Aa Batteries Self Igniting?

[allenlondon]

Forgive my ignorance (once some high-powered batteries in a shirt pocket caught fire!), but if I leave a load of new AA batteries in a box, is there any danger of them catching fire?

Ta.

A

[Buenchico]

If they're zinc-carbon batteries or alkaline ones, you've got no cause to worry at all.

Lithium-ion batteries though do come with a very small risk of fire:
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/lithium-ion-batteries-flames-fire-prevention-technology
However that risk is greatest when the batteries are 'under load' (i.e. when they're actually powering a device), not when they're simply being stored.

[bhg481]

If there were several of them all together loose in a shirt pocket there's a small chance that you might have created a no-load circuit and the high current draw would create heat. They should be safe in a box.

[allenlondon]

The ones that ignited 20 years ago were lith ion.

[Peter Pedant]

well no I have never had it - storing them and then getting them to work is the prob I have

but absence of evidence etc blah blah

[bluemoon1]

This reminds me of a time when I worked for the gas, we had a safety leaflet advising us not to keep batteries in our pockets. Apparently someone had kept some batteries in his pocket along with some steel wool and his pocket had caught fire. Can't think why?

[Atheist]

Steel wool shorts the terminals and can ignite. Handy if you're caught out in the wild; easier than rubbing sticks
.

[Old_Geezer]

Unlikely. Batteries have insulation on the outside so it's difficult to create a short ciruit with them. But don't put a handful of bare wires in there with them.

[retrocop]

I recall a tutor at our Adult IT course talking about serious burns with AA batteries. We were studying photography and creating files when he mentioned the dangers of carrying loose spare AA batteries in your pocket for your camera. he suggested a small plastic flat compartmentalised box to keep them apart . I have,now ,several. Cost about £3.
https://www.buyabattery.co.uk/ansmann-battery-storage-box-8-plus-holds-8-aa-aaa.html#:~:text=Store%20your%20batteries%20safely%20in%20this%20pocket%20size,that%20spare%20set%20of%20batteries%20for%20your%20camera.

[Atheist]

OG, steel wool can easily touch the pos and neg terminal of an AA. SW is equiv to bare wires, but because it is thin threads it has more resistance and is more easily touchable.