Is it safe to use acetone on batteries?

[CGameProgrammer]

I sprayed one side of an A123 pack with PlastiDip to insulate it a while ago, but now want to remake the pack, and apparently the spray-on stuff results in such a thin layer that it's practically impossible to peel off. Acetone is supposed to dissolve the stuff (I'll verify this myself later, it's easy to) but I'm a little nervous about it. Would acetone attack the paper surrounding the A123 cells, or would it be dangerous using it when there are positive and negative cell-ends right next to each other?

 

[Anonymous]

.

 

[Zoot Katz]

Acetone anywhere near batteries is a really bad and dangerous idea. It is highly flammable and corrosive.
It could damage batteries and could also catch fire from a short easily.

That's it's highly volatile I'll not deny but its pH is close to neutral.
It might eat the shrink wrap on the cells but how's that corrosive?

 

[northernmike]

Corrosion is not your worry.

Acetone is a very "hot" solvent - meaning it aggressively "eats" things that are soluable to it - many binders, glues, paints, etc are soluable in acetone. You're likely to damage your batteries, even with a gentle wipe. The acetone will migrate into the case so quick you won't know what hit you.

But the MAIN worry, and this is a big one, is that of explosion.

Acetone vapor can - and will - ignite in the presence of spark!

In fiberglass shops, where it is used for cleaning tools, acetone drums are required to be grounded by a special clamp at all times and are stored in an explosion-proof area (or at least they're supposed to be, by law).

Some organic solvents, like MEKP, don't even need spark to ignite. Douse a sheet of paper with MEKP, throw it in the sun, or beside an electrical outlet, and watch it burst 'spontaneously' into flame.

There's a reason these things are usually sold to the public in small quantities at high prices.

Please be careful!

 

[Anonymous]

.

 

[northernmike]

You can splash acetone in your eyes, it's commonly used as an eyewash when something needs to be evacuated that water won't cut. It's not great for you, but it can be done, if say, you have polyester resin in there. Water isn't going to do a thing.

Acetone exposure is usually worst on the hands, after chronic use it totally removes all the oils from the skin - your fingers turn white and crack all around the joints, not pleasant.

Not a lot of things that dissolve plastics are good for you.

 

[Ypedal]

I often use liquid butane ( zippo fuel ) to clean up glue residue from the paper ends on Konion cells. It evaporates very quickly, i would not dip them in there but a damp cloth directly to the surface needing cleaning should be fine ? no ?

 

[Anonymous]

.

 

[Zoot Katz]

If it ain't acetone, then what's the magic ingredient in the special formulations they sell to remove conformal coatings?
How about Goof Off, lighter fluid or white gas? I doubt citrus products will phase Dip It.
What about a paint/varnish remover gel.
I've worked with all those poisons and have yet to blow myself up.

Good point though about possible damage to the seals and reaction with the batteries' contents.

 

[Anonymous]

.

 

[northernmike]

Acetone is NOT the same as "any eyewash", and I was not implying that it was.

I said acetone CAN be used AS an eyewash, for certain requirements, and should have also said that after getting the resin or other chemical out of your eyes, you better rinse them with Saline, and thoroughly - but I didn't think to go that far!

Solvents in general are insane. I've been stupidly high stripping primer with mineral spirits working for a bodyshop. I should have sued the guy.

I say start cool and work your way up - go with Varsol first, if that doesn't do the trick, step it up. Lighter fluid, OK, still very flammable.

You find unexpected uses for things sometimes though - like Diesel fuel - perfect chain cleaner!

Anyway the more you know..

 

[Anonymous]

.

 

[dogman dan]

At least play with it outside! Vapors, even if they don't explode will make you as dumb as I have become. That stuff will enter your blood right through the skin too. You'd be suprised what orange hand cleaner will dissolve, you might try some of that first.

 

[northernmike]

Right, if you use it to get something WORSE out of your eyes, something that water won't wash away, THEN wash your eyes with water for at least 15 minutes ... that's what I'm getting at.

Why is everyone on fire, in all these scenarios?

 

[dogman dan]

Having burned the shit out of myself back in 1976, with exploding contact cement fumes, I never gets far from my mind when I'm in a cloud of explosive vapors. I got out of the hospital in 8 days, and could comb hair again in about two months. In my stepmothers house, a crew scraping a floor with acetone and steel chisels all died.

 

[Ypedal]

Not the bunch you would want to hire for building LiPo packs !!