9 Volt Battery Danger...Burned this guy's house down...

[Gunny]

Is the government going to step in and do some thing now?

Yeppir, that would be the ticket. Make them redesign the battery so the terminals are on opposite ends. Then they would be incompatible with all your 9V stuff, but who cares, you'll be that much safer and think how much China would benefit from everybody having to buy new stuff that will work with the new battery.
But hey, it could happen, if one or two more incidents pop up like this, the safety police will be working overtime to save us all.

 

[Travelover]

Yeppir, that would be the ticket. Make them redesign the battery so the terminals are on opposite ends. Then they would be incompatible with all your 9V stuff, but who cares, you'll be that much safer and think how much China would benefit from everybody having to buy new stuff that will work with the new battery.
But hey, it could happen, if one or two more incidents pop up like this, the safety police will be working overtime to save us all.

If I was a battery manufacturer, I would worry about liability. This design would never fly if it was new today. Perhaps they can incorporate a small fuse into the design. Normally the loads on 9 volt batteries are tiny anyway.

 

[6string]

I have been taping the top of 9v batteries for years before tossing them. I even tape AA,C,D batteries. It always made sense to me that there could be enough charge to start a fire.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I would've thought most of us would have known this already?? Seems not..

Now, you know you should drain your 9v's by wrapping some copper wire around the terminals, right?

 

[Midniteoyl]

I haven't ever seen that before. That is ingenious. making a high resistance joint by judiciously tearing the gum wrapper into the thin tiny but still connected strip. Causing the strip to get very hot and ignite the paper backing... gotta remember that one..I would never thought to do that.

We use to use the spring from a ball point pen (government issue SkilCraft ) and a 6v lantern battery to make a cigarette lighter.. worked great and reusable.. but there was always a supply of pens around and batteries where in every emergency light

 

[joemd11]

Does anyone take used batteries for recycling? I have a stockpile I'd like to get rid of (especially after seeing this thread) and don't want to just put them in the trash.

 

[k0ua]

We use to use the spring from a ball point pen (government issue SkilCraft View attachment 354759) and a 6v lantern battery View attachment 354760 to make a cigarette lighter.. worked great and reusable.. but there was always a supply of pens around and batteries where in every emergency light

I betcha that works pretty good.

 

[Travelover]

Does anyone take used batteries for recycling? I have a stockpile I'd like to get rid of (especially after seeing this thread) and don't want to just put them in the trash.

Home Depot takes batteries and CFL bulbs.

 

[Industrial Toys]

WOW! I never thought a 9 volt battery, especially a used one would have enough energy to make that kind of heat. Now, I'm paranoid!

A few weeks ago, I got burned carrying some nicads that I had ripped out of a pack for recycling. I thought they were dead, and I never even clued in when something was burning me. Some strands of the the wires that had been used to connect them caused a cell to short. They seem even more dangerous then a 9 volt, because the whole outer case is a terminal (once you remove the paper wrapper) and very close to the other centre terminal, plus they can deliver some serious current!

 

[MossRoad]

WOW! I never thought a 9 volt battery, especially a used one would have enough energy to make that kind of heat. Now, I'm paranoid!

A few weeks ago, I got burned carrying some nicads that I had ripped out of a pack for recycling. I thought they were dead, and I never even clued in when something was burning me. Some strands of the the wires that had been used to connect them caused a cell to short. They seem even more dangerous then a 9 volt, because the whole outer case is a terminal (once you remove the paper wrapper) and very close to the other centre terminal, plus they can deliver some serious current!

They put them in stun guns, so I guess it could start a gum wrapper on fire! :laughing: