OT Car Battery Explodes

Yesterday my wife's Toyota Corolla had a battery moment.

When she started the car, after it had been parked it for about two hours,
there was a loud explosion.

The results of the battery's side splitting event can be viewed at

ftp://ftp.meraka.csir.co.za/pub/in/Battery_Explode/

The battery centre suggested it was possibly over charged. After I installed
the
new battery I measured a charging voltage of between 14.2 and 14.3 volts -
depending on the engine refs.

According to my knowledge a charging voltage of 14.2 to 14.3 volts is quite
OK
for a charged car battery.

Any suggestions why the battery exploded.
The battery showed no signs of failing before the event, so I doubt
that the battery level was low as someone suggested. I also topped up the
battery with distilled water about 3 months ago.

Regards

Gerhard van den Berg


The explosion was due to hydrogen around the battery, plus an

Yesterday my wife's Toyota Corolla had a battery moment.

When she started the car, after it had been parked it for about two hours,
there was a loud explosion.

The results of the battery's side splitting event can be viewed at

ftp://ftp.meraka.csir.co.za/pub/in/Battery_Explode/

The battery centre suggested it was possibly over charged. After I installed
the
new battery I measured a charging voltage of between 14.2 and 14.3 volts -
depending on the engine refs.

According to my knowledge a charging voltage of 14.2 to 14.3 volts is quite
OK
for a charged car battery.

Any suggestions why the battery exploded.
The battery showed no signs of failing before the event, so I doubt
that the battery level was low as someone suggested. I also topped up the
battery with distilled water about 3 months ago.

Regards

Gerhard van den Berg

By the way, did anyone bother to neutralize the spilled acid inside
the engine compartment? All surfaces were possibly contaminated. Rinse
them with water, then a baking soda/water solution and then more water
to prevent widespread corrosion. Don't trust the service guys to do it
- they don't have any baking soda.

Gerhard wrote:
Yesterday my wife's Toyota Corolla had a battery moment.

When she started the car, after it had been parked it for about two hours,
there was a loud explosion.

The results of the battery's side splitting event can be viewed at

ftp://ftp.meraka.csir.co.za/pub/in/Battery_Explode/

The battery centre suggested it was possibly over charged. After I installed
the
new battery I measured a charging voltage of between 14.2 and 14.3 volts -
depending on the engine refs.

According to my knowledge a charging voltage of 14.2 to 14.3 volts is quite
OK
for a charged car battery.

Any suggestions why the battery exploded.
The battery showed no signs of  failing before the event, so I doubt
that the battery level was low as someone suggested. I also topped up the
battery with distilled water about 3 months ago.

Regards

Gerhard van den Berg

   The explosion was due to hydrogen around the battery, plus an
igniting spark.
   The presence of hydrogen indicated that the battery had been
(recently) charged.
   Some kind of loose connection created that igniting spark on startup.
   The car may have been parked for 2 hours, but that hydrogen is
non-mute testimony of the battery had been charged.

On 9/2/2010 5:27 AM, J.A. Legris wrote:

(...)

By the way, did anyone bother to neutralize the spilled acid inside
the engine compartment? All surfaces were possibly contaminated. Rinse
them with water, then a baking soda/water solution and then more water
to prevent widespread corrosion. Don't trust the service guys to do it
- they don't have any baking soda.

But keep the baking soda *away* from your nice new battery!

On 9/2/2010 5:27 AM, J.A. Legris wrote:

(...)

By the way, did anyone bother to neutralize the spilled acid inside
the engine compartment? All surfaces were possibly contaminated. Rinse
them with water, then a baking soda/water solution and then more water
to prevent widespread corrosion. Don't trust the service guys to do it
- they don't have any baking soda.

But keep the baking soda *away* from your nice new battery!

--Winston

On Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:16:37 -0700, Winston<Winston_at_bigbrother.net
wrote:

On 9/2/2010 5:27 AM, J.A. Legris wrote:

(...)

