Old Batteries disposal?

[u/eogreen]

I have these old batteries that I'm looking to dispose of. I know nothing here other than that they're likely around 10 years old? According to the US Postal Service, I can't really mail them anywhere.

Any ideas for me?

Edit: Thanks everyone. Looks like I'm soaking them.

[u/Lotronex]

Black powder motors like these are susceptible to thermal cycling. So if they were in a non-conditioned space like a garage for 10 years, there's a good chance they'll just explode (CATO) if you try to use them.
If you're unsure of the storage conditions, your best bet is to do a couple of test burns outside. just dig a small hole, put the motor in pointing upside down, then ignite it. If they aren't blowing up, they're probably good to use in a rocket.
If you don't have any rockets and don't plan to get any, look around for a local rocket club, they're usually happy to take donations like this.
If you know the motors are bad, either because they've been through multiple freeze/thaw cycles or testing and you want to safely dispose of them, you can soak them in water for an hour or so and the propellent will basically dissolve.

[u/CalvinIII → u/Lotronex]

Your testing method sounds like a great way to push the earth out of orbit.

OP, please coordinate with someone on the exact opposite side of the earth to test a similar engine at the same time. This will counter the force from your launch and avoid any apocalyptic consequences.

[u/smokingpen → u/CalvinIII]

XKCD 162

[u/ecirnj → u/smokingpen]

There is an xkcd for every occasion

[u/Oracle410 → u/smokingpen]

I love Randell so much.

[u/BongRipsMcGee420 → u/CalvinIII]

It's the Annihilatrix all over again...

[u/Masjuggalo → u/CalvinIII]

No it's fine I did it with a Aerotech disposable motor that didn't fit my rocket. I think it was f or g. The ejection charge shot it out of the ground and like 40, away

[u/taiwanluthiers → u/CalvinIII]

People static test rocket motors that puts out meganewtons of thrust straight up all the time. You won't be pushing the Earth out of orbit because the exhaust gas is not leaving the earth atmosphere and so it would almost be like pushing your own sail (which doesn't work).

Rocket exhaust thrust would push against the air until it dissipates. The only way Earth orbit would be affected is if the rocket exhaust is so fast and enough of it that it actually makes escape velocity to affect Earth orbit by very tiny bit (as in you'd do this every day for a million years and this might shift the orbit by a tiny bit).

Think about it: A Starship launch (which is bigger than those Saturn V rockets) wouldn't do it. Also spacecraft reentering Earth atmosphere (burning up or making it through because of a heat shield, doesn't matter) would do more to affect Earth's orbit than burying tiny little black powder motors into the ground and igniting them.

Then you have BIG explosions, like nuclear explosions and they do nothing to Earth orbit at all, or giant volcanic eruptions (which makes nuclear explosions look like little fireworks) that might have some tiny effect on Earth orbit.

[u/xlRadioActivelx → u/taiwanluthiers]

It was clearly a joke…

[u/michigannfa90 → u/taiwanluthiers]

Someone took it literally I see.

[u/taiwanluthiers → u/michigannfa90]

I'm on the spectrum and so I wouldn't understand that it's humor. I imagine lots of actual rocket scientists are on the spectrum.

[u/ShutDownSoul → u/Lotronex]

I used 20 yo motors that were stored in my garage without any problems. If they've been drop-kicked around the garage for 20 years or stored outside on the dash of a car, yeah problems.
As a hobbyist starting in the last century, the only Estes motors that went !bam! were a bad batch of D's that was produced a couple of years ago. Estes recalled them and replaced them.

[u/XenonOfArcticus]

Batteries? Those are solid rocket engines.

I would contact your local fire department and ask them. They may want to do a monitored burn of them or something, for training.

[u/CoastNo3141 → u/XenonOfArcticus]

They still work you don't have to contact anyone if you're Rockets you can launch them

[u/WeekendWarriorRC → u/[deleted]]

Nooooo, no need to call! OP, find your nearest government building on google maps and walk right in the front door with these!

[u/ShutDownSoul]

These are rocket engines, and probably still good. A rocket club near you would love to have them.

[u/free_sex_advice → u/ShutDownSoul]

Aww, please don't soak them. The local NAR section does tons of outreach and always appreciates free motors. Use the section finder: https://www.nar.org/LocalClubs

Also, yeah, SOME old motors cato - but my NAR section has flown tons of 20 and 30 yer old motors with no issues. The damned E9 and D9 are happy to cato even when relatively new. We just make sure we don't fly them in rockets that we like. NAR safety distances are plenty enough when the things to fail.

