Battery exploded, every one is ok so far

[enginegeek21]

Yesterday, two of my friends at tech school plugged in a battery to charge it. It exploded. We dont know how but the terminals are on correct and we followed all safety procedures. Luckily, everyone who was close to the battery had safety glasses on and got to the eyewash station immediately. One kid got a deep cut on his ear. Sounded like a 30 06 went off in a echoing shop

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To the TBN forum.

WOW, I haven't heard about that happening in a very, very long time.

Glad that there no major injuries.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Almost everyone,(me included)plugs in the charger then connects the clamps to the battery. This is really wrong. You should connect the clamps from the charger to the battery first, then with the power cord fully extended so you are maximum distance from the battery, plug in the charger. OR even better, plug the charger into an extension cord then go plug in the cord, that way you will be far enough away to be completely safe should the batteries hydrogen gas explode.

I have never seen a battery explode while using a charger, but I have seen them explode when using jumper cables.

 

[Shaneard]

A friend and I were working on his electric golf cart one day at a tractor show. He was squatted down on one side, me on the other side. I just told him "don't short one of those batteries out" he said "I'm not". He's a mechanic for a living. Next thing I know I heard a very loud pop and we both have battery acid all over us. I had it in my mouth as well. Ran to my camper and my wife said what are you doing? I told her then went and washed off, luckily neither of us got hurt or burned. He shorted a wrench out across two of the terminals. I would have never thought it would be him to do it but you never know!

 

[mcfarmall]

Same thing happened to my BIL Shaneard minus the wrench across the terminals. I can think of 2 possible causes...a buildup of hydrogen gas ABOVE the battery ignited by a spark at the jumper cables or battery charger clamps when applied. #2 a buildup of hydrogen gas INSIDE a cell of the battery ignited by a flake of crud between the plates that may be exposed by a low electrolyte level in the cell.

 

[oosik]

Welcome to TBN and the forum. From looking at your picture - its very lucky that somebody didn't get acid burns.

 

[newbury]

OP - might post this in the safety forum - good picture.
Pictures like that and this



stick in my memory.

 

[Jstpssng]

Yikes! Everybody's guardian angels were working overtime for that one. Last year I hooked up the charger to my battery just as I have a thousand times or more before; for some reason it had reversed polarity and before I even plugged it in the sparks started flying. I tossed it and bought a new one.

 

[cqaigy2]

You can also do that by welding on equipment with the battery connected. I'd guess there was good mixture of oxygen and hydrogen in the battery, the charger was plugged in and energize so when clamping it on, caused a spark and bang.

 

[ultrarunner]

An old time battery rebuilder told me if the electrolyte is full to the top... a battery has no room for hydrogen to accumulate and it can only explode of the gas is inside.

This was after having a battery explode in my face... I had just hooked up the fast charger at the car lot and kicked a cable which was enough to spark at one of the lugs...

Broken battery all over... sounded like a shot and no hearing on one side plus all my clothes turned to rags in a matter of minutes...

Something I will never forget...