Accidental short circuit!

[Emorales]

A1.If you cannot read voltage on the battery term post after a fault, means it burnt the inner cell connections and it is TOAST. Time for new battery and underwear change. Now you know why fuses are installed directly on the Battery Term Post and NOT DOWNSTREAM. Hard way to learn.

A2. Good luck

A3. Your Inverter or device should be OK provided the short was not made inside the unit or on the terminals.

A4. Manufactures owner manual. Example from Trojan battery website. Scroll down to Watering.

These would have saved your battery and underwear. The 2151 is what you should be using. One fuse for the wire going to the charger, and the other going to the Load Device like an Inverter. The battery is the source of power, not the solar panels. You foun dout batteries pack a lot of current and explosive force. Hope you were not injured.

Guess I learned the hard and costly way but thankfully all my limbs are intact. Ok so first thing I'm doing is buying the 2151 fuse block you suggested.
1. Should I fuse only the positive terminal, both and on all eight batteries or just first one(wired in series)
2. Batts are trojan 235amp@6v what fuse size you recommend for line that goes to inverter? And fuse size for line that comes from 60Amppt is a 60amp fuse ok?
3. Any advice on underwear

[Sunking]

1. Is there a way to revive a bat that is not showing voltage?

2. Best way to clean the mess (melted metal)

3. Is there a way to test inverter/charger (to see if its working) without batteries

4. Can you point me to a post about proper water measurong and refill practice

A1.If you cannot read voltage on the battery term post after a fault, means it burnt the inner cell connections and it is TOAST. Time for new battery and underwear change. Now you know why fuses are installed directly on the Battery Term Post and NOT DOWNSTREAM. Hard way to learn.

A2. Good luck

A3. Your Inverter or device should be OK provided the short was not made inside the unit or on the terminals.

A4. Manufactures owner manual. Example from Trojan battery website. Scroll down to Watering.

These would have saved your battery and underwear. The 2151 is what you should be using. One fuse for the wire going to the charger, and the other going to the Load Device like an Inverter. The battery is the source of power, not the solar panels. You foun dout batteries pack a lot of current and explosive force. Hope you were not injured.

[Emorales]

Ok so just had my first and hopefully last accidental short. And Ive got some quetions:

1. Is there a way to revive a bat that is not showing voltage?

2. Best way to clean the mess (melted metal)

3. Is there a way to test inverter/charger (to see if its working) without batteries

4. Can you point me to a post about proper water measurong and refill practice

[inetdog]

In case you want to create thermal burns on top of acid burns ? using a base to neutralize an acid, releases heat, and the acid in embedded in your fingerprints.

Water first, then follow up with bicarb if necessary.
The bicarb is good for a first round for spills that are not on your skin yet.

Or, in your special case, vinegar. I suggest a good balsamic or white wine type.

[bcroe]

I've played a trick on a few apprentice mechanics with a penny.
Drop one in the lighter socket of a rear-door armrest ashtray (like those found on 70s Lincolns and Cadillacs), Then put the pop-up lighter back in the socket.

It would blow the dome/clock/lighter fuse. It would take some mechanics days to
figure it out... (and they would get paid 1hour for the diagnosis)

I observe there are very few people really competent at debugging modest power
circuits. The methods I read about are strictly hit & miss. Even at work, I got a
lot of calls to fix somebody else's 48V lab wiring (not my real job). Bruce Roe

[Mike90250]

.......I also mix a solution of water and sodium bicarbonate in a bucket before working with batteries just in case.......

In case you want to create thermal burns on top of acid burns ? using a base to neutralize an acid, releases heat, and the acid in embedded in your fingerprints.

[Shockah]

The old fuse boxes in the US used round "screw in" type fuses. When they blew and you didn't have a spare people use to use a $.01 penny to get power back on.

Not sure what the "amp rating" was on that penny but it probably was 10 times as much as the fuse rating that blew. Definitely not a safe condition.

I've played a trick on a few apprentice mechanics with a penny.
Drop one in the lighter socket of a rear-door armrest ashtray (like those found on 70s Lincolns and Cadillacs),
Then put the pop-up lighter back in the socket.

It would blow the dome/clock/lighter fuse.
It would take some mechanics days to figure it out... (and they would get paid 1hour for the diagnosis)

[SunEagle]

The old fuse boxes in the US used round "screw in" type fuses. When they blew and you didn't have a spare people use to use a $.01 penny to get power back on.

Not sure what the "amp rating" was on that penny but it probably was 10 times as much as the fuse rating that blew. Definitely not a safe condition.

[FunGas]

[Sunking]

That is like riding a motorcycle in shorts and flip flops. Seems safe to me.

Hey you just described every motorcyclist in Panama including me. Motor cycles are real popular means of transportation down here. What is really a trip is there is even a few retired Hell's Angels down here with a Chapter. Wished I could say they are a nice bunch of fellows, but not so much. Even the Police are scared of them.

[SunEagle]

How many of you actually use tools made to work on batteries, or even know what procedures and PP to wear? Very small percentage.

That is like riding a motorcycle in shorts and flip flops. Seems safe to me.

Heck. You should see the Arc flash PPE I wear when I hook up a power quality meter.

[Sunking]

How many of you actually use tools made to work on batteries, or even know what procedures and PP to wear? Very small percentage.

[Shockah]

Yes very good way of preparing - I also mix a solution of water and sodium bicarbonate in a bucket before working with batteries just in case.

This short happened because of poor planning. I had run out of red insulated wire and decided to proceed using only the black insulated wire I had because I was eager to get the job done. Due to the fact that I didn't have the colors to remind me of which polarity was which on the wires I had to be very careful to check the battery terminals to know what was going on. I was diligently applying colored insulation tape to the wires as I was going but due to a laps in concentration I missed out on something and then it happened. Had been going at it for 2 hours without a break too...

I can see "it happening" under those circumstances.

I was recently wiring a tiny (in comparison to yours) 100AH Battery, and realized I only had Red cable on hand. I wired both leads with the red and marked the neg with black tape. Even with the marker, I must have double checked polarity 10 times before I wired up the CC... nerve racking...

[Dave3011]

When I'm just watering batteries, I do about a half hour of prep, sometimes it even involves weed whacking a exit path, before I need it.

Glasses, gloves, 2 rinse buckets, wipe down rags, waste can...... Wish there was a robust alkaline battery watering system.

Yes very good way of preparing - I also mix a solution of water and sodium bicarbonate in a bucket before working with batteries just in case.

This short happened because of poor planning. I had run out of red insulated wire and decided to proceed using only the black insulated wire I had because I was eager to get the job done. Due to the fact that I didn't have the colors to remind me of which polarity was which on the wires I had to be very careful to check the battery terminals to know what was going on. I was diligently applying colored insulation tape to the wires as I was going but due to a laps in concentration I missed out on something and then it happened. Had been going at it for 2 hours without a break too...

[Mike90250]

When I'm just watering batteries, I do about a half hour of prep, sometimes it even involves weed whacking a exit path, before I need it.

Glasses, gloves, 2 rinse buckets, wipe down rags, waste can...... Wish there was a robust alkaline battery watering system.