What burns? Problems with the equipment

RM: I become nearly severely hurt by a cable burn and You applaud? Other: Oh, excuse us, we thought it is a special party show.

1994-07-17:

I am on the way from Salzburg to Stuttgart. I will have the next day an important encounter with Werner Mösse about building the GEMINI inhabited solar power plants. I visit on the way a grill party in Munich.

As usual at this time, I have my ESCOM Companion sub notebook in the right holster and a 12V 6Ah lead acid battery pack in the left holster. The position of the computer's power connector is very unpractical. Out of this reason, I have always to disconnect the computer, draw the computer out of the holster and connect again. The same reverse when I put the computer back into the holster.

I talk on the party to many people. Many times I draw my computer in order to show something or to put the address of the person into my database.

Again, I put my notebook in the holster and connect him with the cable. Suddenly, I get a very hot feeling around by belly. Something is wrong! I disconnect the computer. I open my belt. Hotter and hotter! The cable begins to smoke. I open the left holster with the battery pack. A white cloud of smoke comes out of the holster. The charging system for the computer's internal batteries is burning.

I stomp on the cable and I rip the connection between the half melted cable and the lead acid battery pack.

People standing around me are applauding.

RM: I become nearly severely hurt by a cable burn and You applaud?
Other: Oh, excuse us, we thought it is a special party show.

Since this day, I have equipped all my batteries packs with a fuse.