Re: SOS - Batteries exploded in machine Message #2 Posted by Ed Look on 20 Feb 2006, 9:56 p.m., in response to message #1 by Andreas Terzis
First and foremost, rinse your hands with water... for more than five minutes, in case of any toxic materials. DO NOT use any soap, as it might chemically complicate matters.
Now, if I recall (and I still own a partly working 34C), the batteries were Ni-Cd rechargeable cells. There should be no acid! This battery does not require an electrolyte. It's actually drier than the conventional "dry cell".
I suspect you might have been inadvertently or in ignorance given nonrechargeable cells of some kind.
*EDIT*- You said "alkaline rechargeables"; I am not aware of the existence of such a thing!-*EDIT*
But one necessary ingredient in common disposable batteries is potassium hydroxide, in the "alkaline" batteries. It is an alkali, or base, though it is corrosive as an acid would be, too. But the leakage from either type can be corrosive. I can't speak for the property damage, but if it got on your hands and you washed it off quickly, assuming it's this kind of (nonrechargeable) cell, you *should* be okay (I'm NOT a M.D. and am NOT giving advice; only commenting), but perhaps you should see a doctor just in case.
Now if one tries to recharge nonrechargeable batteries, including these "alkaline" ones, you will cause rather complex electrochemical reactions that do produce gases and if you're lucky, will just leak with a little of the sounds you might have heard. If you are unfortunate, it can explode like a grenade and never mind the mess, you can be severely injured. (If it is one of these types, again, if you rinse off the materials from your skin with a lot of water, there should be no real problem, unless you waited or it got in your eye. In either of these last two cases, GO TO A DOCTOR.)
The conditions you described sounded suspiciously like a nonrechargeable conventional C-Zn or "alkaline" battery attempting to get recharged... and leaking then exploding.
But at least your 34C is working. Get simple rechargeable AA sized Ni-Cd (nickel-cadmium) batteries. Just be sure to short the (-) ends together (but DO check this Museum site's pages for the correct procedure, as my memory is kind of foggy on this).
Edited: 20 Feb 2006, 10:01 p.m.
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