Observe the electrical current from 400 car batteries ignite a suspension spring.
styropyro on YouTube
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What can you do with 400 lead-acid car batteries? Naturally, you wire them together and unleash their combined current, as Drake Anthony, known as styropyro on YouTube, did. The outcome was a two-hour video showcasing the reactions of various objects to immense amounts of electricity.
A noteworthy moment occurs at the 1:16:20 mark when a steel suspension spring is connected to the deadly battery array. It glows a vivid orange, ignites, and ultimately disintegrates. Other items were either destroyed immediately or handled the current sufficiently that there was no visible impact. A chain came close to reacting, briefly illuminating as if it had been touched by Ghost Rider.
The primary difference between the spring and the other items was its length, which enabled it to function as a resistor. The current passing through it reduced from 8,000 amps to 1,000 amps by the time it melted, slowing the reaction enough to create those impressive visual effects. The fact that a piece of steel, which can support a car's body, can shine and spontaneously ignite serves as a clear reminder that this falls squarely into the “don’t try this at home” category.
400 car batteries connected together!!
Lead-acid car batteries were selected for their ability to produce high current over extended periods. The 400-battery configuration weighs 28,000 pounds and channels its current through a custom switch and connectors made from over 1,000 pounds of copper plates. This substantial amount of copper is necessary to manage the current, which also generates strong magnetic fields that required careful cable arrangements to harness power from the array.
It may seem like an extensive effort for some unconventional pyrotechnics, but it’s certainly a more responsible use of these batteries than dumping them in the ocean. The entire video is worth watching if you have the time. While it's not directly related to automotive topics, you're sure to learn something from Anthony’s wild experiment. We should all appreciate his expertise in executing such a project so that we don't have to. I suspect it could have ended much worse had it been attempted by someone less experienced.
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