By the way, did anyone bother to neutralize the spilled acid inside
the engine compartment? All surfaces were possibly contaminated. Rinse
them with water, then a baking soda/water solution and then more water
to prevent widespread corrosion. Don't trust the service guys to do it
- they don't have any baking soda.

But keep the baking soda *away* from your nice new battery!

---
Why?

---
JF

Gerhard wrote:
Yesterday my wife's Toyota Corolla had a battery moment.

When she started the car, after it had been parked it for about two
hours, there was a loud explosion.

The results of the battery's side splitting event can be viewed at

ftp://ftp.meraka.csir.co.za/pub/in/Battery_Explode/

The battery centre suggested it was possibly over charged. After I
installed the
new battery I measured a charging voltage of between 14.2 and 14.3
volts - depending on the engine refs.

According to my knowledge a charging voltage of 14.2 to 14.3 volts is
quite OK
for a charged car battery.

Any suggestions why the battery exploded.
The battery showed no signs of failing before the event, so I doubt
that the battery level was low as someone suggested. I also topped up
the battery with distilled water about 3 months ago.

Regards

Gerhard van den Berg


The explosion was due to hydrogen around the battery, plus an
igniting spark.
The presence of hydrogen indicated that the battery had been
(recently) charged.
Some kind of loose connection created that igniting spark on
startup. The car may have been parked for 2 hours, but that
hydrogen is
non-mute testimony of the battery had been charged.

Gerhard wrote:
Yesterday my wife's Toyota Corolla had a battery moment.

When she started the car, after it had been parked it for about two
hours,
there was a loud explosion.

The results of the battery's side splitting event can be viewed at

ftp://ftp.meraka.csir.co.za/pub/in/Battery_Explode/

The battery centre suggested it was possibly over charged. After I
installed
the
new battery I measured a charging voltage of between 14.2 and 14.3
volts -
depending on the engine refs.

According to my knowledge a charging voltage of 14.2 to 14.3 volts is
quite
OK
for a charged car battery.

Any suggestions why the battery exploded.
The battery showed no signs of failing before the event, so I doubt
that the battery level was low as someone suggested. I also topped up
the
battery with distilled water about 3 months ago.

Regards

Gerhard van den Berg

The explosion was due to hydrogen around the battery, plus an
igniting spark.
The presence of hydrogen indicated that the battery had been
(recently) charged.
Some kind of loose connection created that igniting spark on startup.
The car may have been parked for 2 hours, but that hydrogen is
non-mute testimony of the battery had been charged.

Robert Baer <robertbaer_at_localnet.com> wrote in
news:ZNqdnfESH4Vm7uLRnZ2dnUVZ_oKdnZ2d_at_posted.localnet:

Gerhard wrote:
Yesterday my wife's Toyota Corolla had a battery moment.

When she started the car, after it had been parked it for about two
hours, there was a loud explosion.

The results of the battery's side splitting event can be viewed at

ftp://ftp.meraka.csir.co.za/pub/in/Battery_Explode/

The battery centre suggested it was possibly over charged. After I
installed the
new battery I measured a charging voltage of between 14.2 and 14.3
volts - depending on the engine refs.

According to my knowledge a charging voltage of 14.2 to 14.3 volts is
quite OK
for a charged car battery.

Any suggestions why the battery exploded.
The battery showed no signs of failing before the event, so I doubt
that the battery level was low as someone suggested. I also topped up
the battery with distilled water about 3 months ago.

Regards

Gerhard van den Berg


The explosion was due to hydrogen around the battery, plus an
igniting spark.
The presence of hydrogen indicated that the battery had been
(recently) charged.
Some kind of loose connection created that igniting spark on
startup. The car may have been parked for 2 hours, but that
hydrogen is
non-mute testimony of the battery had been charged.

amazing that a car sitting outside for 2 hrs could build up enough hydrogen
under the hood to explode the battery. I'd think that the usual wind
currents would dissipate any hydrogen.

"J.A. Legris" <jalegris_at_sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:6e1cd7bf-9f51-4534-87bb-d0c89f9f83b9_at_a36g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...
On Sep 2, 5:53 am, Robert Baer <robertb...@localnet.com> wrote:
Gerhard wrote:
Yesterday my wife's Toyota Corolla had a battery moment.

