So my battery EXPLODED today

[98G]

Went to start my M925A1. Two batteries only. I run all my 5tons on just two batteries. I've never had a problem. Ambient temp was 110ish.

Battery switch on, all is well. Two triple clicks of the systems check.

Flip the switch to start. The NH250 cranks vigorously and immediately fires, accompanied by ***BOOM***.

After I moved the truck I shut it down and lifted the passenger seat. One of my batteries had burst the case on multiple cells and blown a gaping hole in the top. Acid everywhere.

They were under warranty. I took them both back and exchanged them for new ones. (1000 CA) .

I plan to thoroughly hose out the battery compartment and dust it with baking soda, and then hose it some more.

Why did this happen? Any comments on my proposed cleanup procedure?

Spacibochka

 

[R Racing]

Something like a connection may have been loose and sparked

 

[MWMULES]

Check the battery box vent I have seen them plugged with mud dauber nests.

 

[98G]

Box was open until seconds before I started the truck. I almost didn't bother closing it, but obviously I'm glad I did now...

I don't think there was sufficient time to accumulate any gasses in the box.

 

[m16ty]

I had a battery out in the open once so they can even blow when not in a closed environment.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Its a chemistry thing, gotta love science.


Glad you were not hurt!

 

[royalflush55]

I had the same thing happen on a tractor one day with two 12 volt batteries in parallel. I turn the key to start and one battery exploded very loudly. Never did know what the cause was. I washed tractor real good with water and then sprayed liberally with a multi purpose spray lube to kill the acid.

 

[tommys2patrick]

Pretty scary deal. Hard to say what caused it. Something defective in the battery would be high on my suspect list. Probably want to check the battery wires very thoroughly. That much heat and energy being dissipated rapidly could cause some hidden damage. I would start at the connection to the starter and go back towards the battery box looking at the cables. Check the ground connections. my 2 cents.

 

[FloridaAKM]

I had that happen @ work on a single 12v battery starting a Wisconsin engine. Battery was low, so it was recharged & when the engine was started, the entire side of the battery blew out, spraying shrapnel & acid on the guy standing next to it, he was just shaken up & not hurt. The acid damaged his clothes which he threw away. It was determined that the cranking caused a hot spot in the battery which ignited the hydrogen gas inside, causing the explosion! Chemistry like Gimpy said!

 

[dangerfieldinc]

One of the main reasons battery's explode is they get low on water due to over charging or just normal evaporation and that creates a compartment for hydrogen gas to collect in . Then during a starting cycle the plates inside the battery flex with the large draw and make contact with each other creating a spark and ignite the gas and boom. I would check to make shure your alternator is charging corectly as a precaution. Or you will end up doing it again.

 

[Coffey1]

It seems to be heat has something to add to it.
My one 12 volt exploded in my F350 it was hot as hades that day.
Sounded like a shotgun went off in cab.

 

[M35A2-AZ]

I had a problem with a Gen. battery some years back. I had it on charge, then I took it off the charger and about a min. later I hit the starter and the battery blow up.
Luckily I was on the other side of the Gen.

 

[m715mike]

98G - If I understand your post correctly, you first took the batteries out to exchange them and next you will clean the compartment out.

How did you safely get the batteries out of the compartment before cleaning out the acid? Did you wear gloves (what kind)? Were there any breathing concerns? Were safety goggles used?



(P.S. Maybe I shouldn't have slept through Chemistry in high school.)

 

[glassk]

Went to start my M925A1. Two batteries only. I run all my 5tons on just two batteries. I've never had a problem. Ambient temp was 110ish.

Battery switch on, all is well. Two triple clicks of the systems check.

Flip the switch to start. The NH250 cranks vigorously and immediately fires, accompanied by ***BOOM***.

After I moved the truck I shut it down and lifted the passenger seat. One of my batteries had burst the case on multiple cells and blown a gaping hole in the top. Acid everywhere.

They were under warranty. I took them both back and exchanged them for new ones. (1000 CA) .

I plan to thoroughly hose out the battery compartment and dust it with baking soda, and then hose it some more.

Why did this happen? Any comments on my proposed cleanup procedure?

