High Sierra: Hot Stuff!
A just-new perusal of my cohort Margery Conner’s most excellent blog, PowerSource (which regularly covers exploding, overheating and otherwise misbehaving batteries, among other always-interesting things), reminded me of something amusing (in retrospect) that occured last weekend during my audio recording orgy (which also included capturing outstanding sets by ALO and the Disco Biscuits last night). After recording ALO, I left the mics, stand and cables behind at the Big Meadow Stage as I headed over to the Grandstand Stage to catch The Chairman of the Boards, since I’d be back at the Big Meadow Stage later for the Biscuits. I took the expensive and more portable bits (mic pre, A/D, NJB3, etc) with me, and I stuck the 9V batteries in the pockets of my shorts; right for mic pre and left for A/D, the former pocket also containing some loose change.
When I later sat back down at the Big Meadow Stage and began re-hooking up my gear, I noticed a feeling of irritation on the surface of my right leg. I thought that I might have accidentally bumped or scratched the leg on something, so I thought nothing of the pain….until it rapidly became excruciating, and I realized it was coming from the area where the 9V battery in my pocket was touching it. I proceeded to do a little impromptu dance, complete with yelps (but thankfully not knocking over the mic stand, or trodding on any of my gear), as I strived to (successfully, eventually) eject the battery from my pocket without actually touching it. It was so hot that I feared it might catch the grass on fire, so I poked at it until it came to rest on a patch of dirt! By the end of the Biscuits’ set, over an hour and a half later, it was finally once again cool to the touch.
I ’spect the coins in my pocket were shorting together the battery terminals. Agree, folks, or have another idea? Regardless of the root cause, I’m never again going to put a ‘bare’ 9V battery in my pocket, especially if the pocket contains anything else metallic….and I recommend the same avoidance advice to you all!
