As anyone who has read this blog for a while has realized, I am a nerd and a geek. It's a lifestyle. I also have my fears. My fears sometimes result in expanding my horizons. If you remember my story about meeting the Fire Department in Smalltown, you know I fear electricity. Yup. That has something to do with that physics experiment in high school. That one teaching us about electricity: volts, amps, resistance and what-not. I don't really remember it, except connecting something and suddenly being 4 feet away from my chair with curlier hair and a heart that not longer seemed to be in sync. I repeated that experience in college....yup, electricity and I have a very healthy respect for one another.
I am enjoying my property and having a lure machine. Problem with that -- lure machines run on batteries, batteries that have to be connected to the lure machines with each use and have to be recharged on occasion. I have used the battery for 4 practices now. My handy-dandy lure machine has a volt-meter attached...the charge was beginning to drop. It is time to RECHARGE THE BATTERY. gulp.
I have a Diehard Platinum battery, which requires some special handy-dandy charger which I also purchased: a "Microprocessor Controlled, Fully Automatic Operation Battery Charger with Engine Starter." I liked that....fully automatic. My cup of tea.
Today, I retrieved the charger and read the instructions. After all, if nothing else, nerds are good for reading instructions, but........what the hey who?
BATERRIES GENERATE EXPLOSIVE GASES DURING NORMAL BATTERY OPERATION. FOR THIS REASON, IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT YOU FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS EACH TIME YOU USE THE CHARGER.
OK. You have my attention.
2. PERSONAL PRECAUTIONS
2.1 Consider having someone close enough by to come to your aid when you work....
2.2 Have plenty of fresh water and soap nearby in case battery acid contact skin, clothing or eyes.
.....
2.7 Removal personal metal items such as rings, bracelets, necklaces.....A lead-acid battery can produce a short circuit current high enough to weld a ring or the like to metal, causing a severe burn.
All right people. At this point, I am fully convinced that I am probably not going to be able to operate this "fully automated" charger. I mean they are allowed to sell these things without requiring a course, without licensing, without having the fire department on standby?
I called my favorite go to guy....he laughed (note to self: find a new go to guy). "Just connect the red to red and black to black and turn it on. It's simple." I thought about calling 911, just in case. They were so nice about coming before the fire last time.
Right now, the battery is in the garage, hooked to the charger.....the house hasn't blown up, yet. My phone is on speed dial for 911, though.....And my rings are in the glass on the kitchen counter. Anyone up for a battery charging party next time? I hate living life on the edge, charging all alone.
2 comments:
I shared your fear. Once you have a race meet or two at your place, and a bunch of folks are going to be upset if the lure machine dies, you learn.
(You learn to have one of the people who don't fear battery chargers to charge the damn thing for you.)
hugs
Oh dear I share this fear too. I once put a knife in a toaster because the bread was stuck and turning black. Note to self...unplug said toaster BEFORE putting the knife inside. I actually thought it was my big brother shaking me because I was stupidly doing what I was doing. Hah!
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