9V battery danger, yeah, it’s real

[joseywales]

Just a PSA. There are emails, and youtube videos, showing 9V batteries, stored in a drawer, toolbox, etc. A paperclip, or screwdriver, touches the + and - terminals and bham! You’re having a BBQ. I saw that months ago , thinking what are the odds…

last month, we cleaned out my in-laws’ house and i tossed a bunch of batteries into a tool bag. A day or so later, i was emptying the bag and grabbed a wrench that was almost too hot to hold. WTH!

anyway, be safe

 

[rmmiller]

I keep new batteries in their package and wrap old ones with electrical tape before disposal.

 

[slow]

same, after seeing a video of how a 9 volt and steel wool makes a fire quickly, I tape the top of mine as well

 

[smackey05]

I keep mine in the original container. After they come out and get used, directly into the trash.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Yep, it's a fire hazard.

Had a local attorney that was running for judge. I went to school with the guy and he asked me about it. He was representing a young male that taped a nail across the terminals and tossed it in a store restroom trash can. He thought it was a joke that his client was being charged for it.

I showed him what it does with steel wool. His jaw hit the floor when he realized his client was very likely guilty.

 

[Viper98912]

Wow, I did not know this. I just put a new one in our kitchen drawer....in a metal organizer.

Just went over and put some tape on the terminals. Thanks for the heads up

 

[Git]

I buy 'Amazon Basics' batteries. All there 9v batteries are sealed in clear plastic wrap

 

[Jarhead0408]

Thanks for the reminder. I’ll be showing the wife and kids what can happen.

 

[javyLSU]

same, after seeing a video of how a 9 volt and steel wool makes a fire quickly, I tape the top of mine as well

Exactly what I do with mine. I had to take some fire prevention training through work a few years ago and the instructor specifically called out 9V batteries and how easy they are to short, especially stuffed in a drawer with a million other things. Ever since then I’ve been taping the tops of any 9V batteries not in the packaging.

 

[rayra]

Been there. Put a 9V in the high front pocket of a parka (cant recall why) and later threw my keychain in the same pocket. Minutes later in a store I'm getting too warm in the jacket. Reach in and keys almost too hot to handle. Yanked them out, threw them on the floor, yanked the jacket off, and that was it.

 

[LeonardY]

I melted a hole in my jacket pocket with a 9V and a screw. I thought it was electronics burning.

Buddy of mine had a presentation with our President. He was screwing around with a 9V battery and put it in his pocket when he showed up. He started his presentation and then a quarter crossed the battery terminals. It got so hot he started to dance around. He finally got his hand into his pocket and launched the battery and a bunch change all over the shop. Then continued with his presentation. Our President didn't even bat and eye. I should mention my buddy only has one hand.

 

[mervyn]

Now I gotta go double check my batteries - brb

 

[p00p]

wait, so wrapping them in foil & storing them in a styrofoam container next to the lawn equipment fuel is not gooders?

 

[Shiftless]

Way back in high school, I fooled around with home made incendiary devices. I used steel wool connected to a couple of batteries with a length of lamp cord for a remote detonator. Worked great!
Back then kids could buy big coils of underwater fuse through the mail. Waterproof stuff burned even while submerged in a bucket of water. Cool!

 

[mervyn]

All good! I had heard about those batteries awhile back and always make sure they are safe.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

lol i've done this with an AA and a screw. there's a shadow of the screw burned into the desk.

 

[The Cobbler]

I burned my leg with a 9v battery in my pocket when it shorted on something else in there
It's real!

 

[LeeG]

I keep all my batteries in caddies similar to these

Amazon.com

I use them for primary and rechargeable batteries.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Anyone who ever licked a 9V battery when they were a kid should know about its potential.

 

[PoorUB]

Licking them is the quickest whay to test them. If your toes don't curl up after you lick one it is pretty much dead!

 

[u3b3rg33k]

Anyone who ever licked a 9V battery when they were a kid should know about its potential.

Licking them is the quiclest whay to test them. If your toes don't curl up after you lick one it is pretty much dead!

Isn't this how everyone on GJ checks a 9V if they're not already holding a DVOM? if you lick it and you're not sure, it's not fully charged.

