battery

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Hi folks;
Just to tell you a little story about saftey I had never thought before.
Three days back I was at the shop to get deisel, welding rods,and supplys I work with and I shut off the engine at the pump. After about 20 min. I got ready to leave and started my engine. As soon as I released the key , there was a loud explosion under the hood and smoke came out. I raised the hood and the left battery had exploded. I had always thought the hold down bracket was just to hold down the battery in place. Not so. If the bracket had not been there I would have a new hood scoop just above the battery. The wire bracket on top was bent to a V and hold one down screw was torn out of the bettery box. The top of the was off but still sitting in place. I removed the neg. cable, went straight to Auto Zone and $90 later had the problem fixed. The text of my point is don't drive without the batttery firmly held in place. I never thought a battery was that dangerous.
Thanks
Preston Thompson

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96 3500 Black 5 speed turbo diesel, SLT, with US Gear overdrive, Rhino liner, Reese 15,000 lb. fifth wheel hitch, US Gear de-celarator exhaust brake, muffler elimination kit, Amsoil lub. , with other goodys on the way.

 

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<font color=blue>Just glad the hood was closed when it went. Exploding batteries are NOT fun. Glad to see ya got it all fixed now and thanks for sharing your experience with us it may one say someones eyes, or something else.

 

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The converse of Preston's story ... the batteries in my dually were both crushed to accordion status in my wreck... neither one ruptured. . go figure ???

 

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Why did it explode in the First place?
Rick

 

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Glad nobody sustained any burns from that battery.
A good friend of mine was helping a lady by jumpstarting her car one winter about 20 yrs ago, he still swears to this day that he had all the connections done properly. However ,the battery in his car blew up in his face.
Acid burns, fragments of plastic and lead embedded.
Several surgeries and lots of pain.

Today you cannot even tell he had the injury.

I had a near blow up when my old 74 Dodge voltage regulator decided to screw up.
The battery was all swelled up but it blew the caps off. WHEW!.

Preston, make sure you give your underhood a good bath... or else you may have some hose and or a belt failure down the road from the acid.

EH

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My Site

[This message has been edited by scott1 (edited 07-23-2000). ]

 

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Better give it a baking soda bath under the hood.

 

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Originally posted by RAPID RICK:
Why did it explode in the First place?
Rick

Batteries will "gas", that is they will emit hydrogen fumes under certain conditions. You remember hydrogen, that's what they filled the Hindenburg with #ad
I've seen batteries "gas" so bad they looked like an air humidifier spewing steam out. DEFINITLY something you don't want to play with.

 

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Is the alternator OVERCHARGING? Has the alternator been BOMBed?

What brand battery?

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"Red Rage" - 2001 2500 SLT 4x4 QC Lowered Rear End 2. 5" 5spd, 4. 10 K&N Stock Replacement - 9,000 miles and counting! 30' 5th Wheel

 

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Here's a good question.
Will an Optima type battery,with no liquid, have the abllity to cvreate gas and the potential to explode ?

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"Roadrunner"-96 4X4 club cab-12v-auto-3. 54 gears-Amsoil bypass filter - all Amsoil fluids-trans filter-britebox-shelfit-DeeZee boards-Rhino liner-Rancho 5 speed shocks-Hellwig rear antisway & overload springs-Warn 12000 lb. winch-dual redtop optimas-combo gauge and trans. temp gauge in pillar mount-255/85R16 Kelly MSR tires-custom pinstriping- Walker muffler-Cummins mudflaps-Tuff Country control arms-2" coil spacers

 

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My guess is that the Optima could explode. The do have liquid in them it is just absorbed into a glass mat.

edit
From Optimas web site.

"Always use a voltage regulated battery charger with limits set to the above ratings.
Overcharging can cause the safety valves to open and battery gasses to escape,
causing premature failure. These gasses are flammable! You cannot replace
water in sealed batteries that have been overcharged. Any battery that becomes
very hot while charging should be disconnected immediately. "

[This message has been edited by kaffine krazed (edited 07-24-2000). ]

 

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Preston,

I had the same thing happent to me a few years back in a Ford gasser. I'd just come out of Lowe's with a load of supplies and a lady was right in front of my truck when I turned the key. Boom! Sounded like a high powered rifle. I was ducking down and looking for where the shot came from when I realized my truck wasn't running. I got out and popped the hood to take a peek. Wow! One cable was across the enging, the other dangling on the ground. No recognizable(sp?) battery in sight. Just fragments. I sold it about a year later, still finding chunks under the hood. I don't start my truck with people in front anymore.

