Safety of lead acid batteries
Lead acid battery safety should be taken seriously. Since it is a DC power supply, many of us consider it harmless and quite safe. This should be avoided. Handle lead acid batteries or any type of battery with care and you will avoid unexpected surprises. All lead acid batteries contain toxic acids that are harmful to us and the environment. Be careful not to spill anything on your body or on the floor. If this happens quickly, wash the area thoroughly. Floors can be treated with baking soda powder which will neutralize the acid.
When wet soaked batteries are transported by road and rail, it should be remembered that they are labeled as DG goods. The appropriate hazard logo must be affixed to the carton or packing material. If the battery is sent bare, the logo must be printed on the battery case.
If any signs of acid leakage are found, the carton must be removed for inspection and repair. It is recommended to use dummy plugs for transportation purposes.
Safe handling of lead-acid batteries
A forklift or other lifting equipment is required for loads over 25 kg. When handling flooded batteries, the warehouse must have acid-resistant floors. This is not required for VRLA batteries.
For battery handlers Lead-acid battery safety precautions
Lead-acid battery handlers should not wear metal objects such as watches, necklaces, bracelets, contact tools. , etc. to prevent accidental shortage of terminals. Always wear personal protective equipment when handling batteries. Latex gloves, a rubber apron, a bottle of clean water for eyewash, and a bucket of diluted sodium bicarbonate (500 grams per 5 liters of water) are required to prevent spills. All tools must be insulated. If baking soda needs to be used, make sure it never enters the battery through the vents at the top.
During series connection Lead acid battery safety
In telecommunications and other applications where series connections are used to obtain the desired voltage, clean the terminals of any any debris with a mechanical brush. Terminals must be shiny and silver in color before inter-pin or inter-cell connection. To do this, use a copper brush and gently brush the terminals. Take care that brushed lead particles do not fall into open vents if it is a flooded lead-acid battery. Always take care not to use metal tools that are not insulated. It is very easy to insulate a metal key by applying PVC insulating tape on it - available at any electrical store.
Check the acid level and voltage of all cells/batteries. Add deionized water to correct the lack of acid in the cell. Do not add acid. When filling with DM water, be careful that it does not overflow. Overcharging causes two problems, the first is that the environment around the battery becomes acidic and needs to be neutralized. The second is that the specific gravity of the acid inside the battery is diluted and will lead to new problems.
Lead acid battery safety
Only well-matched cells should be used. Cell matching is done to ensure the long life of the battery bank without any unexpected failures. Keep apart any divergent cells that don’t match. Check the functioning of grounding in the installation before connecting the battery bank to the system. A battery monitoring System (BMS) is helpful to maintain the batteries in a healthy condition. This step is expensive but extends battery life significantly. A good investment for the user for trouble-free operation and longer life. A trial run should be made to test the adequacy of back up and robustness of the systems. Carry out fine-tuning as required
Can sealed lead-acid batteries explode?
The answer is yes. You can read more about this topic in our blog posts.
Can a sealed lead acid battery explode?
The answer is yes. You can read more about this topic in our Blog article.
Comments