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Care with batteries
Fred W B - 24/1/11 at 05:42 PM

I'm not a fan of the gruesome injury type threads, but something happened to a friend of mine this weekend that could remind us all not to be too cavalier in dealing with batteries.

He was trying to help someone whose car had an electrical problem, and working in the dark they could not see if the battery had enough electrolyte in it. So someone sparked up a lighter to add some light to the situation...

The battery exploded, sending him to hospital with eardrum damage, and fortunately not too serious face burns.

Be careful all.

Cheers

Fred W B

P.S. I could add another story about someone who managed to burn down a really expensive beach house, by doing the same thing to check if a generator had fuel in the tank, but thats REALLY stupid.

[Edited on 24/1/11 by Fred W B]

[Edited on 24/1/11 by Fred W B]


Strontium Dog - 24/1/11 at 05:48 PM

Hydrogen makes a good loud pop doesn't it?!

I used to know a guy with one eye that lost the other due to a bat on charge and a stray spark from an angle grinder! Don't know if he had goggles on but knowing the chap, probabaly not

[Edited on 24/1/11 by Strontium Dog]


ReMan - 24/1/11 at 06:39 PM

A mate of my brothers recently nearly lost both eyes when a tractor battery exploded in his face


blakep82 - 24/1/11 at 07:45 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Strontium Dog
Hydrogen makes a good loud pop doesn't it?!



i always wonder what the Hindenberg must have sounded like
i'm guessing it wasn't the little squeak like the burning hydrogen in a test tube you do at school