 

[PoorUB]

Isn't this how everyone on GJ checks a 9V if they're not already holding a DVOM? if you lick it and you're not sure, it's not fully charged.

Yep, if you lick on and don't regret it, its dead!

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I either keep them in their original packaging or wrap a couple of strands of electrical tape on the terminals if loose. When they require recycling I simply pull/break off the terminals.

 

[goldtang]

new ones In the original pack or I have plastic boxes for AA or AAA for when I have a few loose new batteries all the used I warp in electrical tape that includes button batteries

 

[JAYoung]

I opened a kitchen junk drawer once and a 9-volt slid into a 0000 steel wool pad -- quite an education.
Soon after I reogranized and put all things electrical into a separate dedicated drawer.

 

[vavet]

I'm pretty good with the new ones, but I'm guilty of throwing away the used-but-not-dead 9V batteries from the smoke detectors a couple times a year. I guess I should be more careful with those and not just throw all of them into the wastebasket.

 

[CN Spots]

Licking them is the quickest whay to test them. If your toes don't curl up after you lick one it is pretty much dead!

So many jokes.
So little time.

 

[exranger06]

You guys need a Battery Daddy!
Amazon.com - Battery Daddy
One of the best gifts I've ever gotten!

 

[kerrynzl]

Licking them is the quickest whay to test them. If your toes don't curl up after you lick one it is pretty much dead!

reminds me of this meme

 

[PFSard]

Is this a discussion for another way to handle package thieves? LOL

 

[Glemon]

Glad to see I am not the only one who has gotten a tickle out of licking a nine volt battery. Remember doing it as a kid. Didn't know they were dangerous. Thanks for the warning.

 

[Shiftless]

Some readers might not fully understand or believe what we are talking about. Watch this. If this happens in a kitchen drawer, you’re quickly in big trouble.

 

[macgee]

9 volt and steel wool makes a fire quickly, I tape the top of mine as well

For a quickie (and safer), I use some ScotchBlue tape with date written over the contacts on mine when there's no caddy. It's good enough and sticks. Keeping them in drawers can get bad, those little puppies like to slide around every time you open and close a drawer.

It doesn't take much for them to touch something and go live.

 

[elvee]

Way back in scouts we learned how to use steel wool and a 9v to start a fire. Basic survival training.

 

[mepstein]

Way back in scouts we learned how to use steel wool and a 9v to start a fire. Basic survival training.

If you are going to carry steel wool and a 9v battery, why not just carry a lighter?

 

[ZRX61]

oh ****, brb...

 

[rel406]

Shoot! I had completely forgotten about this- thanks for the reminder!

 

[Grimpala]

Buddy of mine had a box of old 9v's a few years ago, I also had a similar box, we daisy chained them all together and were able to create a significant arc, I can only imagine if they had been fresh. I don't remember the final voltage we got up to, but it was crazy.

 

[Bucko]

I had all my batteries in separate containers designed for that particular size and then had those in the plastic shoebox type container. My father-in-law is a nut for the as seen on TV stuff and loved it when a store opened in the mall.
One day the infomercial came on for the battery daddy and I knew right away he was gonna end up ordering one for both of us and told him then not to order me one.
Well about 6 months later he hands me one and says he ordered 2 by mistake, both at different times. Since I now had the thing I figured if better go ahead and use it. It has actually been pretty nice to have and now that I moved into a new house with a shop I can keep a few extra batteries in the old containers out in the shop.

Some 9v batteries come with little caps for the terminals and I save a few of those in case I need to throw a extra battery in a travel bag.

 

[bwringer]

I saw this happen many moons ago with an old bread tie and a 9V tossed into a kitchen junk drawer.

Fortunately, the 9V was old and nearly dead, so the bread tie turned red-hot for about a second then it was over. 9V batteries are such a completely **** design...

Of course, other batteries can do the same thing, but at least on AAA, AA, C & D batteries the terminals are not sticking way out right next to each other.

It's also way too easy to accidentally bridge a button battery. Fortunately, they don't contain enough energy to cause more than a flash of heat, but they certainly can be dangerous.