When she started the car, after it had been parked it for about two
hours,
there was a loud explosion.

The results of the battery's side splitting event can be viewed at

ftp://ftp.meraka.csir.co.za/pub/in/Battery_Explode/

The battery centre suggested it was possibly over charged. After I
installed
the
new battery I measured a charging voltage of between 14.2 and 14.3
volts -
depending on the engine refs.

According to my knowledge a charging voltage of 14.2 to 14.3 volts is
quite
OK
for a charged car battery.

Any suggestions why the battery exploded.
The battery showed no signs of failing before the event, so I doubt
that the battery level was low as someone suggested. I also topped up
the
battery with distilled water about 3 months ago.

Regards

Gerhard van den Berg

The explosion was due to hydrogen around the battery, plus an
igniting spark.
The presence of hydrogen indicated that the battery had been
(recently) charged.
Some kind of loose connection created that igniting spark on startup.
The car may have been parked for 2 hours, but that hydrogen is
non-mute testimony of the battery had been charged.

How can free hydrogen "around" the battery blow the end panel out? The
over-pressure arose on the inside on the battery. I would second the
opinion that the electrolyte level was low.

By the way, did anyone bother to neutralize the spilled acid inside
the engine compartment? All surfaces were possibly contaminated. Rinse
them with water, then a baking soda/water solution and then more water
to prevent widespread corrosion. Don't trust the service guys to do it
- they don't have any baking soda.
--
Joe

I pitched at the scene about 20 mins later with two boxes of baking soda
(250gm each) form the chemist. We pushed the car out of the garage
onto the driveway for a good hose down of the engine compartment.

After I removed the battery, the engine and panels had a thorough hose
down for about 5 to 10 minutes. At one stage, I did sprinkle some baking
soda into some of the areas below and around the battery where I
worried about some ingress of acid into joints. Will pressure spray the
engine compartment from top and bottom over the weekend.
No service centre was involved.

We then proceeded to neutralise the acid pool on the concrete garage
floor.
Use the two boxes plus some we had at home. Moped up the mess
and then washed the area twice using some water and baking soda.

Then I dashed off to the battery shop to get a replacement - just made it
before clossing. Set me back about $100.

The electrolyte level might have been low, but I doubt it. The battery
performed well through cold spells a couple of weeks before.
Bad starting performance is usually the first sign of low electrolyte
levels.

For those interested - location South Africa - temperature was +-20C
Spring has arrived.

Gerhard van den Berg

On Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:42:52 -0500, Jim Yanik <jyanik_at_abuse.gov
wrote:

Robert Baer <robertbaer_at_localnet.com> wrote in
news:ZNqdnfESH4Vm7uLRnZ2dnUVZ_oKdnZ2d_at_posted.localnet:

Gerhard wrote:
Yesterday my wife's Toyota Corolla had a battery moment.

When she started the car, after it had been parked it for about two
hours, there was a loud explosion.

The results of the battery's side splitting event can be viewed at

ftp://ftp.meraka.csir.co.za/pub/in/Battery_Explode/

The battery centre suggested it was possibly over charged. After I
installed the
new battery I measured a charging voltage of between 14.2 and 14.3
volts - depending on the engine refs.

According to my knowledge a charging voltage of 14.2 to 14.3 volts is
quite OK
for a charged car battery.

Any suggestions why the battery exploded.
The battery showed no signs of failing before the event, so I doubt
that the battery level was low as someone suggested. I also topped up
the battery with distilled water about 3 months ago.

Regards

Gerhard van den Berg


The explosion was due to hydrogen around the battery, plus an
igniting spark.
The presence of hydrogen indicated that the battery had been
(recently) charged.
Some kind of loose connection created that igniting spark on
startup. The car may have been parked for 2 hours, but that
hydrogen is
non-mute testimony of the battery had been charged.

amazing that a car sitting outside for 2 hrs could build up enough
hydrogen
under the hood to explode the battery. I'd think that the usual wind
currents would dissipate any hydrogen.

