mA.

That's fine, don't mix and match batteries. It'll be fine.

I still have questions about whether an Energizer Ultimate Lithium AAA is a risky proposition in a ONE cell flashlight that is sealed with an O ring, for example an Olight i3s.

Single lithium battery lights are pretty safe. It'll be fine. No worries. This isn't Ultrafire we're talking about.

Is Eneloop AAA any safer than Energizer Ultimate Lithium AAA, or a primary Alkaline AAA? Lets say for sake of example, that the flashlight is stored in the glovebox of a car. Bad idea? Worse idea with the Lithium than the NiMh? Alkaline AAA worse than the others?

What is the safest single AAA battery to put in a light that is stored in a car?

Stored in a car? Never alkaline, never. The risk there is that WHEN it leaks, it will damage your light. Both the Eneloop NiMH and Energizer UL AAA are better choices for a car light.

In summary, I agree with the FC. The lithium paranoia lately is too much.

 

[1DaveN]

Any battery can be dangerous if mistreated, but the paranoia of Lithium AA's is WAY to high in this thread. CR123's in series and rechargeable Li-ion's are responsible for incidences 99% of the time. However, if you follow the rules, you won't have a problem with them either.

Lithium AA's and AAA's are generally not dangerous at all without doing something extremely stupid.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?214954-CR123A-vs-hot-AZ-sun

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?277891-Eneloops-in-the-car-in-the-summer

I agree about lithium AA and AAA primaries, but I think American-made CR123s are probably just as safe. I don't consider the risk of any of those to be any worse than not having light in an emergency, because your alkalines leaked or went dead.

 

[more_vampires]

I agree about lithium AA and AAA primaries, but I think American-made CR123s are probably just as safe. I don't consider the risk of any of those to be any worse than not having light in an emergency, because your alkalines leaked or went dead.

The reason that CR123 (quality made) has low-ish capacity is that they're pretty sturdy actually. There are military specifications for this battery. You'll have to short several of them, mix and match live and dead, or smash them with a rock to have a problem.

Putting one or more lithiums in backwards in a multicell light is also an (avoidable) issue. Don't do that.

 

[lunas]

Tried that. Makes a terrible EDC....

i did not say it was the best just the safest...

Personally i load my car light with energizer ultimate lithium.
my AAA lights get lithium as well the rest of my collection uses 14500 or 18650 or my new one 26650... Never had an issue i check my cells regularly any cell under 2.8v gets thrown away.

 

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

The Energizer L91 lithium AA have ATEX intrinsically safe certification now, can't get a link from phone, but an internet search will bring it up.

I've not seen that for any CR123A cells, so in my book it's safe enough to have around.

So what I'm reading here in this thread is that (2) CR123A cells in series is a potential problem (unless I misunderstood). I had no idea there were so many potential problems with these batteries. I just ordered a flashlight that will used 2 CR123A cells in series. I may have to rethink this.

 

[1DaveN]

I think some of the concern is overblown - people have been using CR123As in cameras forever (admittedly usually just one). I buy only made-in-USA CR123As from what I hope are reliable sources, and I don't worry about it - I've had a PD35 with Surefire cells on my desk for ages without a worry.

This is how I think of it: I want a great, high quality, bright light that's going to do certain things that are important to me. That light either runs 2xCR123A, or 1x18650. I can either risk running that light, or switch to a cheapo, dimmer, lower quality, less satisfactory light from the home center. Any light you buy, as an enthusiast who cares about quality and performance, is going to use something besides an everyday alkaline battery. (Even when good lights use standard batteries, you probably want to use something else to minimize the risk of leakage).

No one thought a deodorant can could explode, until we found out differently around the campfire at Boy Scout camp. I agree with the people who say that if you observe ordinary caution (don't replace one cell of two, be careful how you store and dispose of them) everything will be fine.

 

[more_vampires]

So what I'm reading here in this thread is that (2) CR123A cells in series is a potential problem (unless I misunderstood). I had no idea there were so many potential problems with these batteries. I just ordered a flashlight that will used 2 CR123A cells in series. I may have to rethink this.

If you're going to re-think it, here's a suggestion.

Put two fresh batteries in there. Leave them in there. Keep using them until they are gone. THEN put in two more fresh ones.

Don't have a loose drawer full of cr123 in various states of decay, putting those in a cr123x2 light WILL eventually burn you.

I watch my cr123x2 lights like a HAWK (a hawk with a multimeter.) For cr123, I prefer single cell lights so I can be lazy and not worry. You're going to have to do something EXTREMELY wrong to have a problem with a single battery light.

All in all, cr123 is extremely safe. Rechargeables have more to go wrong.

 

[B0rt]

So what I'm reading here in this thread is that (2) CR123A cells in series is a potential problem (unless I misunderstood). I had no idea there were so many potential problems with these batteries. I just ordered a flashlight that will used 2 CR123A cells in series. I may have to rethink this.

I have used my Fenix PD35 with 2 CR123A in the front pocket of my jeans daily for over 2 years before switching to 18650s. Not a single issue!
Use quality cells and keep the pairs together, never mix partially used ones, and you should be fine imho.

 

[Burgess]

Energizer ATEX certification for L91 and L92 Lithium batteries --



http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/OEM Instructions _DoC.pdf

 

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

I have used my Fenix PD35 with 2 CR123A in the front pocket of my jeans daily for over 2 years before switching to 18650s. Not a single issue!
Use quality cells and keep the pairs together, never mix partially used ones, and you should be fine imho.

Cool! Yeah, I ended up using the CR123A in a single application and then got a 18650 for the PD35. The problem now is I ordered a buttontop which fits pretty tight and maybe I should have ordered a flat top instead. ( the website didn't specify ).

 

[FlyGuyLuciferin]

I have a question about these batteries in a Tain Aura light. This flashlight does not have protection from over discharging batteries. I assume the best battery to use is a protected 14500, but if I use these (lithium primary) what precautions should I take? Is it dangerous to discharge them too much? I am still new to these things and trying to figure it out. I didn't get into the newer bright lights for a long time because I didn't trust the batteries.

 

[jon_slider]

these batteries
...
I assume the best battery to use is a protected 14500

a Lithium Primary, the topic of this thread, is not rechargeable. They are sold as Energizer Ultimate Lithium, aka camera batteries. They are safe.

a Lithium Ion battery, IS rechargeable, and is also called a 14500
they are not the same and LiIon has important safety precautions
read up on it here for starters

 

[FlyGuyLuciferin]

Thanks for the info, I edited my post to clarify that I was asking about the safety of Energizer primaries as an alternative to 14500s.

 

[SoCalTiger]

Thanks for the info, I edited my post to clarify that I was asking about the safety of Energizer primaries as an alternative to 14500s.

Be aware that those lithium primary AAs like the Energizers are 1.5V. The Lithium-ion rechargeable 14500s are usually 3.7V and are 4.2V at full capacity.

This is an important note because if the light was designed to run with a lithium-ion, the output will be reduced by using a lower voltage battery. If the light is designed to work with a normal AA, the output will be similar to an alkaline but you will gain the benefit of longer storage life and no leaking.

 

[jon_slider]

Energizer Ultimate Lithium, aka camera batteries. They are safe.

Tain Aura
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ura-Ti-AA-14500-Clicky-AA-with-trits-and-glow
- 0.8V~4.2V
- Battery: 1 x AA Size Battery (Alkaline, Ni-MH, primary Lithium, or 14500 Li-ion Cells)