Safety Warning - Rings & Chargers (nasty pictures!)

sihinch · September 15, 2013, 06:43:14 PM

I had a nasty shock yesterday. I was charging an E-Flite lipo with an EC3 connector. My charger has an XT60 plug, so I was using an HK adapter (see picture.)

When I went to unplug the lipo, my wedding ring contacted the 2 exposed conductors of the Traxxas plug, and shorted the lipo. This then arced with my ring, and burnt right in to my skin. It hurt like hell - there was a flash and a crack, and then my ring felt like it was getting hotter and hotter and constricting round my finger. The heat and tightening went on for about 2 minutes.

I was lucky that I was near a tap, and put my finger immediately under cold water. I held it there for 20 minutes, with intense pain, whilst Les phoned her sister who is a Doctor.

She said I had to get my wedding ring off. By this time, my finger was swelling and the ring was stuck to my skin. Using base/aqueous crème, I eventually slid it off, past the burnt flesh.

Anyway, the lesson here is - beware battery adapters. Look at the leads ahead of time, and see what connectors you have exposed. And maybe, consider taking off your wedding ring, as a precaution, when charging.

Skyking · September 15, 2013, 07:21:08 PM

Wow!
It looks painful. Hope it gets better soon.

Ken

gmcnic · September 15, 2013, 07:38:57 PM

Ouch!! That looks really nasty!
I did notice your finger bandaged up today...
Thanks for the first-hand advice and wishing you well.

imran13 · September 15, 2013, 07:41:51 PM

Ouch

hope it feels better soon

piker · September 15, 2013, 10:00:43 PM

Yikes! That looks horrible and you provide a good warning. Wow.

Now for expected comment... Let's see.. something along the line of a model airplane hobby and marriage being a dangerous combination... Something about the marriage gods punishing you... I don't know. I'm sure the others will be more creative...

At least is wasn't your flying finger...

Tomahawk · September 16, 2013, 01:48:48 AM

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

That looks nasty. If you don't need the Traxxas Plug, I would put some heat shrink over the exposed contacts to prevent that happening again.
You notice the Deans has a protective cover. That Traxxas should of had one too.

Chris

Andy Hoffer · September 16, 2013, 04:10:54 PM

Quote from: Tomahawk on September 16, 2013, 01:48:48 AM
Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

That looks nasty. If you don't need the Traxxas Plug, I would put some heat shrink over the exposed contacts to prevent that happening again.
You notice the Deans has a protective cover. That Traxxas should of had one too.

Chris

Ditto. The above photo of tghe HK adapter doesn't show how truly exposed the Traxxas plug contacts are. Simon showed it to me. It just invites disaster. See attached photo. Ouch!

Andy

Ededge2002 · September 16, 2013, 05:22:16 PM

Just another example of how marriage ruins your life AND in Simons case his finger too!

The dangers of our batteries is something that slips our minds from time to time and sometimes we need a reminder. I had a powered male Deans connector exposed on my octopus adaptor similar to Simons blow a metal gear leg completely off an airplane. It shorted on the wire landing gear leg and burnt it right off!

Remember guys this is just another thing that separates our airplanes from toys.