Flaming batteries

itboffin
itboffin Posts: 20,064
edited January 2010 in Commuting chat
My lovely DX magicshine P7 battery pack just caught fire burning one of my fingers in the process, ouch!

It was in my bag FFS had to throw it out the window of the train just in case it exploded.

My finger hurts :cry:
Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
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Comments

  • suzyb
    suzyb Posts: 3,449
    :shock:

    Do you know what caused it to catch fire. Were they somewhere the heat was getting to them?

    I used to carry spare batteries for my walkman in my pocket until one day I realised they were beginning to burn my leg :wink:
    Whippet
  • Christophe3967
    Christophe3967 Posts: 1,200
    Blimey, you were lucky - I've heard of laptop batteries catching fire...

    You should try Knogs... :)
    Bike1
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N07/3258551288/
    Bike 2
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N ... otostream/
    New Bike
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N07/3479300346/
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    WTF? :shock:

    And I thought the thread title used flaming like in 'flaming galah'. Here I was planning to make a hilarious joke about how you're doing something wrong if your batteries are on fire.

    Look how well that turned out...
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Jaysus. Glad you're mostly ok. Could have been nastier.

    I, too, had a joke ready to go...
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • clanton
    clanton Posts: 1,289
    Jesus. Lucky you didn't get shot as a terrorist!
  • Roastie
    Roastie Posts: 1,968
    Nasty.
    David
    Engineered Bicycles
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,952
    And I was considering getting one of these too.........

    That's bizarre, especially as it was not charging at the time, wonder what caused it.

    I instead invested in a pair of C1 torches and a P7, which has already died it would seem, or come to me faulty at least :?

    Glad you got away relatively unscathed - guess you are now looking for a new battery pack?

    I think you may find some solutions towards the end of this thread as there are some UK distributors: http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12660192&sid=2f88556a8332080e006541515a221ab0

    Or are you going to contact DX for a free (?) replacement?

    Cheers

    Dan
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    clanton wrote:
    Jesus. Lucky you didn't get shot as a terrorist!

    That's what I thought as I lobbed the smouldering battery pack, I was half expecting some kind of terminator style explosion :lol:

    Damn my finger really smarts
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    I dropped the battery pack very gently today, no visible damage, so Magicshine owners beware of dropping your packs.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    glad you're alright...

    and now :lol::lol:
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    Clever Pun wrote:
    glad you're alright...

    and now :lol::lol:

    Guess which finger?
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    itboffin wrote:
    Clever Pun wrote:
    glad you're alright...

    and now :lol::lol:

    Guess which finger?

    :lol:

    Shouldn't cut corners on your batteries
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    Turn it around and bingo! :lol:

    5abdfdab49144ccbbad9fe2644fb7e9b.jpg
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    itboffin wrote:
    Turn it around and bingo! :lol:

    5abdfdab49144ccbbad9fe2644fb7e9b.jpg

    oww that will have been throbbing!
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    :shock: You gonna call/contact whomever you bought it from?
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    cjcp wrote:
    :shock: You gonna call/contact whomever you bought it from?

    Yep already have
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Runoutofgears
    Runoutofgears Posts: 348
    Sorry to hear of your injury itboffin, I hope it clears up soon.

    I have one of those lights and build quality, particularly of the battery pack is my biggest concern. All main stream rechargeable battery technologies store a lot of power which if released over a short time can generate a significant amount of heat. I inadvertently shorted out an AA size Ni-Cad battery some years ago and was amazed at it’s ability to turn thick wire red hot, certainly hot enough to start and sustain a fire.

    Li-ion batteries are used in most high power bike lights and are inherently not as robust as earlier technologies, they don’t tolerate over charging or excessive discharge well, and hence they require more sophisticated chargers. Physical protection from impact is important as well as the quality of the electrical connections and circuitry to help to minimise the risk of short circuiting in an impact. It is possible that in dropping your battery a short circuit occurred in the battery assembly giving rise to over heating, smoldering and risk of fire. It is certianly some thing to be aware of with all rechargeable batteries.

    Having recently had a heavy fall on my bike in the ice I should perhaps inspect my battery for damage!
    I ache, therefore I am.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    Runoutofgears def. you wouldn't want them to burst into flames in your bag or pocket.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • OldSkoolKona
    OldSkoolKona Posts: 655
    itboffin wrote:
    clanton wrote:
    Jesus. Lucky you didn't get shot as a terrorist!

