Did you know camera batteries and coins together cause extreme heat?

1. 93

   Jackie Lynnleyposted 10 years ago

   Did you know camera batteries and coins together cause extreme heat?
   
   I was shopping today and stuck my hand in my pockets and fingers on my left hand got burnt. I have a little nerve problems in my fingers and hands so my first thought was this is another symptom and stuck my hands back in and the left one touched coins in my pocket that felt on fire. I was starting to get scared; could this be like spontaneous combustion? be. It was getting hotter by the minute so I knew I need to dump my pockets if not take my pants off so I rushed to the bathroom to dump my pockets and when I did I found my camera batteries with coins, all red hot. What caused this?
   
   

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2. 83

   Becky Katzposted 10 years ago

   Coins are metal, and therefore they are conductors of electricity. When the coins touched the battery connections, they conducted electricity. The electricity is what burnt you. Carry your batteries in another pocket or in a plastic (non-conductive) bag or box. That will protect you from shocking yourself again. That was also draining your battery, and you probably need to recharge it.

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   1. 93

      Jackie Lynnleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I just had the batteries extra in case I needed them and forgot all about having change in my pocket but even then I would have never had a clue it would do that! Quite a shock. I will not forget from now on.

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3. 98

   Rochelle Frankposted 10 years ago

   Yes, I learned about this just recently. Batteries should be stored in their original packaging. In fact, I also learned that a battery and a wad of steel wool is an excellent emergency fire starter.

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   1. 93

      Jackie Lynnleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I think I came close to a fire in my pocket! lol

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4. 84

   ShyeAnneposted 10 years ago

   This is news to me and a really good heads up. I wear hearing aids and often carry spare batteries in my change purse.  I will need to pay attention and not do that anymore.

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   1. 93

      Jackie Lynnleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      So true; I  don't know what would eventually happen but mine kept getting hotter and hotter so it would have had to have burned through at the rate it was going.

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5. 79

   AlexK2009posted 10 years ago

   One coin was in  stable contact with the positive terminal, another with the negative. Other coins formes a stable bridge between these two coins. Current flowed along the bridge and this heated the coins  becasue it was effectively a short circuit.   
   
   I had that happen to me when I put some batterise I believed flat into the same pocket as my keys.
   
   Now I store batteries so there is no chance of a circuit forming: I hope

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   1. 93

      Jackie Lynnleyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Well that does explain it! Thank you. I hope the batteries are still good and I will never forget this experience for sure!

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