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Just a few corrections: Lead-Acids CAN explode via the hydrogen method mentioned earlier, but nearly all of the Lead-Acid batteries in use today are Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA), and unless punctured, will not leak hydrogen to be ignited.  Both SLAs and LAs CAN explode if you over charge or reverse charge them (or if one or more of the internal cells reverses polarity, a common side effect of over-charging), but often it will only bulge, or burst open, but never really explode with fire etc.. For a truley impressive explosion, you'd need to be charging the puppies with very high current (>10 Amps).

The battery in the Dell was a Li-Ion I assume, so there is NO "battery-acid" (liquid electrolyte) to be leaked.  Lithium-Ion cells work in a completely different way then the classical battery model.  The girl fortunately didn't need to worry about chemical burns. That said, both Lithium and Lithium-Ion batteries are *very* easily detonated.  If the laptop's charge monitoring circuitry malfunctioned, it probably over-charged the LiIon. Overcharging, or just charging LiIons incorrectly can make them explode, and with A LOT of force, too. Nothing next to what you might see with NiMH or NiCads.  Even before the LiIons reach the "detonation point," over charging will make them unstable, and just moving them could set them off. I know. I improperly charged a Li-Ion, then a casually tossed it onto my work bench.  I really miss that work bench.


Anyway, good news: No chemical burns. Bad news: explosion/fire.   

Just a few corrections: Lead-Acids CAN explode via the hydrogen method mentioned earlier, but nearly all of the Lead-Acid batteries in use today are Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA), and unless punctured, will not leak hydrogen to be ignited.  Both SLAs and LAs CAN explode if you over charge or reverse charge them (or if one or more of the internal cells reverses polarity, a common side effect of over-charging), but often it will only bulge, or burst open, but never really explode with fire etc.. For a truley impressive explosion, you'd need to be charging the puppies with very high current (>10 Amps).

Overcharging, or just charging LiIons incorrectly can make them explode, and with A LOT of force, too. Nothing next to what you might see with NiMH or NiCads.  Even before the LiIons reach the "detonation point," over charging will make them unstable, and just moving them could set them off. I know. I improperly charged a Li-Ion, then a casually tossed it onto my work bench.  I really miss that work bench.


Anyway, good news: No chemical burns. Bad news: explosion/fire.   

He hee.  Thanks for the info.  Now as soon I get a dvcam i'm going to get an old liIon battery a couple of very long wires and a car battery charger.  I could say that is educational.  Give the video to my school to show in Power Mechanics class.  Show them what can happen if you disconnect a car battery the wrong way.   (not the eact same thing as a car battery but the sme general impression.)  I might even get credit for that.

Hooking car batteries up to stuff is fun.

(When you are far away and not right next to you.)

Like short circuiting em with peices of metal?  Well, try MIG welding or torch cutting and that will slowly lose its appeal as is really wimpy.  Unless of course the car battery explodes!

Um... dude... three years ago?!

Anyhow, welcome to MacAddict.
This sort of thing, while not an offense, is generally avoided.

Please park your Delorean in the rear, and be sure to shut off the flux capacitor

Last edited by ironhawk (2006-07-05 8:06 pm)

Santa you owed me a pony.

But I wanted a zombie army.