    That's what I thought as I lobbed the smouldering battery pack, I was half expecting some kind of terminator style explosion :lol:

    Damn my finger really smarts

    You were lucky that you were on a train that had a window that you could open :shock: and better still you weren't in the US with a trigger happy cop :shock: :shock: How did your fellow passengers react?? :wink:
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    OldSkoolKona wrote:
    itboffin wrote:
    clanton wrote:
    Jesus. Lucky you didn't get shot as a terrorist!

    That's what I thought as I lobbed the smouldering battery pack, I was half expecting some kind of terminator style explosion :lol:

    Damn my finger really smarts

    You were lucky that you were on a train that had a window that you could open :shock: and better still you weren't in the US with a trigger happy cop :shock: :shock: How did your fellow passengers react?? :wink:

    Pretty much no one on the train last night, which is good because they smelled horrid
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    itboffin wrote:
    My lovely DX magicshine P7 battery pack just caught fire burning one of my fingers in the process, ouch!

    It was in my bag FFS had to throw it out the window of the train just in case it exploded.

    My finger hurts :cry:

    While you were throwing ot out of the window, you should have done it with a loud shout, I am sure a few of us would have visited you in jail over the next 15 years.....
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • Fireblade96
    Fireblade96 Posts: 1,123
    Just be glad you weren't on a plane !

    (it's a buggr to get the windows open on a plane....)

    ;-)
    Misguided Idealist
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    Think I know what may have caused this; looks like the same thing may be happening to mine...

    While pulling out the plug last night to plug in the charger, I noticed that I've damaged the cable (on the battery side) where it enters the plug; the plug is such a tight fit that it's quite hard not to do this if you unplug it every night. The insulation has split, and I can see bare copper inside.

    On further examination it looks as though the insulation on the internal wires is much thinner than the black insulation forming the outer of the cable. It's not hard to imagine that you could damage the internal insulation whilst the outer one remains intact; if you did this you'd have the potential for a short circuit but with no visible damage.

    Off to Maplin this lunchtime to buy some replacement connectors; planning to put two on, so that I can plug in the charger without disconnecting the lamp. Charger plug is a much looser fit (presumably because it doesn't need to remain waterproof) so this should be a better long-term solution.
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    That guy on the Brompton wrote:
    Think I know what may have caused this; looks like the same thing may be happening to mine...

    While pulling out the plug last night to plug in the charger, I noticed that I've damaged the cable (on the battery side) where it enters the plug; the plug is such a tight fit that it's quite hard not to do this if you unplug it every night. The insulation has split, and I can see bare copper inside.

    On further examination it looks as though the insulation on the internal wires is much thinner than the black insulation forming the outer of the cable. It's not hard to imagine that you could damage the internal insulation whilst the outer one remains intact; if you did this you'd have the potential for a short circuit but with no visible damage.

    Off to Maplin this lunchtime to buy some replacement connectors; planning to put two on, so that I can plug in the charger without disconnecting the lamp. Charger plug is a much looser fit (presumably because it doesn't need to remain waterproof) so this should be a better long-term solution.

    Ah right! can you post the parts you buy on here please, I need to build a replacement pack myself.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    Sure, will do...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    That guy on the Brompton wrote:
    Sure, will do...

    Will look forward to hearing about that too. I always unplug my lamp overnight (once it has been charged) because I'm concerned about draining the battery with the green indicator LED on the back, should I not worry about that? I commute to and from work on one charge (3hrs riding approx), guessing I'm nearing full drain but I still show green so probably have a bit to go still.
  • dav1
    dav1 Posts: 1,298
    I only just got mine so I guess I need to be careful.

    I always pull only by the body of the clip rather then the wires as I always worry about damage to cables (broken far too many power supplies before I guess.

    I think I might look for a way to add more grip to my connectors.
    Giant TCR advanced 2 (Summer/race)
    Merlin single malt fixie (Commuter/winter/training)
    Trek superfly 7 (Summer XC)
    Giant Yukon singlespeed conversion (winter MTB/Ice/snow)

    Carrera virtuoso - RIP
  • deffler
    deffler Posts: 829
    itboffin wrote:
    Turn it around and bingo! :lol:

    5abdfdab49144ccbbad9fe2644fb7e9b.jpg

    Nevermind the burnt finger & nearly been mistaken for a terrorist, what about those nails, cuticles & surrounding skin?

    You need a MAN-icure :wink: & some handcream :lol:
    Boardman Hybrid Pro

    Planet X XLS
  • magibob
    magibob Posts: 203
    There was a story a while go that if you carry a pp3 battery in your pocket along with some change, a 5 p piece can lodge between the contacts and cause it to burst into flame/set fire.

    Trouser pockets are definitely NOT the place you want a fire, and even more so now after recent events if you are on a plane.

    Andy
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    deffler those be good fettling hands ;)
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.

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