Battery damage?

[Chalky.]

I often short batteries to see if they have any life, use a bit of wire or whatever I can find.

Some old boy the other day reckon this would damage the cells?

Obviously a multimeter would be the best test, but not always to hand when out.

Any truth in what he's said?

Ta.

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

I'd be more concerned about the hydrogen gas.

Suspect a quick shorting wouldn't damage the lead plates.
You can get mini volt meters for a fiver...smaller than a packet a fags.

[Vincent]

it's not something I like to do, it's easier to have a 12V bulb in a socket handy or, as above, a multi-meter.
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Space Is Deep

[Chalky.]

Thanks chaps.

[Fizzer Thou]

If a battery on has a partial charge then shorting across the terminals will still cause a spark.

As for hydrogen gas given off by the battery,sealed gel batteries do not give off any gas.

To discharge at too high a rate,as happens when shorting the terminals,will cause the plates to distort if done too often.This will then shorten the life of the battery.
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Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[Walloper]

[The Artist]

99.9% of the time you will be fine but it doesn't really tell you much.

A multimeter is so much better. Batteries (lead acid) only tend to explode when left shorted for much more time than it takes for a little bit of wire to warm up.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Do you do this with the battery on the vehicle and connected up?

All the best

Keith
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[Walloper]

[J4mes]

Hydrogen gas is only produced when the battery is being charged IIRC.

A multimeter doesn't really tell you anything about the battery either, it tells you it has 12v at 0A but what you really need is a drop tester which is basically a short circuit with a volt meter on it. This induces a massive current load and tells you how many volts you will have when there is a load on the battery, and is a much better indicator of how it will perform when required to work at a high load, such as turning the starter motor.

[Walloper]

[The Artist]

[Walloper]

[J4mes]

Yes if it's connected to the circuit and the engine is running, but if that was the case why would the OP be chucking a wire across it in order to see if it was ok?

[Walloper]

[The Artist]

[Walloper]

[Chalky.]

Not on a vehicle, just connected to electric fencing.

[The Artist]

[Chalky.]

[The Artist]

Me neither. I used to put a long blade of grass on the lower fence part and listen for the click click click

[Walloper]

I saw it on Mythbusters once (so it's true) that you can pish on 'the third rail' and not get electrocuted because the stream of pee pee is not constant and is more like morse code. (although I always thought it looks like a solid stream after ten lager drinks.)
They used high speed cameras to watch the Chinese guy pissing on a third rail for the test.

Bursting and then
Busted.

Anyone who pees on an electric fance deserves to die anyway.
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