Hi, I am a first time poster in need of some advice.
Whilst inspecting my household drinking well, my torch with four 18650 cells plunged to the bottom.
The torch is waterproof but probably not at the 24ft depth of my well.
What reactions are likely to take place, and what if any contamination risks are there for my household water supply?
I can drain the well and attempt to salvage the torch but it is high summer here (New Zealand) and I am reluctant to ditch all that water.
Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

Do you know the exact type of battery?

Get them out of there- regardless.
Invest the effort, I would no want to drink rotting battery stew under any circumstances.

 

I would not be hasty, get more advice.

 

The 18650 Li-ion batteries I have are magnetic. Can you go fishing with a powerful magnet?

 

Do you know the exact type of battery?

Get them out of there- regardless.
Invest the effort, I would no want to drink rotting battery stew under any circumstances.

The 18650 Li-ion batteries I have are magnetic. Can you go fishing with a powerful magnet?

It an aluminum torch so I have my doubts.
I fished a dead rabbit out with a butterfly net a while back, it will be my best bet, but not a sure thing .

 

Do you know the exact type of battery?

Get them out of there- regardless.
Invest the effort, I would no want to drink rotting battery stew under any circumstances.

I am unsure the specifics. But they are/were button type lithium

 

It an aluminum torch so I have my doubts.
I fished a dead rabbit out with a butterfly net a while back, it will be my best bet, but not a sure thing .

I am talking about the battery casing itself, not what the torch cover was made of. Aluminum is great. It will allow a magnet to stick to the batteries inside and is probably relatively thin compared to what a plastic case might be.

 

I am talking about the battery casing itself, not what the torch cover was made of. Aluminum is great. It will allow a magnet to stick to the batteries inside and is probably relatively thin compared to what a plastic case might be.

I have a strong magnet for welding, I will try. May not need to waste the water!

 

The welding magnet is worth a try. Scrapped neodymium ("super") magnets might be stronger. One source is old hard drives. Just be sure your fishing line doesn't break.

 

The welding magnet is worth a try. Scrapped neodymium ("super") magnets might be stronger. One source is old hard drives. Just be sure your fishing line doesn't break.

Thank you for your replies. I will try in the morning and let you know.

 

Yes magnet fishing will get it ...18650's are a steel container which can withstand/contain considerable pressure , nothing can leak into the water

 

they are/were button type lithium

Then they aren't 18650 type, but hopefully will have enough metal to make magnet fishing successful.

 

Maybe there's a difference in nomenclature:



There are 2 varieties. Flat top is usually used for welded packs.

 

Ahh, thanks for the explanation.

 

I doubt that lithium will leak out of the battery metal case. If it does and it touches water then it will probably catch on fire.

Lithium is used as a medicine. Look it up to see what happens if you overdose.

 

I doubt that lithium will leak out of the battery metal case. If it does and it touches water then it will probably catch on fire.

Lithium is used as a medicine. Look it up to see what happens if you overdose.

I have no personal experience with lithium as a medicine. You?

Anyway, the toxicity of such batteries is more likely related to cobalt in them than anything else after they corrode. Considering everything possibly in a well, I would try to retrieve them. If that failed, I would just go forward, unless I really, really liked that flashlight and wanted to retrieve it.

 

Lookup Lithium Medicine in Google. It is used for Bipolar Disorder and its side effects are bad and an overdose is deadly.

 

Lookup Lithium Medicine in Google. It is used for Bipolar Disorder and its side effects are bad and an overdose is deadly.

No doubt about the toxicity of lithium in an overdose. But have you calculated the concentration in a well of undefined volume over an unknown number of years in which it might leach out of those unknown number of batteries?

 

I doubt that lithium will leak out of the battery metal case. If it does and it touches water then it will probably catch on fire.

Lithium is used as a medicine. Look it up to see what happens if you overdose.

There is no metallic lithium in these cells it's an inert compound of lithium ....

It cannot leak out , the steel tube is a pressure container designed to prevent any leakage ...

There is a slight possibility of electrolysis occurring ...ANY battery put in water containing minerals will start electrolysis , chlorine gas emitted will react with the metal terminals , nothing in practice to worry about , too small amounts .

 

It cannot leak out , the steel tube is a pressure container designed to prevent any leakage ...

Wait... what?
You want to bet your health on that?

Given enough time, everything leaks.