Explosive tractor experience

[ovrszd]

LUCKY! A few checks are in order unless you like setting on a bomb. Fuel/air explosives are some of the most powerfull on earth. I would guess that your mishap was most likley caused by overcharging and an internal arc once the water in the electrolyte had been cooked/boiled off(as hydrogen gas) by the overcharge. When you get the new battery in, fully charge it before you install it. Then once installed, check the charge voltage being provided by the tractor to the fully charged battery. It should be very near 14.5 +/- 0.5 VDC under just about any condition IE: engine fast, slow, lights on, off. If it is not, there is most likley something wrong with your new charging system components. A continued overcharge condition will eventually cook off all the water in the electrolyte of the new battery. And remember when working with batterys, wear safety glasses.

Very good description of what probably happened. The only other cause would have been an external spark at the connections that ignited the gases escaping an overly charging battery.

One final comment, never lean over a battery and install the cables, or clamp on a battery charger, or clamp on jumper cables. You don't want your face over a battery that explodes. I do not like batteries confined in small spaces with minimal airflow either. A battery needs good air circulation. I certainly don't like batteries installed in a box under the seat.

 

[Jethro]

I do not like batteries confined in small spaces with minimal airflow either. A battery needs good air circulation. I certainly don't like batteries installed in a box under the seat.

This battery is under the seat, but it is open to the air. There is no box confining it.

 

[ozzie tractor]

just watch that the seat on your B1550 is not touching the battery when you sit on it or lean over to one side. make shure the seat base is not rusted and flexing, letting is sag down towards the battery when your on the seat. (dont take this the wrong way, it might be a weak seat )

 

[Jethro]

just watch that the seat on your B1550 is not touching the battery when you sit on it or lean over to one side. make shure the seat base is not rusted and flexing, letting is sag down towards the battery when your on the seat. (dont take this the wrong way, it might be a weak seat )

LOL...No offense taken. If I had a weak seat, my 240 lbs would deffinately make it sag. As I stated in the original post, that was the first thing I checked. I looked at both the seat and the positive for signs of arcing. If thais had happened there would generally be signs os a short at the point of contact. There was nothing at all.

 

[HGM]

I didnt catch an age on the tractor or battery, but dont forget that after a while of use off road, bumpy and vibrating conditions, electrical connections can wear.. In a battery, the plates could weaken (like continuously bending a peice of metal until it breaks).. The battery will eventually fail in one way or another.. This one appeared to short out.. I would also recomend checking the charging system like Ron described as well as making sure there is good ventilation.. An Optima or dry cell battery made for extreme vibration would probably be best suited for this application(though regular batteries have been used for many years)..

 

[ozzie tractor]

LOL...No offense taken. If I had a weak seat, my 240 lbs would deffinately make it sag. As I stated in the original post, that was the first thing I checked. I looked at both the seat and the positive for signs of arcing. If thais had happened there would generally be signs os a short at the point of contact. There was nothing at all.

that there would be, the only reason i posted was i had a similar machine with the incorrect battery in it give me the scare of my life once. i am not what you call small (about 240 as well) but the lady who owned the machine was. i jumped on the seat to start the machine before giving it a service and very nearly burnt my bum and the seat to bits. . i think the old mechanic who worked next to me put it best "if your going to do any welding young fella, put the welding helmet on first". glad your ok. i have seen a few battery's go off, usually from wayward sparks etc and they are quiet spectacular, but very dangerous

 

[Youare]

I have some first hand experience with exploding batteries. As the battery
posts start to form an oxide layern this acts as an insulator. When you put a large curent draw on the battery such as when starting there can be a small spark between post and clamp.

Hydrogen gas vents from lead-acid batteries and can be in present in large enough quanities to explode should there be any type of ignition source, heat or spark.

One time the battery posts on a car I had were starting to get "dirty" with a layer of oxide. We were at a birthday pary at my sister's house and when we went to leave the car would not turn over. I took my pocket knife and jamed it between the terminal and the clamp and told my wife to turn the key to start the car. I had done this a couple of times before when the same thing happened.

When she turned it to the start position there was a spark at the terminal and the battery blew up. My head was less than a foot from the top of the battery turned to the side so I could look under the hood at the driver. Acid covered my face and eyes. The sound was as if someone fired a 12 gauge next to my head.

There was a garden hose right next to where this happened the first thing I did was flush out my eyes for as long as I could stand the cold water. A trip to the doctor for another half hour eye flush took care of the acid in the eyes. The next day my eyes felt a little gritty but thank God there was no lasting damage.

Batteries can explode especially when jump starting another car, becareful.

Randy

 

[firemanpat2910]

seen a couple explode, wash the seat area with baking soda it should neutralise any acid.

 

[Soundguy]

years ago, i used to have an audi.. can't remember the model.. but battery was unde rthe rear seat.. drivers side. Was going downt he road, out of town one day. had a cooler and some other stuff setting in the seat... Smoke fileld the car.. coming from the back seat.. I pulle dover and dug the stuff out, and rippe dthe seat up. Metal springs in the seat had shorted across the 2 battery terminals!! Looks like there had been some sort of plastic insulator that died. In any case.. a folded up cardboard box 'insulator' was placed there for the rest of the trip... thankfully never had any more issues out of it before it was sold.

As to connecting charger cables.. i usually like to conect them dead, then power the charger when i am away from the battery.

Same with jumps.. leave the last ground connection off. and then find a good non-battery ground.


Soundguy

that there would be, the only reason i posted was i had a similar machine with the incorrect battery in it give me the scare of my life once. i am not what you call small (about 240 as well) but the lady who owned the machine was. i jumped on the seat to start the machine before giving it a service and very nearly burnt my bum and the seat to bits. . i think the old mechanic who worked next to me put it best "if your going to do any welding young fella, put the welding helmet on first". glad your ok. i have seen a few battery's go off, usually from wayward sparks etc and they are quiet spectacular, but very dangerous

 

[schmism]

i thought most of those type of incidents were caused by faulty vents. allowing the hydrogen to build up inside creating an impressive internal pressure.... (you know what happens next)