Explosive tractor experience

Jethro · Oct 30, 2006

I used my tractor for about 3 hours today and had just backed in onto the trailer when I heard and felt a very loud explosion from the tractor. Not a good feeling. I saw smoke, but the tractor was still purring along just fine. I initially thought I had blown a tire. As I got off of the tractor I realized the battery had exploded. It is underneath the seat on my tractor (Kubota B1550). I raised the seat and inspected it and the positive post for signs that it had arced, but found none. The electrical warning light had not been on. The tractor had been cranking fine. I had a new dynamo installed about 20 hous ago when the old one froze up. I have not had time to trouble shoot this yet, but I finally have a question:

Can a batttery develop an internal short or other problem and explode and there be no problems with the tractor's charging / eclectrical system?

bamatoolmaker · Oct 30, 2006

I witnessed a battery exploding on a parked an unattended Ford truck.It was brand new.

Doc_Bob · Oct 30, 2006

No acid burns to any flesh is a good thing, you are one lucky man!
Bob

PineRidge · Oct 30, 2006

We had one blow just after charging when we turned the key to start. I attribute that to an internal arc. My ears literally rang for an hour.

Took it back to Sears in pieces, stuffed in a cardboard box. They gave me another brand new DieHard.....

HomeBrew2 · Oct 30, 2006

I guess it must just be "me". I can't imagine getting a replacement battery from the same place that provided me with one that exploded

texasjohn · Oct 30, 2006

I am ever so glad I haven't had any of the explosive experiences relayed in this thread. I've always heard about batteries exploading, but assumed that it was because of reverse polarity or unvented charging.... am now educated to how a battery can explode for "no reason"

JerryG · Oct 30, 2006

Jethro said:
Can a batttery develop an internal short or other problem and explode and there be no problems with the tractor's charging / eclectrical system?

Yes it can. I had a car that wouldn't start one time. I opened the hood and tightened the cables. Turned the key and got the same big boom that you did. It blown the caps off. They were all over the yard , up to 30' away. There was no other problem, just the battery.

shaley · Oct 30, 2006

Sometimes its electrical and sometimes it is caused by hydrogen gas buildup in the battery or a combination of the two. Make sure you hose all the acid off of the tractor ASAP. Glad you are OK

Jethro · Oct 30, 2006

Yes, I am fine. It blew the entire end off of the battery as well as the caps. I am amazed that I was sitting about 6 inches above this battery when it blew, and was not injured. Makes July 4 fireworks kind of anti-climactic now.

RonMar · Oct 30, 2006

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.