Japie is more conscientious than the average apprentice, but there are so many don’ts in a workshop that he can be forgiven for the occasional slip-up. Last week, while he was removing a battery from the charger, it said “woof” and promptly disintegrated.
Japie was covered in acid, his overalls were ruined and he had to rush to the shower to wash the battery acid off his face and body. The rest of us thought it was very funny, because we know that an apprentice will not respect a battery unless he has blown up at least one.
Why did it happen? As soon as a battery is charged, any further input of current will cause electrolysis, i.e. water will break up into oxygen and hydrogen. These gases combust violently, so any spark will set them off. Ignorant people often pull the crocodile clips off a charging battery without switching off the charger. Sometimes, the resulting spark is just what is needed to make the workshop laugh.