Lucent Technologies Round Cell Batteries
Issue 3 December 1999 Safety 4 - 7
Battery Gases,
continued
• Since gas generated by batteries is explosive, avoid any activity that
could ignite the gas (especially in the area of the vents). Some
examples of possible ignition sources that must be avoided are sparks
(including those from static electricity or from making/breaking
electrical connections), open flame, smoking, and any tools/
appliances that may generate sparks, e.g., motors.
• Before performing any work operation, follow proper ESD
protection procedures to discharge the static electricity from your
body.
• Never tamper with or block the vents of batteries. Damaged or
clogged vents may result in an explosion due to excessive internal
pressure. Such an explosion could short circuit other battery
modules, result in a fire, injure personnel, or cause damage to
equipment.
• Never charge a battery that is visibly damaged or frozen (typically at
temperatures less than -40°C or -40°F).
• Do not disconnect the circuit at the battery terminals while the
battery is being discharged or charged.
• Isolate the battery string from any power source or load before
making or removing connections at the battery terminals. If there are
no devices (fuses, circuit breakers, or disconnect switches) for
opening the circuit, here are some suggested procedures:
– Make sure the free end of any wire to be connected to the
batteries is insulated until it is ready to be connected to the load
or charger or immediately after being disconnected from the
load or charger.
– Connect to the battery terminals first before connecting to the
load or charging system.
– Disconnect at the load or charger first before disconnecting at
the battery terminals.
Note: Lucent Technologies recommends not making connections to the
battery terminals while the circuit is attached to a power source or load.
However, some circumstances may require personnel to replace cells
within a string while the string is still connected to the load/charger to
avoid interruption of service. If this situation occurs, refer to Section 7,
“Replace a Cell in an Existing String,” for a suggested procedure that
will minimize the risk.
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