Exploding car battery

[fddd160]

Saw this in local paper. Man has a battery in the trunk that he is bringing to the Auto parts store. When he tries to pick it up it explodes. There's no clear reason why the battery exploded. The weather was relatively cold — maybe in the 20s, and the battery had traveled from Wisconsin in his trunk. Perhaps it had to do with hydrogen gas build-up and static electricity, he said, and maybe he completed an electric circuit when he grabbed the handle.
Anybody hear of this type of incident before.


Read more: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2...#ixzz1DZQkhu5l http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2...ews/702099993/

[Eng3ineer]

Had one blow up on me before back years ago on my truck. I walked into garage that morning and could tell by the smell the battery was venting. Opened hood battery was very hot to touch and could hear hissing. Went to tool box to a get wrench soon as I turned around it blew. Lucky I wasn't anywhere close to it, but scared [email protected]&T out me.

[CKirk922]

Saw one leak fumes throughout a car when I was working a gas station as a young man. The kid driving the car refused to pull over till he got to town.

He drove 50 miles with that and REALLY screwed his eyes and respiratory system up...

It was summertime so weather likely was not a factor. It was a bad cell.

That was my first experience with the local FD. I callled em cuz I thought the damn thing was on fire...(yeh, I was a bit stupid then)

They cut the wires and removed the battery while in full ppe packs and all... Cool to watch at the time.

[tree68]

Is that anything like the time a couple of fellows bought a new battery and placed it on the floor in the back seat.

Not a problem until they stopped at the gas station to fill up a gas can (metal) and set it on top of the battery in the back seat.

[CKirk922]

Is that anything like the time a couple of fellows bought a new battery and placed it on the floor in the back seat.

Not a problem until they stopped at the gas station to fill up a gas can (metal) and set it on top of the battery in the back seat.

Bet that was a real blast!

[GVFD5]

Believe it or not, it is kinda common for a battery to just explode. I was an auto tech for a few years and seen my share there but then I started managing an auto parts store and we tested several batteries for customers. I found out REAL quick why the company makes you test them inside an enclosed box. Not always, but occasionally, we would place them in the box and start testing them (by placing a load on them) and then... POP! It will deffinetly make you soil your shorts! One more reason to be alert when cutting a battery cable on a MVA. ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO CUT THE NEGATIVE. NEVER CUT THE POSITIVE CABLE FIRST!!! The spark from the positive may cause an explosion also!

Good Luck

Stay Safe!!!!

FD5

[mcwops]

Had a battery explode at work once, while my supervisor and myself were working on a lawn mower. He caught the explosion and acid full in the face from just a couple of feet away. Very lucky our eye wash station was close, and I was not also blinded by the explosion (I had my back turned, did get acid on my back). He did not have any long lasting effects.

[fddd160]

Thanks to all that replied. I understand the possibility of the battery exploding when it is being charged or tested. This battery exploded after sitting in the trunk for at least 1 hour. Wisconsin to Arlington Heights ,IL. is at least 1 hour driving time.

[DeputyMarshal]

ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO CUT THE NEGATIVE. NEVER CUT THE POSITIVE CABLE FIRST!!! The spark from the positive may cause an explosion also!

FYI, the positive cable is no more likely to "spark" than the negative cable when cut. (There's no reason either should arc from cutting them unless you complete a circuit again afterwards.) The reason for cutting the negative cable first is to disconnect the ground from the car reducing the chance of accidentally shorting the positive cable back to the car after it's cut.

[FIREMECH1]

Thanks to all that replied. I understand the possibility of the battery exploding when it is being charged or tested. This battery exploded after sitting in the trunk for at least 1 hour. Wisconsin to Arlington Heights ,IL. is at least 1 hour driving time.

Still want to know why??? Simple.... bang the battery around in the back of a vehicle and you bang around the plates inside. Pick it up, move it just right, and you create an internal short that will make it explode. Cold temps don't help either.

Just another idea.

FM1

[mncowboy96]

Yup, Had a relatively new battery blow up in my Jeep 2 years ago. I had got a better gas milage car so I had stopped using the Jeep as often and the battery wasn't holding up that in the winter.
I put a new battery in about mid Oct and come Jan on a sub zero night I heard what sounded like someone fire off a cannon. I couldn't figure out where what had happened but the next day I went to use my Jeep and there was nothing.
I popped the hood open and saw the battery had blew up. Found out later my Jeep's security system was failing and caused it to blow up.
I looked into it and I guess thats fairly normal...