U6TL: Battery or Anti-personnel weapon? You decide...

[cranetruck]

Thanks for posting Dan!
I too use a similar charger/maintainer and have been very satisfied with it, BUT there is one problem with any "open loop" device, there is not complete feedback to tell the charger what is happening on the battery end. Dan's analysis makes sense to me, where the electrolyte is boiled off without the "knowledge" of the charger.
To complete the automatic charger/maintainer installation, a battery condition monitor should be added, in particular a temperature monitor, which would shut down the charger if need be.
The brand of battery, 6TL, Walmart, Advance etc is not the problem here as I see it.

 

[cbvet]

I've seen a few good quality batteries blow up through the years. Rarely has anyone been able to prove why. It's usually a maintenance (lack of water/dirty connection) or charging problem.
I would suspect a charger malfunction.
Eric

 

[swbradley1]

I just got a set of sealed NAPA commercial truck batteries for mine when I picked it up last year.

1150CCA each

 

[Outdoorsman]

I was always told to check water level prior to servicing with even a trickle charger. If it hadn't blown, probably cooked the cells anyway. Glad you weren't hurt, and that you were home when it happened.

 

[Parker2]

Glad you were not near it when it blew. I was welding on one of our work trucks near the battery (I know -stupid). Welll the battery exploded and it sounded like a canon went off. It spewd acid 20 feet away. This was just a regular car sized battery so I can imagine what one of yours sounded like.

 

[ida34]

I have had 6tls in my truck for the last 5 years with no problems. I also have 6tls in my cucv and have had them for the past 3 years. I have never had a problem. I also never had a problem with them when I was in the military. Not negating anyone's opinion or experience, just passing on my own. An over charged battery by itself will not cause an explosion. The overcharge will produce hydrogen gas and that along with a spark will cause the explosion.

 

[SEAFIRE]

We purchased a brand new set of interstate military U6TL's for one of our deuces that lasted less than a year.

We have since gone to the optima gell cells with the U6TL adapters in both of our deuces, they work great, no problems so far.

The adapter keeps the smaller batteries from moving around in the battery box, a great design.

 

[metrobus]

I had a voltage draw that I couldn't find, so I installed a keyed battery disconnect switch, which I picked up at an RV dealer. The batteries no longer go dead, and the switch adds a little anti-theft security.

 

[acmunro]

I'll share my story on exploding batteries, I work with electronic natural gas meter correcting devices. I was doing work for a company nearby, testing units in their shop.
Their guys were bringing the units out of the field to the shop and setting them on the floor until I could get to them. I picked one unit up and it felt hot to the touch, so I disconected the battery pack and removed the cells, they were very hot. I just set them on the work bench- I thought the danger had passed since they were disconected. I was wrong !
Two minutes later boom. One cell blew up. I then took the rest outside. The battery pack was the cause of the short- The cell must have had a run away effect and blew.
Any battery can be a bomb even an Alkaline "D" cell