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Shocking a single nickel-cadmium cell (NOT a multi-cell battery) is effective because Ni-Cd batteries form semi-conductive dendrites. (resistive filaments that "grow" from one plate to the other through the electrolyte separator and create an internal discharge path. Shocking cells destroys dendrites by burning them out, like fuse wires.
I don't know whether lithium cells form dendrites or not. If they don't, shocking them won't have much effect.
If you use a controlled amount of energy - say, by using a charged capacitor to provide the juice - the risk of ignition should be reasonably low.
But once lithium does ignite, it's a special hazard. Burning metals often react violently with water instead of extinguishing, dry-chemical extinguishers aren't effective, and CO2/Halon* extinguishers don't prevent re-ignition. You'll need a Class D extinguisher or a large quantity of dry, chemically-inert sand to smother and cool.
And to make life more interesting, lithium (along with sodium and potassium) is a Group I alkali metal which forms highly-corrosive lithium hydroxide when exposed to moisture.
*Yeah, yeah, I know they don't really contain Halon(tm) anymore. But everybody knows the name.
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Douglas Campbell
November 5, 2008: The fat lady sang. Back to actually working for a living.
1986 Isuzu P'up, 177,673.8 miles. Hella headlights, (highly recommended) DOT C-2 back end. (also recommended) R-12 air conditioner converted to R-406a. 4.1:1 rear axle converted to 3.4:1.
9/22/2007, age 21: Still running well when reluctantly sent away for reincarnation due to rust.
Not affiliated with the Campbell Soup Company.
Last edited by drcampbell : 02-05-2008 at 08:30 AM.
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