Is there such thing as a 120v battery?

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:25 pm

Yeah, i'm pretty stupid for asking, and I've never heard of one, but i've been wrong quite a few times in my life before

Oh and I know the difference between AC and DC and the battery would most definatley be DC.

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:28 pm

I suppose it's possible. Go ahead, get some 12 Volt batteries and wire 10 in series. Voila.

scherzo · Post by **scherzo** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:44 pm

I bet he's asking if there are batteries where you can wire things to it that are supposed to run off of a wall outlet. A UPS for a computer has to essentially be an 120v AC battery. Mess with one of those (but be careful).

Post by **marshallh** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:48 pm

UPSes usually have a couple 12v batteries in series or parallel, and have an inverter to step up the voltage to 120v and make it AC.

The place to look for high-voltage batteries would be in hybrid cars. Some have up to 400 volts.

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:51 pm

Hmmm, interesting.

BTW, I heard that AC is way more dangerous then DC because you will just get a quick ZAP! from DC but AC goes back and forth so it will keep holding you there and kill you.

scherzo · Post by **scherzo** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:59 pm

iam7805 wrote:Hmmm, interesting.

BTW, I heard that AC is way more dangerous then DC because you will just get a quick ZAP! from DC but AC goes back and forth so it will keep holding you there and kill you.

The type of current affects the severity of the injury. In general, direct current (DC), which has zero frequency but may be intermittent or pulsating, is less dangerous than alternating current (AC), which is generally used in the USA. The effects of AC on the body depend largely on the frequency. Low-frequency currents of 50 to 60 Hz (cycles/sec), which are commonly used, are usually more dangerous than high-frequency currents and are 3 to 5 times more dangerous than DC of the same voltage and amperage. DC tends to cause a convulsive contraction, often forcing the victim away from the current's source. AC at 60 Hz (household current) produces muscle tetany, often freezing the hand to the current's source; prolonged exposure may result, with severe burns if the voltage is high.

http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/ ... 7/277a.jsp

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:07 pm

it is not physically possible to make a single cell that has more than about 5v of potential, and not practical to make them with more than 3.6 (lithium).

you can hook infinately many single cells together in series to make as much voltage as you want though. one of those early experimenters in electricity (forget exactly who.. i think i read this on wikipedia) used something like a 2,000v battery to make giant sparks or something.

i accidentally shorted 3 lead-acids in series and melted an alligator clip into an unrecognizeable mess. be careful.

ValiantVenality · Post by **ValiantVenality** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:07 pm

Try one of those little kiddie jeeps. Those have lots of volts in them. It might be 120v. Not sure......

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:08 pm

MilkMonster · Post by **MilkMonster** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:53 pm

iam7805 wrote:Hmmm, interesting.

BTW, I heard that AC is way more dangerous then DC because you will just get a quick ZAP! from DC but AC goes back and forth so it will keep holding you there and kill you.

Voltage dosent kill, current does.

JackFrost22 · Post by **JackFrost22** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:54 pm

scherzo wrote:I bet he's asking if there are batteries where you can wire things to it that are supposed to run off of a wall outlet. A UPS for a computer has to essentially be an 120v AC battery. Mess with one of those (but be careful).

Actually it uses a voltage inverter. A 12volt battery with a type of converter for 120volts

Post by **marshallh** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:04 am

MilkMonster wrote:Voltage dosent kill, current does.

It's the combination that kills. For example, you barely notice a 12,000v spark when you touch a doorknob in winter, because the current is so low.

Watts is the combined potential of voltage and current. That's what determines your fate.

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:51 pm

MilkMonster wrote: Voltage dosent kill, current does.

I never said that voltage killed

BTW, I already knew that

Post by **Triton** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 5:02 pm

yea its mostly amperage that kills ya, stun guns and tasers are commonly in the 100-500k volt range but very low amperage (less than 50ma) hurts like a SOB but non lethal, usually

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:59 pm

Name 1 case where a stun gun, which is designed NOT to kill people, has killed a person.

(Like the guy shot the pins into a guys eye and it hit his brain or something.)