Thanks for sharing that interesting tidbit. I’m not surprised to hear that scotch tape is preferred by recyclers but I did not find this when I looked it up. It might be true but not be universally known or accepted. My quick search found that electrical and masking tape seem to be most widely recommended but scotch tape is ok. That said, I didn’t have the time to search extensively. Could you please post a link to your source? It always amazes me how you can learn something new almost every day from Mike’s Substack community. Thanks again.
I did the exact same thing once ( replacing 9 volt batteries in wireless mics) except that I discovered my mistake while I was driving home from the gig. Fortunately I was able to pull over immediately and empty my pocket without further damage. Sure learned my lesson, though.
You can easily start a fire right away with a battery and steel wool or a piece of foil. Works with 9V, AA, etc., could be handy if you need fire. There are lots of videos on youtube if you want to watch it happen. Store your batteries in a proper container that doesn't allow short circuits! You can get nice-enough plastic battery storage boxes on Amazon for cheap.
I've known for years what a P...Poor design this is. It was patterned after the 6-volt lantern battery, also a very P...Poor design. Both contacts to a huge power source ready and able to be shorted out in an instant. Both of these should have been banned years ago. I had a similar situation, which caused me to ask, "Why is this even dreamed of? Was the designer on drugs?"
How easy it would have been to design a battery that did not allow for shorting out across the terminals like both the 6 and 9-volt versions do.
You have the same potential situation with a car or RV battery, but at least these are usually under cover, so that is it less likely to happen.
I recall the “B” modular batteries used in portable tube radios, some as high as 90-volts, also used snap terminals like the nine-volt batteries we use today. Interesting to me that the “B” designation was eventually dropped with the 9-volt battery as it is also a modular battery with snap terminals. I think modular primary battery design goes all the way back to the 1920’s. And when pocket transistor radios become affordable and popular in the early 1960’s, some did use cylindrical 9-volt batteries with the negative terminal at one end and the positive terminal at the other end, like the 1.5-volt AA battery. They were however much more costly than the modular 9-volt batteries and difficult to find.
"Back in the day" we would use a 9v or a D cell and steel wool to start a fire.
Btw clear scotch tape works as well. And is much much better for battery recyclers. It’s called terminal protecting.
From the picture, it appears that painter's tape works too.
Thanks for sharing that interesting tidbit. I’m not surprised to hear that scotch tape is preferred by recyclers but I did not find this when I looked it up. It might be true but not be universally known or accepted. My quick search found that electrical and masking tape seem to be most widely recommended but scotch tape is ok. That said, I didn’t have the time to search extensively. Could you please post a link to your source? It always amazes me how you can learn something new almost every day from Mike’s Substack community. Thanks again.
I did the exact same thing once ( replacing 9 volt batteries in wireless mics) except that I discovered my mistake while I was driving home from the gig. Fortunately I was able to pull over immediately and empty my pocket without further damage. Sure learned my lesson, though.
Same thing throwing a used 9 volt in a trash can. Still has "some" power in it, cover the terminals
You can easily start a fire right away with a battery and steel wool or a piece of foil. Works with 9V, AA, etc., could be handy if you need fire. There are lots of videos on youtube if you want to watch it happen. Store your batteries in a proper container that doesn't allow short circuits! You can get nice-enough plastic battery storage boxes on Amazon for cheap.
Very informative. Thank you! Can the same thing happen to AA and AAA batteries in a drawer while traveling?
Far less likely for a continuous piece of metal to go from terminal to terminal.
I've known for years what a P...Poor design this is. It was patterned after the 6-volt lantern battery, also a very P...Poor design. Both contacts to a huge power source ready and able to be shorted out in an instant. Both of these should have been banned years ago. I had a similar situation, which caused me to ask, "Why is this even dreamed of? Was the designer on drugs?"
How easy it would have been to design a battery that did not allow for shorting out across the terminals like both the 6 and 9-volt versions do.
You have the same potential situation with a car or RV battery, but at least these are usually under cover, so that is it less likely to happen.
I recall the “B” modular batteries used in portable tube radios, some as high as 90-volts, also used snap terminals like the nine-volt batteries we use today. Interesting to me that the “B” designation was eventually dropped with the 9-volt battery as it is also a modular battery with snap terminals. I think modular primary battery design goes all the way back to the 1920’s. And when pocket transistor radios become affordable and popular in the early 1960’s, some did use cylindrical 9-volt batteries with the negative terminal at one end and the positive terminal at the other end, like the 1.5-volt AA battery. They were however much more costly than the modular 9-volt batteries and difficult to find.