Narrowly avoided a fire

Opened up the junk drawer in the kitchen today looking for the nail clippers. I found them sitting on top of a clear plastic tub of 9-volt batteries (the skin part of a skin-package) and the little metal chain that's attached to the clippers had gotten wedged into the plastic tub, where it lodged itself across both terminals of one of the batteries.

The battery got dead-shorted by the keychain and melted a hole in the clear plastic tub! And this whole mess had been sitting only inches away from a little box of wooden matches. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/faint.gif

Fortunately the battery fizzled before the damage went any further, but now I'm a little more paranoid about 9-volt battery terminals.

My point - if you have any loose 9-volt batteries laying around in a junk drawer or toolbox, put a piece of tape across the terminals to prevent them from shorting to nearby coins or tools.

There was a story on the news just yesterday about a young boy whose cellphone exploded in his pocket and produced severe burns. One of the potential sources of these explosions/fires is exposed metal charging contacts on the bottom of the cellphone coming into contact with keys in the pocket. Every cellphone with this kind of charging connector should come with a rubber flap to keep the contacts covered when not charging.

And every 9-volt battery should come with a removable plastic cap to keep the terminals covered until ready for use. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

the lithium 9 volts batterys could do a lot more damage even quicker.

I try to keep my batteries in their packages unless needed.

I had a 5 amp charger on my desk i used on a project battery. I had left it plugged in and on for three weeks. One day I went to grab something and that item moved the wires where the clips where to attach to a battery. I got a rain of sparks as they made contact. I felt so stupid and lucky knowing that was on and no fire occured.

Wow! Glad nothing bad happened, glad you found it and posted about it as well! Thanks!

Photon, Im glad youre safe n sound!

This might make a good sticky in the batteries/electronics forum. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I second the motion re: making this thread a sticky in the Batteries/Electronics forum. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

as far as the exposed charging contacts on cell phones and other devices, most if not all have a short circuit protection. some of the no name cell phone batterys do not however

[ QUOTE ]
markdi said:
the lithium 9 volts batterys could do a lot more damage even quicker.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh yes, lithium batteries get really angry when shorted!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Wow, close call! Glad you're safe. I third the motion re:: making this thread a sticky in the Batteries/Electronics forum. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks guys. I might post a picture of the melted plastic tub. There's a nice little hole burned right through it!

Glad you're okay PW. We certainly don't need and burnt chip-munks around here /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Thanks MaxaBaker. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Yeah, burnt chipmunk fur isn't very pleasant!

Here's the pics...


And another...

Whoa! That's scary.

I've heard of 22LR rounds being cooked off by 9V batterys (loose in pockets). IIRC it only takes 10-15 seconds of contact.

Glad you're safe. I've always treated 9Vs with care because I realized anything bridging the terminals could cause problems.

I treat SLAs with even MORE care and I always tape both terminals with multiple layers of tape while they are in transit - you guys will recall SLAs 1. store a lot of juice 2. can put out a lot of juice...... they make 9V look decidedly wimpy.

For 9Vs, a single layer of tape in storage should solve your problems.

Thanks Kevin.

I'm not familiar with SLAs but it sounds like they do require careful handling.

We've got a big ol' cardboard box full of 9volts at the office. I'm going to check on that box today and make sure they have caps, tape, or a better means of storage.

Hmm, I better not tell you guys about my "Arc Welder" then

When I was younger, my friends and I would take 9 volts and see how long we could hold them on our tounges without hurting ourselves too badly. lol /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Yeah, that was a quick and dirty way to test them to see if there was any life left in them. Yuk! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/duh2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif