Read an article this morning about the battery end hitting other metal and starting a fire. Article said to cover battery ends with a piece of tape whether storing or throwing away. I have to admit I have batteries all over the place in drawers so will make that a project today.
Prep Genrl Storing Or Disposing Of Batteries
- Thread starter Terrwyn
- Start date
I wouldn't worry about taping the ends if throwing away spent batteries... they don't have enough juice left to spark or create sufficient heat to cause a fire.
But fresh ones? Oh, yeah... I keep them in organizers designed for the purpose. And don't stuffva few "spares" in your jeans pocket without tape on the ends!
Summerthyme
But fresh ones? Oh, yeah... I keep them in organizers designed for the purpose. And don't stuffva few "spares" in your jeans pocket without tape on the ends!
Summerthyme
phloydius
Veteran Member
I read a couple of the articles. Personally, these articles feel like they are designed to instill fear to generate clicks.
To start a fire (according to the articles): The batteries have to touch metal that completes the circuit. For AA & AAA that is both ends of the battery. The battery has to also be touching something like paper that has a lower combustion rate. It also has to stay touching for long enough to heat the battery up high enough to reach that combustion rate, which is 451 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is interesting the articles talk about this risk, and never mention a spark. Of course a spark could only occur with movement (if ever), not while sitting in a drawer.
One of the articles claims that in about 4-5 years, there were 20 such fires in Texas caused by batteries.
That number seems much higher than I would expect, considering the number of very unlikely things that have to all occur to cause the fire. Maybe the numbers include 9-volt batteries and lithium batteries that would be much more likely to cause such a problem?
I've always kept my batteries in small plastic boxes (similar to a small fishing tackle box). So this really is not a risk for us either way, but I always did it to be able to easily find the batteries & to easily identify the new vs used ones -- not because of a fire risk.
To start a fire (according to the articles): The batteries have to touch metal that completes the circuit. For AA & AAA that is both ends of the battery. The battery has to also be touching something like paper that has a lower combustion rate. It also has to stay touching for long enough to heat the battery up high enough to reach that combustion rate, which is 451 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is interesting the articles talk about this risk, and never mention a spark. Of course a spark could only occur with movement (if ever), not while sitting in a drawer.
One of the articles claims that in about 4-5 years, there were 20 such fires in Texas caused by batteries.
That number seems much higher than I would expect, considering the number of very unlikely things that have to all occur to cause the fire. Maybe the numbers include 9-volt batteries and lithium batteries that would be much more likely to cause such a problem?
I've always kept my batteries in small plastic boxes (similar to a small fishing tackle box). So this really is not a risk for us either way, but I always did it to be able to easily find the batteries & to easily identify the new vs used ones -- not because of a fire risk.
That sounds like the conditions in almost every junk drawer I've ever seen...
But yes, I believe 9 volt batteries are likely a big part of the issue.
Summerthyme
pauldingbabe
The Great Cat
And there is nowhere to recycle LI batteries.
How green!
How green!
Bones
Living On A Prayer
The concern is actually true.
Landfill fires are usually caused by discarded batteries, be they alkaline, Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel Metal Hydride (NIMH), or Lithium Ion ( Li-ion ). All off these batteries are commonly tossed in the trash by the end user. Fires are also started from petroleum distillate soaked shop rags, or similar material, spontaneously combusting. The third usual cause is fire started by green, mulched, organic matter which ignites when in a large enough concentration to reach temperature while fermenting.
A landfill not from from me averages 2 landfill fires per year. The fire crews have a bad time extinguishing those fires.
Landfill fires are usually caused by discarded batteries, be they alkaline, Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel Metal Hydride (NIMH), or Lithium Ion ( Li-ion ). All off these batteries are commonly tossed in the trash by the end user. Fires are also started from petroleum distillate soaked shop rags, or similar material, spontaneously combusting. The third usual cause is fire started by green, mulched, organic matter which ignites when in a large enough concentration to reach temperature while fermenting.
A landfill not from from me averages 2 landfill fires per year. The fire crews have a bad time extinguishing those fires.
Not if you used the residue free stuff like Scotch "magic" transparent tape. But if you were concerned, a small bandaid, or piece of paper on the actual contact ends would work.
It would be easier if you were wanting to carry an extra set in your pocket to simply tape or rubber band them together so the ends can't touch... but don't toss loose change into the same pocket!
Summerthyme