David

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'01 2500 QC 4X4 ISB LWB 5SPD Cab Lights Fog Lights Dark Garnet Red Chrome Westin Nerf Bars

 

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I know everyone knows this, but; when hooking up jumper cables, ALWAYS CONNECT the dead battery first, and ALWAYS DISCONNECT from the good battery first when disconnecting. That way, if there is a spark, it's not at the discharged battery where it can cause an explosion by igniting vented hydrogen gas.

You should pass this tip along to your kids and wife. Explosions in the face are no fun.

 

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Hi Bennet:
The battery was the one shipped with the truck. The other one died about a year and a half ago. I'm not fussing about the battery. I'm proud to get as many starts in a 168,000 miles as I have. the temp. outside was around 98, if that would have anything to do with it. I don't abuse my truck but I do use it. I spent 6 hours yesterday waxing it. Thats a lot of metal to cover. I know that has nothing to do with the battery but I take care of it. Now I think the tail shaft in the transfer case is dieing. Found filings in the oil. One mech. said it was ok and another said it was not good. I told him the Amsoil did't come with so I did't figure it should be there. Well, thats another story.
By ya'll
Preston

 

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Did a film on jumpstarting a battery once.
1. Put the positive and negative clamps on the good battery first.
2. Put the positive clamp on the dead battery positive (+) post.
3. Put the negative clamp on a part of the engine AT LEAST ONE FOOT AWAY FROM THE DEAD BATTERY. That hydrogen gas floats up and will only take a little spark at the negative battery terminal to POOF!
D*&%*# near cost a friend of mine his eyes when he got careless one New Years Eve.



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1999 SLT: Quad Cab, A/T, bunch of goodies, Exhaust Brake, etc soon. Live in 30' 5W GCVW=18,000

 

[Archive]

Did a film on jumpstarting a battery once.
1. Put the positive and negative clamps on the good battery first.
2. Put the positive clamp on the dead battery positive (+) post.
3. Put the negative clamp on a part of the engine AT LEAST ONE FOOT AWAY FROM THE DEAD BATTERY. That hydrogen gas floats up and will only take a little spark at the negative battery terminal to POOF!
D*&%*# near cost a friend of mine his eyes when he got careless one New Years Eve.



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1999 SLT: Quad Cab, A/T, bunch of goodies, Exhaust Brake, etc soon. Live in 30' 5W GCVW=18,000

 

[Archive]

Did a film on jumpstarting a battery once.
1. Put the positive and negative clamps on the good battery first.
2. Put the positive clamp on the dead battery positive (+) post.
3. Put the negative clamp on a part of the engine AT LEAST ONE FOOT AWAY FROM THE DEAD BATTERY. That hydrogen gas floats up and will only take a little spark at the negative battery terminal to POOF!
D*&%*# near cost a friend of mine his eyes when he got careless one New Years Eve.



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1999 SLT: Quad Cab, A/T, bunch of goodies, Exhaust Brake, etc soon. Live in 30' 5W GCVW=18,000

 

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Sounds like a new product may be needed - a vented FLAK jacket for the batteries!!

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"Red Rage" - 2001 2500 SLT 4x4 QC Lowered Rear End 2. 5" 5spd, 4. 10 K&N Stock Replacement - 9,000 miles and counting! 30' 5th Wheel

 

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Just like to add one thing to these guys who are teaching us proper procedure for jump starting a dead battery.

SAFETY GLASSES, SAFETY GLASSES, SAFETY GLASSES

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98 Properly Valved 4x4 SWB QC ISB A/T Metallic Red w/ tan cloth interior, DC nerf bars, DC two piece mud-flaps, 275 h. p. injectors, Monroe Gas Magnums, Armor Tuff spray in bed liner, Goodyear Wrangler ATS 285/75r/16, BD Heavy Duty Valve body. Walker 21468 thru flow muffler.

 

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My hookup order has been

Pos. cable on dead batt, pos. cable on good battery, neg. on grounded spot on dead vehicle, neg. spot on charging vehicle. I hook up positives first and disconnect last so they aren't dangling around to make contact with something and create fireworks.

Had a close call in high school when I did a boneheaded thing in shop class. We were jump starting a beater '59 Chevy batmobile when I noticed flames suddenly shoot out from under the caps. Out of instinct I immediately stuck my face right up to the battery and blew out the fire #ad
. Can anyone top that on the stupidity scale? #ad


Vaughn

 

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Sure can. Had a shop teacher in high school who tried to check the fuel level in his motorcycle with a match. He came to class the next day sans eyebrows. True story.