2025 Battery poof!

[RA40]

Finally happened and it was careless on my part. I had some loose batteries on my desk, a 9V, the 2025 and some AA's. While trying to move some paper work aside, I pushed them over and what I suspect is the 2025 came into contact with the 9V so it shorted both cells. I smelled a bit of burnt plastic and then a pop. Desk had small fragments from the 2025 spread across it and about 2' around me. I had desk fan on and fortunately it was blowing directly at me so the fragments were downwind. Even so, it popped about 18" away, no fire just the sooty black internals of the cell. What a mess. I didn't take pics but we've all seen enough of the carnage from a blown cell.

After reading the past exploding threads, I was really freaked out. Learned that the phone book sucks trying to find phone numbers when the mind is at mach 10. This wasn't a 911 level thing IMO. Anyway, 411 got me through. The guy at the Poison Control calmed me. Asked if I had any contact burns on skin or such. No. Was the room well ventilated...moderate air flow. He stated, burns and the lithium could cause some respiratory irritation but that would be at initial exposure. How was I feeling at the time, fine but wound-up. He commented, it seemed ok but if I felt a change or had other questions, call back.

Is this appropriate or should I be seeing the doc? At this stage, it occurred 6 hours ago.

 

[TooManyGizmos]

~

You should ALWAYS keep tape over the terminals of a 9v battery when not in use. They are way too easy to short.

Don't leave them exposed in kitchen drawers to get shorted and catch papers on fire.

Keep those terminals covered with something.

~

 

[RA40]

Tough lesson learned, this could really ruin a day.

 

[Norm]

Probably belongs here Smoke and Fire, Hot Cells and Close Calls - The dangerous side of batteries

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Mike,

Glad to hear you are OK.

I don't believe a 2025 cell has enough bad stuff in it to cause problems when the exposure is diluted and limited. Just don't make a habit of doing that.

I will move this over to the smoke and fire section and we can go on from there.

Of course, if you experience any lingering effects be sure to report those to a medical professional. Water can often remove toxins from the body, so you may want to consider drinking an extra glass of water for a few days.

Tom

 

[Milan]

OMG, calling an poison assitance because of coin cell...
...paranoid.

Next time, just eat it

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Milan,

Actually there is a lot of dangers associated with coin cells. If someone swallows one, that is good reason to immediately go to the emergency room. There have been cases where children have swallowed a coin cell, and as is passed down the throat there is enough of a charge to have an effect on the heart.

Tom

 

[RA40]

Thanks for moving it SF.

Milan...I didn't see any smiley faces in that post. You are being sarcastic right? Otherwise, read lunarmodules thread. It is long though is one with extended discussion about cells and the toxicity of fumes. It brought much awareness to the forum following as well as other venting cell accounts.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=120888

Another one:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=124776&highlight=exploding

This thread has many other links to venting batteries:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=170080

Venting cells are quite serious events. Suggesting it be swallowed...