I don't think "under the hood" would blow the battery itself.

I'd suspect a case crack to begin with, with a significant drop in
electrolyte.

Maybe over-tightened retainer clamps?

I'm seeing Johannesburg at 82°F and quite dry; other ZA cities even
cooler.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

Democrats are best served up prepared as a hash
Otherwise the dogs won't eat them

On 9/2/2010 7:51 AM, John Fields wrote:
On Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:16:37 -0700, Winston<Winston_at_bigbrother.net
wrote:

On 9/2/2010 5:27 AM, J.A. Legris wrote:

(...)

By the way, did anyone bother to neutralize the spilled acid inside
the engine compartment? All surfaces were possibly contaminated. Rinse
them with water, then a baking soda/water solution and then more water
to prevent widespread corrosion. Don't trust the service guys to do it
- they don't have any baking soda.

But keep the baking soda *away* from your nice new battery!

---
Why?

---
JF

Baking soda (or any base) that inadvertently falls into any
battery cell will tend to neutralize the acid in that cell,
making the battery unsuitable for further use.

"Gerhard" <gvdberg_at_risccsir.co.za> wrote in message
news:1283443034.527484_at_vasbyt.isdsl.net...

"J.A. Legris" <jalegris_at_sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:6e1cd7bf-9f51-4534-87bb-d0c89f9f83b9_at_a36g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...
On Sep 2, 5:53 am, Robert Baer <robertb...@localnet.com> wrote:
Gerhard wrote:
Yesterday my wife's Toyota Corolla had a battery moment.

When she started the car, after it had been parked it for about two
hours,
there was a loud explosion.

The results of the battery's side splitting event can be viewed at

ftp://ftp.meraka.csir.co.za/pub/in/Battery_Explode/

The battery centre suggested it was possibly over charged. After I
installed
the
new battery I measured a charging voltage of between 14.2 and 14.3
volts -
depending on the engine refs.

According to my knowledge a charging voltage of 14.2 to 14.3 volts is
quite
OK
for a charged car battery.

Any suggestions why the battery exploded.
The battery showed no signs of failing before the event, so I doubt
that the battery level was low as someone suggested. I also topped up
the
battery with distilled water about 3 months ago.

Regards

Gerhard van den Berg

The explosion was due to hydrogen around the battery, plus an
igniting spark.
The presence of hydrogen indicated that the battery had been
(recently) charged.
Some kind of loose connection created that igniting spark on startup.
The car may have been parked for 2 hours, but that hydrogen is
non-mute testimony of the battery had been charged.

How can free hydrogen "around" the battery blow the end panel out? The
over-pressure arose on the inside on the battery. I would second the
opinion that the electrolyte level was low.

By the way, did anyone bother to neutralize the spilled acid inside
the engine compartment? All surfaces were possibly contaminated. Rinse
them with water, then a baking soda/water solution and then more water
to prevent widespread corrosion. Don't trust the service guys to do it
- they don't have any baking soda.
--
Joe

I pitched at the scene about 20 mins later with two boxes of baking soda
(250gm each) form the chemist. We pushed the car out of the garage
onto the driveway for a good hose down of the engine compartment.

After I removed the battery, the engine and panels had a thorough hose
down for about 5 to 10 minutes. At one stage, I did sprinkle some baking
soda into some of the areas below and around the battery where I
worried about some ingress of acid into joints. Will pressure spray the
engine compartment from top and bottom over the weekend.
No service centre was involved.

We then proceeded to neutralise the acid pool on the concrete garage
floor.
Use the two boxes plus some we had at home. Moped up the mess
and then washed the area twice using some water and baking soda.

Then I dashed off to the battery shop to get a replacement - just made it
before clossing. Set me back about $100.

The electrolyte level might have been low, but I doubt it. The battery
performed well through cold spells a couple of weeks before.
Bad starting performance is usually the first sign of low electrolyte
levels.

For those interested - location South Africa - temperature was +-20C
Spring has arrived.

Gerhard van den Berg


You might look carefully for a short circuit on the positive lead
to the chassis. That would be my best guess.

tm
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