# batteries dropped in water



## Dustin Liu (Feb 15, 2007)

I am wondering if these batteries will work again, my friend dropped them in water as a prank. They were all full of new batteries. As soon as I saw this I took it out and placed them in a dry cool place for 3 weeks without touching them. They are now dry. I am afraid to use them.
Is it safe and will the batteries work if I use them in my surefire flashlights?





What should I do about my friend? He said "I can help you with your addiction" and he dropped them in water. I then immediately punched him.

If these batteries will not work what can I do with them?


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## Illum (Feb 15, 2007)

Personally I'd be very careful and take it out of your room and store them somewhere else.

EDITED: INCORRECT INFORMATION, thanks MorePower

check them with a MM....since batteries are sealed from the outside, only water entry is the vent holes in the anode nipple, they _should _be okay, but... :shakeshead: I dont know.... first time hearing of Lithium cell hydro-testing


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## Lynx_Arc (Feb 16, 2007)

I would say inspect them. If they are rusted or corroded then I wouldn't use them in anything important. If they appear untarnished I would randomly measure a sample of them to see if any lost charge or not.


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## Flying Turtle (Feb 16, 2007)

Your friend must have been really drunk. Is he still a friend?

Geoff


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## nzgunnie (Feb 16, 2007)

Wow, that's a pretty expensive prank.


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## TORCH_BOY (Feb 16, 2007)

It depends on how long the Batteries were under water and also if it was salt or fresh water. I also would have punched him out, thats a lot of expensive cells


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## chesterqw (Feb 16, 2007)

well, make him pay!

there is no friendship in money.

189USD isn't a small sum

or just go to his house and throw HIS stuff into the water.


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## Led_Blind (Feb 16, 2007)

What a bumbass prank....

Anyways, a better option would have been to take them out of the wet packets then dry them individualy. As for them being dangerous, i dont think they will be but check for rust before using.


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## MorePower (Feb 16, 2007)

Illum_the_nation said:


> Personally I'd be very careful and take it out of your room and store them somewhere else.
> 
> Lithium primaries + water does not  , but may vent hydrogen gas...that mixed with the oxygen in your room can be a very very dangerous soup
> 
> check them with a MM....since batteries are sealed from the outside, only water entry is the vent holes in the anode nipple, they _should _be okay, but... :shakeshead: I dont know.... first time hearing of Lithium cell hydro-testing



Lithium primary cells + water are no more likely to vent hydrogen gas than lithium primary cells sitting on a shelf.

Unless the vent panel in the plastic grommet was punctured, there's no way for water to get into the cell where the metallic lithium is located. If the vent panel had ruptured, the cell wouldn't work anyway (or not for long) because the liquid electrolyte used would have evaporated.

By all means, check voltages with a multimeter if you have one, and I'd take the cells out of the boxes to look for rust, but if this had happened to me, I wouldn't be worrying.


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## InfidelCastro (Feb 16, 2007)

I don't like to get water near my lithium cells, I'm glad nothing bad happened. Definately check the cell voltages with a multimeter before using if you can.

But if they didn't blow up, then it doesn't sound like there could really be anything wrong with them.

Maybe this should be on Sure-Fire stories, "my moron 'friend' thought it would be funny to leave my batteries in my fish tank and none of them detonated".

I wonder how well 9 boxes of some other brands would have faired.


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## wmirag (Feb 16, 2007)

Don't ever go shooting with a guy like that.

I'd jettison that "friend".

W.


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## 65535 (Feb 16, 2007)

Take every last one of those cells and make a remote dead shortening device, that on que will short ever single cell simaltaniously, and put thise package in his house at night, then remotely detonate it. But first and no matter what you decide to do make him replace all 9 boxes.


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## Illum (Feb 16, 2007)

chesterqw said:


> well, make him pay!



I wonder how....make him eat the cells?

its incredible people would do something like this, obviously them have no idea at what expense and dangerous this stuff is...:thumbsdow



65535 said:


> Take every last one of those cells and make a remote dead shortening device, that on que will short ever single cell simaltaniously, and put thise package in his house at night, then remotely detonate it. But first and no matter what you decide to do make him replace all 9 boxes.



theres a safety device embeddled in these cells...if you inentionally short them all at once...some valves will open others may not...and those who dont are now ticking time bombs. :sweat:
_btw: dont post anything that may sound illegal....[remember the ever watchful eye of the moderators above us]_


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## 65535 (Feb 16, 2007)

Even that many AA's are rather expensive.


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## abvidledUK (Feb 16, 2007)

Sound like a prelude to selling them on CPF to me, especially after earlier warning by moderator about something else.

