Club 80-90 Forums

have you tried it martin?
take a battery and make it spark with a newspaper on top preventing a short to the lid... go on!

I'm saying you're forgetting something..
and no a battery spark will not ignite a flat newspaper.
fuel air ratios, sustained ignition source... c'mon you know them?

I just think you are playing devils advocate Kev....using newspaper is a no brainer and I'm suprised to hear such comments coming from a man with your experience and obvious intelligence.

Martin

Martin that's crap and you know it. so just stop it and answer me this
paper is an electrical insulator... tell me how a battery would spark if a news paper were on top of it?
if it's in the real world I'll accept it and move on

Now you have changed your aguement Kev...you were implying, no saying, that a spark couldn't light newspaper...now you are changing your arguement because it was flawed.
OK......for aguements sake....the battery leaks, or water vapour residue is created from heavy charging (we have all seen water droplets develope on top of a battery after heavy charging for instance) or may I suggest that vans can get pretty damp in the winter months... so the newspaper can get wet, yes?.
Then weight on the battery cover? you know, all the stuff you shove behind the seat...puts pressure onto the cover pressing on the soggy paper and raised terminal which breaks through? unlikely but possible right? cover to terminal sparks ensue...but hey..the paper is soggy so doesn't ignite right? but paper dry's and pressure is re-applied to the cover (the wife has just jammed her walking boots behind the seat again) sustained sparks, dry newspaper, smoulders at first then....fire, possible but improbable.
Whilst I accept this particular chain of events is very unlikely, would you accept that it could happen? even if as a percentage this was just 0.5% chance....so why take the risk in the first place.

Martin

You crack me up...
I still say a battery spark will NEVER light a newspaper.. no argument changed mate.

My case rested.

And I thought we advocated best practice when giving advice especially with something as simple as insulating a battery box cover.

I'm not really interested in proving whether a newspaper would ignite from sparks as using a newspaper is not the best solution.

My case is rested..

Martin

bigherb wrote:You can get the proper terminal cover like these just pushes into the two holes next to the terminal. Usually some on old batteries at scrap yards.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310347119445? ... 1423.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

is the best answer

California Dreamin wrote:I've used a square of old inner tude and spray glued it to the underside of the cover on the + positive side of the cover (the non braided side)

The battery really should have a plastic terminal cover over the pos side but this rubber insulation should be good enough.

Martin

Indeed.....
You certainly have it on you tonight Kev.....


Martin