more electrical circuit safety help - teachers!

[picnicinthewoods]

You guys were so helpful last week, so I'm going to run something else past you!
I'm working with a group of 5-8 years olds making lighthouses with simple circuits to light a bulb. They have made the circuits and designed their lighthouses.
This week they are going to use junk materials to create it. So for decorating it, would it be an absolute no-no to say they can use paint? (from a safety point of view) Bearing in mind the circuit (with switch off) will already have to be inside the model. I don't have time for them to paint first, leave to dry and then assemble.
Am I better off just saying no paint & to decorate with various collage materials/paper etc
My son did one yesterday to try it all out and it looked very effective when painted.
Thank you!

just bumping up as I'm hoping for some feedback tonight!

little light bulbs, and an AA battery or similar?

I can't imagine why you couldn't use paint - unless you don't want them to repeat the experiment with mains electricity I suppose?

What would be unsafe about it? It's virtually no electricity at all.

AA battery, little light bulbs. I guess I'm thinking of the principle.......y'know the message it send to them, being young kids. You'd be ok with that then?

Will the battery be sealed in? (if it is, of course, they won't be able to replace it when it runs out if the model lasts that long ) If not, paint it with the batteries out, then put them in when it's dry

Ok thanks Rusty.......tricky though because it might be hard for some of them to access the battery holder easily to put it back in as most are using a pringles tube and putting the circuit in and leaving a small gap at the bottom for the switch.
IYO then, if they have to leave the circuit intact with battery in, which most will, should they not paint & just decorate in other ways?

Paint it. I don't think many people turn off the mains electricity if they are painting a wall. As long as the switch is off it'll be fine.

However, paint won't stick to the outside of a pringles tube without a shedload of pva mixed in so you might prefer to cover in paper with pritt.

No, I didn't mean I thought there would be any danger from painting them with the battery in, just that if you wanted to emphasise the safety aspect you could do it that way. That's why I don't allow children to have water bottles on the table when they have the laptops out - most of the bottles are spill proof anyway, but it's just a principle that I enforce.

ok yes I knew it was the principle you were talking about, so if you cannot leave batteries out till paint is dry then Rusty, you personally wouldn't use paint?

Thanks Galena, I know what you mean about paint not sticking, my son coating the outside with masking tape & it worked well (but used up a heap of masking tape!!!).

Shall I just make my life easy and not take paint, just go with collage stuff? Just worried it won't look so good.

am I being totally neurotic and over thinking this?!!! bad habit of mine:)

To be honest, I don't suppose it would have occurred to me, as I would know that there wasn't any danger from a little battery. But then I'm not a teacher, just an IT tech, and the thing about water bottles and laptops is more from the point of view of damaging the laptop than harming the child!

Ok thanks Rusty! Ah sod it, I'm going to take paint and as there will be parents floating about, I'm going to let them decide!!

Actually, with 5 year olds and paint, I'd probably be more concerned that they'd slap it on and cover up the light so you can't see it flashing!

A bit neurotic maybe :-)

I will take collage stuff too......for neurotic parents like me:)

Surely the wires are covered in plastic? I would use paint, but talk about how important it is to keep it away from the bulb as water + electricity = bang etc.

To be honest, bits of loose paper hanging near a hot bulb is hardly good health and safety...

Oh............yeah I see what you're saying......

The bulb is going to be under something like a transparent plastic tub......

I will make sure they know not to have anything obstructing the bulb:)

Provided the circuit is switched off while painting and you let it all dry completely before switching on, there's no danger at all.

Thank you Huitre

picnic I think you'd better go and learn how batteries work before teaching your class.

from a safty point of view what harm do you think painting a pringle tube with a battery in situ will cause?

Why on earth would you need to 'switch a circuit off' before painting (part from wasting the battery)?! We're talking 1.5V here! You won't ever ever electrocute yourself on an AA battery!!

It's not so much 'thinking there's a danger' more 'establishing the principle that electricity and wet stuff doesn't mix'

Yes, what Rusty said. It's just a general safety precaution that isn't a bad idea for everyone to learn. Nothing would happen to anyone if the circuit was on but in a different situation it could be dangerous. Learning that wet things and electricity together could be dangerous isn't in any way a bad idea for anyone, of any age.