Continue to Site

Welcome to our site!

Electro Tech is an online community (with over 170,000 members) who enjoy talking about and building electronic circuits, projects and gadgets. To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

  • Welcome to our site! Electro Tech is an online community (with over 170,000 members) who enjoy talking about and building electronic circuits, projects and gadgets. To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

Fun with old batteries

Status
Not open for further replies.

RODALCO

Well-Known Member
Something to do on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon when having loads of old batteries awaiting the tip, and kids wanna see some excitement.

Safety first !

Please use goggles or have a safety shield between the user(s), viewers, video camera and the batteries.
They can go of with a bang allright.

Do it outside on the driveway or garden.

I use a 10 Ampère variac, a 240 / 22 Volts 5 kVA transformer, heavy cables and testrig as on the video clips attached.

Enjoy

Cell Fire

YouTube - AA Cell -- Fire

Bang !

YouTube - Bang !!!

Pop !

YouTube - D Cell -- POP !!!
 
Keep in mind you're spraying a caustic solution all over that area, I wouldn't be showing kids this, but still very cool. Want some real fun do a fully charged lithium battery pack. VERY pretty flames.
 
Our kids love this action.

I rinse the driveway with plenty of water afterwards.

Haven't got access to a Lithium battery yet.
 
Search Youtube for lithium fire. A full (or overcharged) lithium battery can actually be ignited by punching a big hole in it. Very different from your AA experiments because the battery materials just act as gas to explode them, the fire you got was just because you were passing so much current/voltage through them. With Lithium batteries the chemistry actually becomes part of the fire.
 
You might be a redneck if......
 
Isn't pointless distruction the whole point?
Or am I just not getting it?
Still fun to watch! Plus the kids remarks in the background say it all!
 
I can mail some old Lion batteries I have lying around at work if you PM me.:D
 
Be careful if they're really li-ion, IE the older metal cased one's, they're sealed in a metal case pretty good and might tend to explode. Li-poly's (the flexible ones) tend to just go up in flames, though I wouldn't rule out a small explosion.
 
Hero999

Thanks for the offer, probably not worth posting, post office wouldn't do it I guess.

I will get my hands on them one day and will let you know when it is posted on YT.

I will make a quick clip what set up I currently use, with a glass window in between user, camera and action.
Also I will try to set up a CT ammeter near the battery so that the currents can be viewed while the destruction takes place.
 
Im from the USA. As far as I know non of our roads lead to Rome.
Or at least the Rome your reffering too! :D
 
battery fire works

tcmtech True, I live in New Zealand and have to go across the ocean to visit Italy.

It was just a phrase which came to mind.

Just a couple of stills taken from the video footage of the battery fireworks.
 

Attachments

  • 21_03_2009 2_21 p.m EAF2 aa cell.jpg
    21_03_2009 2_21 p.m EAF2 aa cell.jpg
    31.7 KB · Views: 376
  • 21_03_2009 2_21 p.m EAF3 aa cell.jpg
    21_03_2009 2_21 p.m EAF3 aa cell.jpg
    31 KB · Views: 378
  • 21_03_2009 2_21 p.m EAF aa cell.jpg
    21_03_2009 2_21 p.m EAF aa cell.jpg
    29.2 KB · Views: 376
  • 21_03_2009 5_19 p.m D cell 1.jpg
    21_03_2009 5_19 p.m D cell 1.jpg
    36.7 KB · Views: 351
12 Volts 7 Ah SLA accu

I have been busy blowing up some stuff over the weekend, and the last couple of days, after work, as I had loads of old batteries to get rid of before going to the battery recycling center.

Attached are some D-cell Duracells arcing and a SLA 12V7Ah venting at the leads of my 240 / 42 Volts 5kVA transformer.

These experiments are dangerous and basic PPE as safety goggles and a glass barrier are a must !

It is good to make people aware of the dangers of batteries, especially overcharging, with the wrong type of charger as often discussed in some threads.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2518.JPG
    IMG_2518.JPG
    219.1 KB · Views: 381
  • IMG_2496.JPG
    IMG_2496.JPG
    460.9 KB · Views: 351
You should try some large caps and permanently plug their vent holes and kaboom!
I've intentionally sealed the vents shut on small caps and they are quite fun!

Also, you can discharge a large cap bank into parts for more fun too!

Only problem is that alot of loud booms where I live will attract tey fuzzies
 
Last edited:
Im from the USA. As far as I know non of our roads lead to Rome.
Or at least the Rome your reffering too! :D

With so many towns here in the USA, I bet there is one called Rome!
 
With so many towns here in the USA, I bet there is one called Rome!

LOL. I have a Google for it.

I give the sealed caps a go. Glue the vents of and cable tie across it.

View from behind the glass

Cheers

Raymond
 
I have been busy blowing up some stuff over the weekend, and the last couple of days, after work, as I had loads of old batteries to get rid of before going to the battery recycling center.

Attached are some D-cell Duracells arcing and a SLA 12V7Ah venting at the leads of my 240 / 42 Volts 5kVA transformer.

These experiments are dangerous and basic PPE as safety goggles and a glass barrier are a must !

It is good to make people aware of the dangers of batteries, especially overcharging, with the wrong type of charger as often discussed in some threads.

I have seen almost all your videos of exploding stuff on youtube and I am quite impressed!
 
Be careful if they're really li-ion, IE the older metal cased one's, they're sealed in a metal case pretty good and might tend to explode. Li-poly's (the flexible ones) tend to just go up in flames, though I wouldn't rule out a small explosion.

He knows it all and he can´t help himself
 
Be careful if they're really li-ion, IE the older metal cased one's, they're sealed in a metal case pretty good and might tend to explode. Li-poly's (the flexible ones) tend to just go up in flames, though I wouldn't rule out a small explosion.

The bigger the boom the better! :D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest threads

New Articles From Microcontroller Tips

Back
Top