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Why a Dead Alkaline Battery Bounces [video]

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Re: Why a Dead Alkaline Battery Bounces [video]

#41

Post by benjymau5 »

daigoba66 wrote: post #38
junto wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After watching that it made me think that lithium batteries could be turned into a weapon on a plane by terrorists. Assuming that they are that easy to accidentally short them out. Should they not be a banned from being taken in the cabin?

The funny thing is that in the US you're not allowed to have loose lithium batteries in your checked baggage, but you can carry them on the plane.

Many airlines also wont allow shipments of lithium or things containing lithium batteries on passenger flights. Apparently they have a habit of spontaneous combustion. So shipments of iphones have to be specially packaged and sent on cargo flights.

Re: Why a Dead Alkaline Battery Bounces [video]

#42

Post by dredmorbius »

jacquesm wrote: post #8
keeperofdakeys wrote: post #5

Probably not the best idea to open a battery without gloves and a mask (though lithium batteries are worse in terms of gases). Still very interesting to see the electrolyte though.

The quantity and variety of things that I've opened up during my lifetime without 'gloves and a mask' would probably scare you very much. The worst mistake I made to date is grinding off the top of a BLY90 as a kid before I knew what a MSDS is. So far so good, I think these folks will be fine as long as they wash their hands afterwards before eating, cleaning up after you've dropped a fluorescent tube is probably a l…

BLY90: an RF power transistor.

MSDS: material safety data sheet.

Just what is it that's inside the BLY90 that's so bad?

Re: Why a Dead Alkaline Battery Bounces [video]

#43

Post by jacquesm »

dredmorbius wrote: post #42
jacquesm wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The quantity and variety of things that I've opened up during my lifetime without 'gloves and a mask' would probably scare you very much. The worst mistake I made to date is grinding off the top of a BLY90 as a kid before I knew what a MSDS is. So far so good, I think these folks will be fine as long as they wash their hands afterwards before eating, cleaning up after you've dropped a fluorescent tube is probably a l…

BLY90: an RF power transistor. MSDS: material safety data sheet. Just what is it that's inside the BLY90 that's so bad?

Beryllium oxide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryllium_oxide

Re: Why a Dead Alkaline Battery Bounces [video]

#44

Post by jdpage »

rtb wrote: post #33

For some reason, it upsets me that he refers to spent / empty / used batteries as "bad", as if they were faulty.

"Bad" is what I used growing up. I think it's by analogy to food--you would say that food has "gone bad" after a while. Similarly with batteries. You might also ask "are these batteries (still) any good?" to question not their quality in general, but their state.

It's almost certainly a regional thing.

Re: Why a Dead Alkaline Battery Bounces [video]

#45

Post by goodcanadian »

daigoba66 wrote: post #38
junto wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After watching that it made me think that lithium batteries could be turned into a weapon on a plane by terrorists. Assuming that they are that easy to accidentally short them out. Should they not be a banned from being taken in the cabin?

The funny thing is that in the US you're not allowed to have loose lithium batteries in your checked baggage, but you can carry them on the plane.

If the battery spontaneously combusts in the hold, you have a serious problem. The fire will be quite large before anyone knows about it. If your laptop catches fire in the cabin, you'll probably scream immediately, and they have burn proof fire bags to shove the laptop into.

Re: Why a Dead Alkaline Battery Bounces [video]

#46

Post by goodcanadian »

DanBC wrote: post #26
junto wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After watching that it made me think that lithium batteries could be turned into a weapon on a plane by terrorists. Assuming that they are that easy to accidentally short them out. Should they not be a banned from being taken in the cabin?

> After watching that it made me think that lithium batteries could be turned into a weapon Lithium batteries have vents, so they don't explode they just "phhuut".

Vents can be blocked if you are trying to make it explode . . .

Re: Why a Dead Alkaline Battery Bounces [video]

#47

Post by fnordfnordfnord »

bitJericho wrote: post #39
jasallen wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He managed avoid the "flat" vs. "dead" controversy by making up a new convention altogether.

I think "consumed" would be most appropriate.

I'd say "depleted" but we're all missing the point.

Re: Why a Dead Alkaline Battery Bounces [video]

#48

Post by fnordfnordfnord »

junto wrote: post #19
simias wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not the same technology and I wouldn't recommend tearing a lithium battery apart to look inside. Actually, I wouldn't recommend tearing apart any kind of batteries, lots of nasty stuff inside. You can find plenty of videos on youtube showing you the process, for instance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BliWUHSOalU

After watching that it made me think that lithium batteries could be turned into a weapon on a plane by terrorists. Assuming that they are that easy to accidentally short them out. Should they not be a banned from being taken in the cabin?

Yup. Also, don't forget about what small amounts of Mercury https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Ilxsu-JlY

or Gallium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Ilxsu-JlY

could do. Happy flying!

Re: Why a Dead Alkaline Battery Bounces [video]

#49

Post by fnordfnordfnord »

iamds wrote: post #22
junto wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After watching that it made me think that lithium batteries could be turned into a weapon on a plane by terrorists. Assuming that they are that easy to accidentally short them out. Should they not be a banned from being taken in the cabin?

It's probably not banned because someone who could take over a plane with a lithium battery could take over a plane without a lithium battery.

Any idiot could use one to set a plane on fire.

Re: Why a Dead Alkaline Battery Bounces [video]

#50

Post by centizen »

junto wrote: post #19
simias wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not the same technology and I wouldn't recommend tearing a lithium battery apart to look inside. Actually, I wouldn't recommend tearing apart any kind of batteries, lots of nasty stuff inside. You can find plenty of videos on youtube showing you the process, for instance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BliWUHSOalU

After watching that it made me think that lithium batteries could be turned into a weapon on a plane by terrorists. Assuming that they are that easy to accidentally short them out. Should they not be a banned from being taken in the cabin?

They aren't really that easy to weaponize, at least not any more. The earliest kinds of Lithium cells actually contained elemental lithium, and could easily cause fire or explosion under certain conditions. Think the Dell laptop fire batteries.

Lithium _Ion_ batteries produced today are newer designs which use an intercalated Lithium compound (usually with Cobalt, Iron or Manganese) which greatly improves the stability of the battery while under stress. Further to that, pressure venting is almost always incorporated into the canister enclosing the cell, allowing it to depressurize in a safe manner similar to capacitors.

That's not to say they are totally safe - all batteries require a great deal of care and not all Lithium batteries incorporate these safety features. The pouch cells used in RC aircraft, for example can catch fire fairly easily due to their lack of a strong outer shell, their extreme power density and lack of any protection circuitry. These are heavily regulated and you would not be allowed to take them in your carry-on, and all Lithium Ion batteries over a certain Wh rating are similarly controlled.

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