At 10:58 AM 7/27/2003 +0100, you wrote:
>Hi Everyone,
>
>The thread a few weeks ago about lead poisoning got me thinking about
>other hazards in electronics.. Specifically that of recharging lead-acid
>batteries and other rechargeables.
>
>I know that recharging car batteries gives off some kind of explosive gas
>because it was one of the first things my mig-welding mentor warned me
>about unplugging the charger before repairing the car, but I've not found
>anything by Googling to elaborate on it.

The explosive gas released by charging a lead-acid battery is hydrogen.


>So would the same warnings hold for other batteries containing lead? I ask
>because I've got some 'Sealed Lead Acid' batteries that state they are not
>to be charged in a sealed enclosure (which is a bit more oxymoronic than I
>like on my safety lables).

I don't think the lead is a problem on charging.

>And while I'm on it, how about the other more common types, NiCd and NiMH?
>Are they all silently producing dubious gasses? Google only seems to want
>to tell me about regulations in constructing the actual battery :/

No, NiCAD and NiMH both do NOT generate gasses normally. They can overheat
if overcharged or shorted, so pose a hazard in that regard. But the Cadmium
is a poison source so should be disposed of at a recycling center for
batteries. The Nickel is somewhat toxic, but not nearly as much as cadmium.
This is the reason NiMH has taken over most NiCAD applications (and it
generates 2-3 times more energy per cubic volume, too).

--Bob



>Cheers,
>
>Tim
>
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