Moving and handling 2V cells

[solarengineer]

I was given a battery bank from a 24v lift used for pallets.

it has 12 2volt cells each is about 2-1/2 feet tall and say 6" x 6"

i want to remove 6 of the cells as i know a few are bad.

after cutting the side of the steel battery box i really got a scope for the size of these things.

so im a bit scared to move them in cas of an internal short or something and the cell explodes.

is it relativly safe to move these things around? I've also heard people say dump the electrolyte and replace ect.... but of i inverted the cell and some debris from the bottom causes a short do they explode?

or am i just being paranoid?

Thanks

[cyplesma]

I haven't done what you need to do specifically, but seems to me you just need to find or make a way to cover the terminals.   maybe duct tape, plasti dip, whatever can be used to cover just the terminals.

with the duct tape, make sure you cover up at least a 1/4" beyond the terminal where the terminal meets the casing.

I do know those batteries are heavy, you might want to make or find some type of crane or maybe an engine lift to hoist them (provided they have a means of using a hook on them). I have golf cart batteries myself. they have two plastic mounts that a detachable handle can be attached to to carry those around, still can only carry one at a time.

[wpowokal]

I have moved many of mine from A to B on a hand trolly, and decanted the electrolite from many. When decanting I suspect most, if not all the lead sediment runs around the side of the casing. In any case I have had no problems.

Apropriate safety gear, in particular a full face shield, if they are open vented some tape over the hole so no electrolite can splash out.

If one shorted (in my opinion highly unlikley) it would "melt", without a sourse of ignition any gas would not explode, so no naked flames.

So you are right to be cautious, but with apropriate care it can be done safley.

allan down under

[solarengineer]

Great Thanks, they had old crusty acid on them ect.... looked like something from a 1950's sci-fi flick and my imagination got the best of me!

While charging the whole thing when i first got it, one of the batteries was puffing smoke through the electrolyte and out the cap... so i got freaked out waiting for an atomic blast. didn't feel comfortable since but i will don the gear and have at it again safely.

Jamie

[wpowokal]

I hope "puffing smoke" means gas rising through the electrolite and out the cap.

[solarengineer]

Ya, but it was making some funny noise during charging. at first the left 6 batteries wouldnt take any amps at all.. then slowly 1a, 5a, 10a.... smoke bubbles from one battery so i stopped charging thinking if i charge it fully then later it internally shorts it might explode. not sure if batteries explode or not but didnt risk it

[wooferhound]

Do not use silver Duct Tape, You can measure the low resistance of Duct Tape with a multimeter. I wouldn't use duct tape at all, I'd use electric tape, any color.

[Flux]

Sounds as though these are near the end of life. "smoke" and spitting noises is signs of open circuits under the electrolyte, due to bad sulphating or more likely they are worn out and the links at the top of the positive plates are failing.

If they have seen a lot of service and the plates are falling apart there will be a lot of sediment in the bottom. Inverting them may well cause this muck to go between the plates and cause worse shorts. The rough handling of inverting them may break more positive links. Don't short the terminals, things get red hot rather quickly. Most of your other fears although possible rarely happen, with shorts between plates all that normally happens is progressive sulphating round the area and early death.

Flux

[solarengineer]

Great thanks, i will put them in a paint shaker and get rid of that sulphate from the plates right away!!

Kidding

jamie

[Flux]

In reply to your last post, I think the steel boxes are partly structural with the big cells. Without them the plastic sags and you will need to add distilled water.

The red stuff is almost certainly lead dioxide in suspension that has been shed from the plates. I would rather leave it than risk tipping the rest of it between the plates in an attempt to remove it.

These are at a point where they are going to be labour intensive, not sure how much effort it is worth expending for a likely short life. I would try to get a working set with minimal disturbance and keep some spares as back up ( keep them charged).

Flux