Exploding Batteries · AditNow Community

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ttxela
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

13 years ago

About a year ago I bought Mrs T a headlight, she doesn't come underground but uses it for her work treating foot ailments. She uses it most days 2-3 times a day for 1/2 an hour or so.

Recently she complained that every now and again she hears a loud bang and a feeling as if someone has thrown a stone against her head. On further investigation it appears the batteries are literally exploding in the case.

Its a "Lenser Headfire" ( :lol: ) and wasn't cheap, abot £35 as I recall. She's not using cheapo batteries either, they are Duracell AA's.

Anyone experienced anything similar - or have any idea what's going on?

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simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

13 years ago

Alkaline or lithium batteries?

To be honest though if the batteries are a) blowing up in the head torch and b) not blowing up in anything else then I'd take the head torch back to wherever it came from.

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by

NewStuff
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

13 years ago

"simonrl" wrote:
Alkaline or lithium batteries?

To be honest though if the batteries are a) blowing up in the head torch and b) not blowing up in anything else then I'd take the head torch back to wherever it came from.

I'll second that. I would suspect a Short is far more likely than a duff set of batteries.

Searching for the ever elusive Underground Titty Bar.

DDDWH CC

Yorkshireman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

13 years ago

Are you using rechargeables?

This could mean that the lamp is trying to draw more current than the batteries can deliver and the internal resistance of the cells is working like an electric heater.

I've found it better to run gadgets that draw quite a bit of power (motor drives or winders on cameras, for instance) with reasonably priced alkalines (1.5 V) from the local Lidl store instead of with rechargeable NimH (usually 1.35 V) or other types of rechargeable batteries.

My Rollei 3003 camera absolutely refuses to run with some rechargeables - and the cells get very hot - but it always works perfectly with a set of alkalines.

Another reason could be mixing differently rated cells.

royfellows
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

13 years ago

Rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries can be harmed by poor design chargers. These can cause the batteries to get hot while on charge, this will then cause them to swell whereby they will no longer fit into cameras, or torches or whatever.

I would recommend checking this while on charge. Whether this is anything to do with the problem described I dont know.

My avatar is a poor likeness.

ttxela
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

13 years ago

She's not using rechargables, just ordinary duracell AA's

The lamp is over a year old so I guess I'll not have much luck taking it back.

I guess some sort of short is the most likely, apparently its quite loud when it happens!