Battery Explosion! What Happened?

[Kentuckyfarmer]

I had a battery in a 310-8 wheelhorse garden tractor blow its top off. Mowed and parked it in the drive and me and brother were talking just shooting the bull some time later and boom. Just sitting there not running and by that time was cooled off from mowing.

Also not to get off battery subject about 3 years ago batteries in my truck and car had some age and we're getting weak so I go to local autozone and the counter person was talking to me about batteries and said these gel batteries are the real deal. Me being dumb as a rock about batteries I bought 3 of their top line ones. 2 for the truck and one for the car. Wasn't six months later batteries were going dead after 3 days of just sitting. I checked for shorts, parasitic draws in both nothing. Finally took the one in the car out and put a cheep one from Wally World in I had to run a winch on a trailer I have and it still is working fine. The two in the truck I just keep the battery tender on. Going to replace this winter some time. Anyone else have problems with durlast gel batteries? I think I'll stick with lead acid from now on.

 

[tonyq60]

I had a battery in a 310-8 wheelhorse garden tractor blow its top off. Mowed and parked it in the drive and me and brother were talking just shooting the bull some time later and boom. Just sitting there not running and by that time was cooled off from mowing.

Also not to get off battery subject about 3 years ago batteries in my truck and car had some age and we're getting weak so I go to local autozone and the counter person was talking to me about batteries and said these gel batteries are the real deal. Me being dumb as a rock about batteries I bought 3 of their top line ones. 2 for the truck and one for the car. Wasn't six months later batteries were going dead after 3 days of just sitting. I checked for shorts, parasitic draws in both nothing. Finally took the one in the car out and put a cheep one from Wally World in I had to run a winch on a trailer I have and it still is working fine. The two in the truck I just keep the battery tender on. Going to replace this winter some time. Anyone else have problems with durlast gel batteries? I think I'll stick with lead acid from now on.

The "gel" batteries are VRLA batteries that used what is called "starved glass mat" and have a pressure chamber to contain the gasses.

The VRLA is Valve Regulated Lead Acid and the valve is s pressure relief that let's go if the internal pressure rises.

Pressure rises as has is generated which is how normal battery works but excessive rate of charge makes excessive gas which can pop off the valve letting out the Gass and once out it cannot be returned.

VRLA in cars often may not last as cars often charge higher voltage which causes high gassing.

 

[Soldier415]

Following

 

[David_Kb7uns]

The Duralast Platinum batteries are Flat Plate AGM batteiries that are starved liquid electrolyte and NOT A GEL (and are not spiral wound like the Optima but flat stacked for more capacity) Exide started selling them here about 3 years ago, they have been in Europe for awhile.

The batteries have a 3 year replacement and I think 5 year prorating. If you have a newer vehicle where the engine computer controls charging they work real well. Have one in the Jeep Commander for starting and 2 in the back in a box for the radios with a smart battery manager/ isolator connecting and solar panels for maintaining charge when parked.

Also got a set of the Exide Edge AGM for 2005 Dodge Ram Cummins replacing a set of Kirklands with about 6 years on them that lost capacity quicker then I thought they should have. Both vehicles have battery temp sensors in the battery trays and will cut back charging voltage in warmer weather and once the starting discharge is recharged. It helps to have a newer charger that has the FLOODED/AGM/GEL settings as the finishing charge voltages are a little different.

David