Fenix Hl-23 can't open to change battery

mickb

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Quite possibly I am at fault, so I will proceed carefully. Went to change a battery in my HL-23 and couldn't unscrew the cap. Tried pliers, the threads are really siezed somehow. I stopped forcing it as something started to make cracking noises when I pushed harder. At this point I can't change the battery out. Any idea what I have done wrong. I havent lubed the threads or oring and this light has seen use in light rain at some point in the past. I have to admit I have never lubed any of my flashlights before, budget or otherwise and never had this problem. Thanks for any suggestions.
 
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LRJ88

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Quite possibly I am at fault, so I will proceed carefully. Went to change a battery in my HL-23 and couldn't unscrew the cap. Tried pliers, the threads are really siezed somehow. I stopped forcing it as something started to make cracking noises when I pushed harder. At this point I can't change the battery out. Any idea what I have done wrong. I havent lubed the threads or oring and this light has seen use in light rain at some point in the past. I have to admit I have never lubed any of my flashlights before, budget or otherwise and never had this problem. Thanks for any suggestions.

Have you tried heating the cap with something like boiling water or similar? You can't see any kind of signs that something's leaked in it either so the battery has decided to turn the entire inside of the light into a horror show?
 

LED_Power_Forums

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I do have this happened before, where the light became suddenly extraordinarily hard to unscrew. Turned out the battery inside had leaked! The battery leaked and released gas in the process, causing the inner pressure to build up thus hard to unscrew. And this leak was within hours! Never drained the alkaleak battery too much as it could leak instantly, contrary to the belief where it would leak only if kept for days. Do you happened to have used alkaline battery in it as well?
 

mickb

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Externally the light seems fine. It would be dissapointing if it were the battery, this is my emergency light and needs to be kept with batts for quick use. But its sounding like it is probably the battery then. I have emailedw the supplier for comment in the new year. If they dont have any suggestions and heating doesnt I might just have to absorb the loss and sacrifice the light in the name of science and force it open. Curious to see what has happened.
 

idleprocess

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Externally the light seems fine. It would be dissapointing if it were the battery, this is my emergency light and needs to be kept with batts for quick use. But its sounding like it is probably the battery then. I have emailedw the supplier for comment in the new year. If they dont have any suggestions and heating doesnt I might just have to absorb the loss and sacrifice the light in the name of science and force it open. Curious to see what has happened.

I wouldn't bet against an alkaline leak. I've been trying to recessitate one I gave as a gift - and advised against using with alkalines - for some time now. Li primaries or low self discharge NiMH for these things.
 

hiuintahs

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I'll 2nd the comment of idleprocess........if it's an emergency light with little use, then I'd use an Energizer L91 lithium battery in it rather than an alkaline. Or an Eneloop or other NiMh rechargeable.

If you can't get the cap off, perhaps its cross threaded or acid leak causing corrosion on the threads? Never-the-less........you really have no other option than to try to get the cap off. Perhaps working the cap back and forth if you get any movement at all. If it was acid leak from the battery, my bet is that the light will still work once you get it all cleaned up..........provided the cap will still work.
 

mickb

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Thanks fellas looks like I have to clamp it down and get the cap off. I tried using penetrating sprays for a day or two but didn't make much difference. It was working fine a week before, noticed it had dropped regulation to the lowest setting which is what prompted me to open it. Be interesting to see what batteries are in it. It was probably a few months ago and I can't remember what went in there. No more alkalines will anyway. Will head out the garage with it right now and see what damage I can do :)
 

mickb

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Success, second time in bench vice came off easily. And well predicted by all, out comes the slimy energizer gold alkaline battery. Cleaned it up and it works fine. Wasn't any obvious damage to threads, I think the sluddgy gritty discharge had just gummed it up, excusing lack of technical terms, Just changed all my batteries over in everything too. Thanks for the advice.
 
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Success, second time in bench vice came off easily. And well predicted by all, out comes the slimy energizer gold alkaline battery. Cleaned it up and it works fine. Wasn't any obvious damage to threads, I think the sluddgy gritty discharge had just gummed it up, excusing lack of technical terms, Just changed all my batteries over in everything too. Thanks for the advice.

Hopefully changed battery to lithium in that light? Emergency light with long periods of disuse = ideal candidate for lithium battery. Very low discharge and they do not leak, ever, under normal conditions.
 

idleprocess

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Success, second time in bench vice came off easily. And well predicted by all, out comes the slimy energizer gold alkaline battery. Cleaned it up and it works fine. Wasn't any obvious damage to threads, I think the sluddgy gritty discharge had just gummed it up, excusing lack of technical terms, Just changed all my batteries over in everything too. Thanks for the advice.

Good thing you caught it early. The example I'm performing a post-mortem on is still dead - not sure if the cell innards shorted something or dissolved it.
 

LRJ88

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Success, second time in bench vice came off easily. And well predicted by all, out comes the slimy energizer gold alkaline battery. Cleaned it up and it works fine. Wasn't any obvious damage to threads, I think the sluddgy gritty discharge had just gummed it up, excusing lack of technical terms, Just changed all my batteries over in everything too. Thanks for the advice.

Good thing you managed to recover it, Had it managed to spread far inside the light or just in the battery compartment and threads?
 

mickb

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Good thing you managed to recover it, Had it managed to spread far inside the light or just in the battery compartment and threads?

I think I caught it before it did much damage. The threads are a little gritty to open though. I might relegate this light to casual use and get a new one for emergency use, just in case.
 
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