Just a friendly battery reminder...

Been a mechanic for thirty years and never had a battery go off. Until this year. Three times this year, and the scary part is, one of 'em wasn't my fault. Miraculously, I had my face turned away all three times, just my clothes suffered. The last one cost me my hearing for the day. In one instance, the battery was constantly going dead every 2-3 days. It was a group 31 in a forklift. it was on a little tray that swung outward about waist level. Had the trickle charger on it overnight, went to start it with the charger still on it. I didn't even hear the starter. BAM! A piece of the case hit me in the side of the head. I can only guess that one of the internal ties was cracked, and must have arced when I hit the key. Another time, also a 31 charged overnight, went off while disconnecting the charger. I thought it was safe!! It was a newer battery, not drawing any noticeable amperage on the meter, charged outside, there was a breeze blowing...BAM! No, I was wrong.Another one went up in the in the middle of the night while being charged. So, I have changed my battery handling technique. I treat them like the little bombs they are. Sometimes you don't even have to do something stupid. They go off on their own. Now I wear safety glasses around them all the time.

I would at least turn the charger off , before disconnecting ,or trying to start a vehicle.
We all get lazy around these things ,and every now and then ,they remind us on how dangerous they can be .

While having a charging problem with our car I put the charger on trickle charge over night. Living in an area with poacher problems...i heard a bang in the middle of the night! Up the hill I went, using cover and concealment to my son/grand kids.daughter in laws home! 45 ACP in hand and rifle over my shoulder! Nothing....nada....zip....walked by the car and could smell something.......batt exploded on a trickle charge...all the while buck azz naked!!!!! I'm sure it was a terrible sight! ROFL...all true...except the terrible sight part!!!!!!! EAT YER HEART OUT!!!! Ops don't look!!!!

Rick

Charged the battery on my little tractor one night. Took the charger off the next morning, sat in the seat, hit the key and boom. Battery exploded. It sits right in front of the rad, luckily never hurt the rad one bit.

I don't have 30 years, so I listen very respectfully to your view, yet I've noticed some commonalities to battery explosions. I've seen a few over the years, and they appear to be far more common on conventional batteries requiring water added from time to time. There tends to be a line around an expoded battery at the water line that is usually lower than the top of the plates. When batteries charge explosive gases are produced and electricity is conducted across the plates. Most people tell me that we have no idea why sometimes batteries explode, though, a current jumping across the uncovered plates could very easily ignite the hydrogen gas that is collected at the top of the battery. At one unit, the generator battery exploded in the middle of the day. As the leading MK, the Logistics Officer told me to look into it. It had a line about two and a half inches below the top of the plates, and I told him that there was no question in my mind that the required maintenance was neglected, but since so many people claim the cause of battery explosions are a mystery, the command elected to not pursuit the matter. The Tenant unit that neglected to check and add water lucked out big, because I have no doubt that they had skipped the PMS on the generator battery for quite a while.

It is normal for a lead-acid battery to release hydrogen gas when it is charging. Because when an engine is running normally and charging the battery, there is more likely to be air movement and the gas is dispersed. Thus less likely to cause a problem but when charge comes from an external source, the hydrogen may not get dispersed and a ignition source may cause an explosion. In practice, I think the ignition is usually external to the battery.

I've been known to blow across a battery when hooking up jumper cables, even if it isn't the last connection to the frame. I had one battery blow up in my life, don't need another.

Ditto that! I think the spark may have been caused by a bad connection on one of the terminals.

I seem to have my fair share of battery problems the last few years. Only ever had one blow and it was under the foot platform on a 4010 while driving it 30 years ago. Thanks guys you have made me push my more cautious button.

A reminder won't hurt at all.
Had a camper battery blow up. Typical scenario.
Charging overnight, closed area, removed the charger clamps and boom.
Wasn't until the ER nurse swabbed the acid outta my eyes that I became aware of the piece of plastic that went thru my cheeks and into my gums.
The gas produced when charging, is an explosion, waiting for a spark!

Thanks for the reminder. I have gotten real big on eye and ear protection in my older years. I don't know if it because I'm a little wiser or a little more appreciative of my good health. Anyway, I like the saftey glasses idea when working around batterys.

I think that hydrogen has an explosive range of from 2% to around 80%, so all it needs is a tiny spark for a nasty explosion. Joe

In all my years of farming and used tractor dealing I saw my share of batteries explode which is why I always warn people on here when jumping or charging a battery

DO NOT MAKE THAT (possibly spark creating) CONNECTION RIGHT ON TOP THE BATTERY WHERE EXPLOSIVE GASSES MAY BE PRESENT. (ESPECIALLY after shes been charging and cooking and outgassing) If you make the ground connection down on say the truck/tractor frame somewhere awayyyyyyyyy from the battery top its safer.

DONT BE CREATING SPARKS AROUND THE BATTERIES

John T