Re: [tesla] Re: Battery power for big SSTC

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: Ed Phillips <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net> 

Tesla list wrote:
 >
 > Original poster: "Black Moon" <black_moons-at-hotmail-dot-com>
 >
 > True, Not to mention, when you have a 60 POUND case of lead expload, the
 > results can be quite specatual, old batterys can also internaly short over
 > from stress, and acid is QUITE nasty to get all over you, not to mention it
 > can be boiling hot acid at that point. Id highly suggest a large sheald
 > beween you and the bank, and in an area where everything within 20 feet
 > being eaten away into a pile of dust won't be a problem.
 >
 > >As far as abusing the batteries, so what
 > >don't we abuse?
 > >
 > >When pushed to "dead-short" type limits, some car batteries do not go
 > >quietly, and clean up is a pain.
 > >
 > >Matt D.

	Batteries liberate hydrogen, particularly when charging, and it can
easily form an explosive mixture inside the cells which can rupture the
case and scatter acid all round.  I've seen this happen three times,
once with a "4 pack" of auto batteries in which all of the cells blew
their tops, once with a single cell, and once with a regular auto
battery.  In  all cases the cause of ignition was a spark in the
vicinity of the caps.  Be careful, and particularly don't pull a lead
off of a charging or recently changed battery without first making sure
the circuit is open.

Ed