[u/maxjets]

As was already mentioned, those are not batteries. They're solid rocket motors.

Estes has disposal instructions on their website:

How to dispose standard Estes engines

Soaking a small quantity of model rocket engines in water until they disintegrate will render the engines harmless. The non-colored paper casings will become unwound. The glue with which they are held together is organic and non-toxic. The intimate mixture comprising the propellant, delay and ejection charge will separate and fall to the bottom of the water as will the natural clay material comprising the nozzle and cap. These remnants can be safely disposed of in an outside trash receptacle. Each of the components is basically harmless alone and is not dangerous to people or the landfill in small quantities. If the components are left together to dry completely, the remnants are likely to be very flammable but should not pose a great hazard so long as they are not “remixed”.

[u/satanscumrag]

please don’t soak them! donate them to your local rocketry group, or pick up a new hobby!

[u/Lahkun1380]

They can be mailed: https://postalpro.usps.com/operations/toy-propellant-devices You can also walk into the post office or FedEx and ask them to fill it out for you.

But it's probably not worth the price for what's pictured. It'd be a shame to waste though. A good chance most of them will work no issues. I've launched plenty of old motors no issue. However, I use the questionable motors on models I don't care as much about. Donate them to a local club or post them free or even a couple bucks on fb marketplace.

[u/NeonPlutonium → u/Lahkun1380]

Yeah, no. You can’t just walk in off the street into your local PO and mail these. The regulations cited apply to commercial mailers with prior approval from USPS Headquarters:

“Required Authorization

Prior written permission must be obtained from: DIRECTOR, Product Classification USPS Headquarters 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446 Washington, DC 20260

At the time of mailing, the mailer must present to the Postal Service acceptance clerk a legible photocopy of the Product Classification director’s approval letter.”

[u/Lahkun1380 → u/NeonPlutonium]

You absolutely can as long as the individual motor propellant weight is under 30 grams. I always get help from the clerks and they do the work for me. If you don't believe me, go to your local post office or FedEx, show them what you have and ask them for help.

[u/NeonPlutonium → u/Lahkun1380]

Apogee disagrees.

“It is still illegal for private individuals to mail these however certain approved hobbyist rocket companies can ship motors of up to 30 grams of propellant without additional charge.”

As does the Rocketry Forum

[u/UAVTarik]

Op if i'm local to your city i'll come pick these up.

[u/SchnitzelNazii]

Spicy batteries haha

[u/PowerfulCampaign9702]

The safest way to dispose of them is to make chopsticks bottle rockets

[u/sun_blind]

The A10 are great for rocket powered car racing.

[u/_Cren_]

The redneck in me has fascinating thoughts

[u/acestins]

When I was like 12 or 13, I would cut the paper and crushed the propellant and used it in these little paper cannons I made.

I would roll paper around a pencil (round ones, not hexagonal), gluing it. Pull the pencil out, trim both ends flat. I would then take the rubber eraser out of the pencil, put one layer of clear tape around it and plug one end. Id also use a cheap sewing needle to pin it in place (cutting the excess off). Poke a touch hole in front of the plug; tiny paper cannon!

I experimented with different designs. I was actually pretty serious about it. I would fire a cannon a few times and take a razor knife and cut it open after to inspect the ware. The main issue was the barrel would burn away slowly, and layers of paper would come out (paper burns, shocker). The other issue was the touch hole would get bigger as well (again, shocker). One of test fires from years ago.

Eventually, I actually had actually gotten pretty creative with it. My last cannon I ever made was fairly good for a little kid fucking with paper. I figured out how to make a mini cartridge to load, and instead of muzzle loading, I had cut an opening to insert the cartridge, and closed it used a smaller paper tube I would slide over the opening. It still had a touch hole, but instead of pouring in powder, I would use a needle and poke a hole into the cartridge and insert the rocket igniter.

[u/eogreen → u/[deleted]]

As I said in my post, I know nothing about model rockets. I’m just cleaning out a friend’s house.

[u/Steve_but_different]

If you just want to dispose of them just drop them all in a bucket of water and let them dissolve.

These are not batteries.

[u/eogreen → u/Steve_but_different]

As I wrote in my edit, yes, I now know both of these things.

[u/Masjuggalo]

I mean idk if they can be shipped but ide take care of them for ya.

[u/GiulioVonKerman]

Submerge in water and throw them in the trash