Spacibochka

Found this on another site,

Another area I've always been concerned about internal cell strap welds breaking (fairly common) inside multi-cell batteries and possibility of subsequent internal arcing in the presence of hydrogen and oxygen. A typical symptom is sudden battery failure (cracked weld) sometimes followed by battery explosion.

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=308386

They are kind of deep into theory over there,...

 

[98G]

98G - If I understand your post correctly, you first took the batteries out to exchange them and next you will clean the compartment out.

How did you safely get the batteries out of the compartment before cleaning out the acid? Did you wear gloves (what kind)? Were there any breathing concerns? Were safety goggles 8used?



(P.S. Maybe I shouldn't have slept through Chemistry in high school.)

Battery acid isn't *that* reactive. I had safety glasses on (don't trust the other battery), but I just reached in with my bare hands and pulled them out, and then immediately washed my hands.

Thick rubber chemical protective gloves would be a better practice.

 

[m16ty]

I know most of us don't do it (myself included) but you really should wear safety glasses when working around batteries.

The battery explosion I mentioned earlier happened right in my face. A was adjusting a charging cable when it happened. Lucky, even though my face was covered in acid, none got it my eyes. The charger cable arced right before the explosion and the only thing I can figure is I flinched from the arc and saved my eyes.

The only real casualties were my clothes. If you get battery acid on you and wash it off fairly quick, you won't have any bad burns.

I've seen probably 10 batteries explode in my life. I've even seen two that did it with the vehicle sitting idle with nobody around. On them I think the cause was a short of some sort that caused it, makes a good case for battery disconnects.

 

[juanprado]

I worked in parts for 25 years and 2 incidents I remember clearly.

I had a battery come across the counter for warranty at Western Auto. We were slam dunk busy. Put voltage meter on it and real low, so I go to the back and put it on the battery charging rack so I can serve the 20 or so people staring me in the face. Instant kaboom, I wear glasses so ok there but I had melted lead splattered all over my white shirt and clothes. I go back to customer who now tells me the battery was very low on fluid and asks about the warranty. I told him he had now $4 core value on it as I am doing my best not to say something not nice. Lesson learned, never put another battery on a charger in my life without removing all caps and verifying level in all cells personally.

When Ford went to group 65 batteries, they were real expensive maybe $25 more than the group 24 of the day. Group 65 is shorter than a 24. I had a customer who did not want to pay the extra and insisted on a 24. I tried my best but he "knew" everything. Very similar to Wal mart or sams, you could grab one off the rack and go on your business to the front cashier. Maybe 15 min later, there was a kaboom in the parking lot. He had installed the battery,cables, and everything went well till he closed the steel hood and ground the battery out on the hood. Aerostar van if I remember correctly from 20 years ago. Now he had no battery, melted cables, and a nicely modified hood. He screamed law suit and wanted me to take care of everything. I sent him on his way and said please have my name spelled correctly for when I get served as I would look forward to it. Yes, there is karma in this world.

Parts stores sell a battery cleaner/ neutralizer for acid that foams turns red when in contact with acid and rinse off. Good stuff.

I am glad you were not hurt.

Your vendor did great for you as there is absolutely no warranty from any manufacture on a kaboom battery that I sold. A/C, Excide, Johnson controls. Battery warranty industry wide are done completely different now and most have a very short period of warranty/ pro rate.

 

[dmetalmiki]

One of the main reasons battery's explode is they get low on water due to over charging or just normal evaporation and that creates a compartment for hydrogen gas to collect in . Then during a starting cycle the plates inside the battery flex with the large draw and make contact with each other creating a spark and ignite the gas and boom. I would check to make shure your alternator is charging corectly as a precaution. Or you will end up doing it again.

Hmm, And they do fit multiple batteries for good reason. Things get hot when working hi current draws. (fewer batteries).

 

[m16ty]

Parts stores sell a battery cleaner/ neutralizer for acid that foams turns red when in contact with acid and rinse off. Good stuff.

.

I use that stuff all the time. I think baking soda works just as well but in the aerosol can you can get it into tight places you can't with baking soda.

 

[98G]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Many of you know more than I do on a large number of topics. I continue to read and learn.