Is this a test too ?

Beware...

I could be wrong.

but that's the impression I get.

Especially during these school holidays

Anyway, best advice.....

Chuck them, charge him, chuck him.

How much is a life worth ?


By "Chuck them" I mean of course, dispose of them properly, as hazardous waste.


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## Illum (Feb 16, 2007)

abvidledUK said:


> Sound like a prelude to selling them on CPF to me, especially after earlier warning by moderator about something else.
> 
> Is this a test too ?
> 
> Beware...




well, Dustin Liu didnt say anything about selling them, let alone on the forum...and so far the thread hasnt gone to extent of BST...I think your worrying too much:huh:


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## Retinator (Feb 16, 2007)

My god that's a lot of batts! Don't tell me you're one of these guys with 4 M6's that you're trying to feed lol

If the cells are ruined I'd say your friend owes you for them.


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## abvidledUK (Feb 16, 2007)

abvidledUK said:


> Sound like a prelude to selling them on CPF to me






Illum_the_nation said:


> well, Dustin Liu didnt say anything about selling them, let alone on the forum...and so far the thread hasnt gone to extent of BST...I think your worrying too much:huh:




"Prelude" is the operative word.

Wouldn't like to have these babies going through the postal service.

Then again, there seems amazingly little water damage to the cardboard boxes !!

Go on then, what type of water, where etc. It's a bit vague at the moment.


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## ACMarina (Feb 16, 2007)

Yeah, that'd be a beat up friend if I had those batteries..


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## abvidledUK (Feb 16, 2007)

Retinator said:


> My god that's a lot of batts! Don't tell me you're one of these guys with 4 M6's that you're trying to feed lol
> 
> If the cells are ruined I'd say your friend owes you for them.



Ever thought of rechargeable RCR's ?

Brighter too, if your bulbs / leds will take them.

They might even fit in that illuminated Troll you have by your keyboard !


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## cutlerylover (Feb 16, 2007)

I would not chance it, I would dispose of them properly and let him know that he owes you that money...but thats just me...


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## cslinger (Feb 16, 2007)

What an a$$ pardon my French. Hey I can see screwing around with your buddy and tossing a couple of batteries out of a light, I mean hey whats a couple bucks when you are trying to be a "friendly jerk" so to speak. We all do this kind of stuff to our buddies, kind of the equivilent of flashing your bud in the face with a bright light or drinking his beer. But..................... 

Tossing that many batteries is out right vandalism and NO prank. Personally I'd write off the loss and move on and if I was still friends with said a$$ I don't believe I would let him near any of my stuff (TVs, cars, etc.) What a jerk. You know if he didn't offer to pay for them I might just take him to small claims court just because that would really torque me off. Not the batteries so to speak but anything like that.


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## SilverFox (Feb 16, 2007)

Hello Dustin Liu,

I agree with MorePower...

While camping I have dropped cells in fresh water and shook them out and used them without problems. I try to be more careful around salt water, but if I drop a cell in salt water, I would first rinse it off, then shake it dry, then use it.

Tom


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## The Voice of Reason (Feb 16, 2007)

Perhaps you might want to hold your so-called friend's head under water three times and pull him out twice...


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## mchlwise (Feb 16, 2007)

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned this concern yet, which was what first came to my mind: 

If they were in cardboard boxes and the boxes got wet, the wet cardboard then became conductive. Conductive (wet) cardboard touching both sides of the batteries would drain them, wouldn't it? (Depending of course on many factors). 

With all the talk about using equally charged lithium batteries in multiple cell lights, this would be MY biggest concern. 

:shrug:


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## Dustin Liu (Feb 16, 2007)

My friend said that he will pay for my batteries, but he currently has not job. So I think it will be a while until I get new batteries. I am so pissed.


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## Illum (Feb 16, 2007)

Dustin Liu said:


> My friend said that he will pay for my batteries, but he currently has not job. So I think it will be a while until I get new batteries. I am so pissed.



In think part of it is your fault...I heard of stocking up on batteries...but this is ridicolous...9 boxes is like a pile of gold just sitting there waiting to be tampered with.:candle: :sweat:

maybe im just paranoid


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## [email protected] Messenger (Feb 16, 2007)

:huh2:  Looks like your friend doesn't know basic chemistry!! If he left those in the water long enough water probably would have eventually gone in and cause some sort of explosion (FIRE FOR SURE).. some friend....that's one hell of a dangerous "prank"


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## The_LED_Museum (Feb 16, 2007)

Thread closed...we do not talk about this type of retribution here on CPF. :shakehead: :tsk: :shakehead:


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