Wow! Just experience my first battery explosion!

[David]

After starting the 930 for the first time in a couple months, warming it up and washing it. It wouldn't restart. The battery voltage was little low so I pushed it back in the garage and put the charger on it.

Today, a few days later, I tried starting it again. I left the battery charger on for a little extra help. All the gauge light came on bright so I figured all was good. I turned the key to on until the fuel pumps stopped running and then turned it to start. And then BOOM!!!! It was like a gun shot! There's a small dent in the hood and a completely destroyed battery under the hood.

Be careful out there!

[vulcan300]

Thankfully the explosion was contained inside the trunk! If it had exploded all over you it wouldn't be a pretty scene. Glad you're OK.

I guess you'll want to get some sort of base in their to neutralize the acid as soon as possible. Perhaps one of the chemists on the board can make a recommendation.

[Grady Clay]

YIKES!

Photos please.

Glad you are OK.
What else did the battery (acid & all) do to your car?

Best,
Grady

[redstrosekNic]

Wow! Good thing you weren't near it... The acid will eat through clothes.

[Sway Bar]

I've experienced that in the face when helping jump start a car on a hot summer day. Scary to say the least.

Recomend washing immediatley to start neutralizing the acid as it will start to ruin paint and of course fabric if you have any trunk carpet.

Hopefully no other damage; not that this isn't enough.

[David]

I poured a few buckets of water into the battery compartment to dilute the acid. What else should I put in there?

I guess the moral of the story is to make the battery is topped off with water especially if keeping a charger on it which is probably what caused this explosion.

I've been lax about standing beside a battery when jump starting a car but I never will again. This certainly could have really hurt me or worse if I'd been in the line of fire.

The battery was an Interstate about 5 or 6 years old.

[rs6er]

Vinegar will help neutralize the acid.

[Venetian]

Just walked in from the garage after changing my 9 year old battery. I've never had an issue with exploding batteries but something to keep in mind. I suspect that older batteries are more susceptible to this?? Why does this happen?

[Sway Bar]

Quick poor man's solution for on the spot is to make up a slurry with water and Baking Soda. Protect skin and eyes and just keep washing to dilute any acid.

[Venetian]

"Vinegar will help neutralize the acid."

Vinegar is an acid! Baking soda is the way to go.

[Kidasters]

Neutralize with Baking Soda mixed with water.

The moral is different than you think. The moral is - use a sealed gel battery. And - a more modern charger - battery tender or something like that.

Glad you are OK though.

[Sway Bar]

Originally Posted by Venetian

Just walked in from the garage after changing my 9 year old battery. I've never had an issue with exploding batteries but something to keep in mind. I suspect that older batteries are more susceptible to this?? Why does this happen?

I'm not a chemist, but the older batteries are lead plates with sulphuric acid and during charging hydrogen gas can/is created (byproduct?). Of course spark and hydrogen = Hindenburg.

Hence why my old man showed me when jumping a battery (especially a heavily corroded one) to place the final ground connection on the car somewhere not the battery to avoid spark near the battery, especially on hot days.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by rs6er

Vinegar will help neutralize the acid.

exactly the opposite

do NOT use vinegar (or any other acid) use a mix of baking soda with water & flush thoroughly

do it right away - NOW!

[Bob Kontak]

Insurance will cover the damages over your deductible. I always carry $100 deductible comprehensive only on the 911 because stuff does happen.

[rnln]

David, good thing is that it's not on you at all.

Can someone analyze what the reason could be?

[s_morrison57]

Originally Posted by Sway Bar

I'm not a chemist, but the older batteries are lead plates with sulphuric acid and during charging hydrogen gas can/is created (byproduct?). Of course spark and hydrogen = Hindenburg.

Hence why my old man showed me when jumping a battery (especially a heavily corroded one) to place the final ground connection on the car somewhere not the battery to avoid spark near the battery, especially on hot days.

Thats a good tip, your old man knows a thing or 2. I also heard that you always hook up the dead battery last when jumping, if there is a problem the dead battery won't explode with the power of a new one.
I had a gel cell battery expode on the race car once, I heard this pop sound and didn't think much of it but a couple of hours later I found the battery had split and there was juice everywhere and it had started to etch the aluminum already.
Finn

[BlueWing]

Dilution is the solution. Plenty of baking soda and water mix to neutralize and than when the bubbling is done let lots of water flow thru everywhere. Soak it all as you will have to do due diligence on cleaning all the electrics and painted areas anyway.
That will include the suspension pan areas. That acid will rear it's ugly head later if not totally flushed out.

Unfortunate for you but a good eye opener for the rest of us. It is an area of service we all just assume is safe and routine. I will revisit my battery options, procedure and maintenance.

And correct final connection for a jump is the ground on another area of the car providing the charge away from the battery. Keep the spark away from the battery gasses.

Terry

[Barrpete]

Originally Posted by RWebb

exactly the opposite

do NOT use vinegar (or any other acid) use a mix of baking soda with water & flush thoroughly

do it right away - NOW!

+1 million on that!

Baking soda is needed to neutralize the acid. It takes a HUGE amount of water alone to effectively dilute acid.

[David]

Just my luck, the one pool chemical I didn't have was sodium bicarb.

After a run to the store, I've used a bicarb solution to flush the battery compartment and wipe under the trunk lid, battery compartment and under the spare tire. I figure I'll be throwing the trunk carpet away.

[rnln]

so the reason is because of the spark near the battery or because it's over charged by the charger?