Incident at Düsseldorf International Boat Show.

[Diver below 83]

Back when I sold cell phones, and we were transitioning to lithium batteries, I decided to open the case of a bad one to see who it was put together. I have survived many bad ideas.

It starting smoking and heating up as I raced to the backdoor to get it outside!

You can actually use a cell phone battery to start a fire in an emergency. When you puncture the battery the chemical reaction with the air will make it start to smoke, heat up and in many cases spark. So if your stuck out doors with a dead cell phone but need to stay warm. Now you know

 

[fsardone]

The Heinrick Weikhamp computer takes both a standard battery (non rechargeable) and a rechargeable one.
You need to tell the computer which one you are using.
If you tell the computer it is a standard one the recharging circuitry is disabled. So even if you set the computer on the recharging pad nothing happens.

Now, if you tell the computer is a rechargeable one when you have inserted a standard one and then set the computer on the charging pad guess what might happen. You guessed right!

I said once and I say it again. For whatever foolproof system you implement nature will just deliver a better fool.

 

[Schwob]

The Heinrick Weikhamp computer takes both a standard battery (non rechargeable) and a rechargeable one.
You need to tell the computer which one you are using.
If you tell the computer it is a standard one the recharging circuitry is disabled. So even if you set the computer on the recharging pad nothing happens.

Now, if you tell the computer is a rechargeable one when you have inserted a standard one and then set the computer on the charging pad guess what might happen. You guessed right!

I said once and I say it again. For whatever foolproof system you implement nature will just deliver a better fool.

Your last sentence rings true.
But they did not even temotly try to make it fool proof. That would rewuire for the Dive computer to infallably determine what battery is in. Big word "infallably" ... if it is a word...

 

[DandyDon]

infallably" ... if it is a word

No, but it blends with your other typos.

 

[Schwob]

No, but it blends with your other typos.

Oh, good. I got something going then...

 

[Neilwood]

Appearantly somebody put an OSTC containing an alkaline primary AA battery on a USB battery charger, for the first couple of hours nothing happened, and then suddenly there was a very loud bang. 12 hurt, 5 seen in the ER for ear trauma, 1 person with cuts from flying OSTC pieces (shrapnel) otherwise no serious injuries..

Michael

I heard some thing similar - trying to charge a non-rechargeable battery will inevitably not be good for the battery or any people standing close.

 

[АлександрД]

same topic is here Dive computer explodes, 12 injured

 

[Pedro Burrito]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Merged the two threads

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[dmaziuk]

Back when I sold cell phones, and we were transitioning to lithium batteries, I decided to open the case of a bad one to see who it was put together. I have survived many bad ideas.

It starting smoking and heating up as I raced to the backdoor to get it outside!

"Sun in the cup" is when you fill a cup with acid (I forget which one we used) and drop a piece of metal lithium in it. In lab storage lithium has a layer of oxide/gunk (like e.g. aluminium, or lead) on the outside, and is stored in kerosene or mineral oil. You have a second to run away while the acid eats through that and the reaction starts.

The reaction is very vigorous. The interesting products are hydrogen and a lot of heat. Heat ignites the hydrogen and it forms a bubble of bright flame above the cup. If you're lucky the flame will keep for a few seconds, before the whole thing explodes.

Lithium in water merely boils emitting a lot of heat and spitting caustic everywhere. Not nearly as much fun, except in chemical lab fire safety training: "and then firemen come and start extinguishing your lithium with their water" part.

 

[fsardone]

Official Manufacturers’ statement via Facebook

English version:

On January 26th, 2019 an explosion of the lithium battery in a heinrichs weikamp dive computer occurred at our booth at the fair "boot". As a result of the explosion, the battery compartment lid was blown off. One person suffered slight cuts and burns to the forearm due to parts flying around, other persons in the vicinity suffered a bang trauma.

The "OSTC plus" can be operated either with a lithium battery or with disposable batteries.
The battery explosion was caused by an invalid combination of the battery used and the dive computer setting: a 3.6V non-rechargeable battery was inserted, but the dive computer was set to a rechargeable battery type. An attempt to charge for several hours in this state caused the battery to explode.

In order to prevent a reoccurrence of such an incident, heinrichs weikamp restricts the intended use of the diving computer "OSTC plus" with immediate effect to the exclusive use of the following devices

- Rechargeable 3.6 volt lithium batteries, or from
- non-rechargeable 1.5 volt disposable batteries.

The continued use of non-rechargeable 3.6V lithium batteries in OSTC plus dive computers is strongly discouraged due to the potential risk of confusion between the type of battery used and an incorrect battery setting.

A firmware update will also be provided shortly to improve user guidance when setting the battery type, with the aim of further reducing the likelihood of an inappropriate setting.

1.5 Volt disposable batteries are automatically detected by the dive computer and will not be charged even if the dive computer is set incorrectly.

Dive computers of the "OSTC 2", "cR", "OSTC4" or "DR5" series with built-in lithium batteries are not affected by this safety warning, nor are the "OSTC Sport" (old and new series) "OSTC 3" and "frog" models as these generally have no charging function.

The company Heinrichs Weikamp is an owner-managed company based in Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany) and has been specializing in the manufacture of high-quality dive computers and underwater lights for more then 10 years. So far more than 20 thousand dive computers of different model series have been delivered. This is the first accident known to us as a result of an invalid combination of battery used and dive computer setting. We take this incident very seriously and are of course available to answer your questions.