battery went BOOM!!

**V8MUSCLE** · 02-11-2010, 07:55 PM

so... replaced the top radiator hose on a 96 olds 88 at school today. before i took it off i squeezed it showing how ridiculously collapsed it was. when i squeezed it coolant shot out of the radiator cap, which was off, onto the battery. didnt think anything of it, finished the swap, started the car and rode around making sure there wasn't any air bubbles in the system.

being that there were no bubbles i turned the car off and headed back into the garage. a few minutes later the teacher tells me to move the car so i go try to start it and nothing. when i turn the key all the lights cut off, dash lights stops working radio wont cut on. hrm... the car has a vacuum leak, so sometimes you have to crank it more than normal, plus its kinda cold outside, so it must be dead, no problem ill grab a jump box. hook it up turn the key and still nothing. the jump box has a voltmeter built in, it read 12.6 yet all the electronics are going haywire. wtf...

a couple of other guys from class come over and help try to figure whats going on. they wiggle the connections, tell me to turn the key and we start hearing this hissing sound. i stop and a steam type gas is jetting out of a crack in the back inside corner, and the walls are bulging on the battery. after a few minutes we decide to try 1 more time before i have to try to get a ride home, we hook the jump box to the positive post next to the fuse box and hook the negative to the strut tower brace. turn the key, and KABOOM!!! the battery explodes. the top came flying off, the inside face is gone, acid is everywhere were all like OMGWTF. the teacher comes running out wondering what the hell we just blew up.

now batteries dont just blow up, all the electrical stuff going crazy would lead me to think there was a short somewhere.

tomorrow im heading up there with a new battery. im gonna test the positive to ground with an ohm meter, which should be ol unelss theres a short somewhere. ill probably end up throwing the battery in and seeing what happens unless i see something in the daylight, or one of yall has any ideas

edit:

Cliffnotes:
Battery had coolant splashed on it, battery started bulging, battery blew the fuck up.

**Hi-Po** · 02-11-2010, 08:09 PM

Why, in the world..... would you hook a jump box on to a battery that was bulging?!?

Dont do that, its bad

Glad no one got hurt, as that could have been very messy.

Edit: saw it wasnt directly to the battery, but still was a very bad idea from the beginning.

**c5z28** · 02-11-2010, 08:11 PM

acid batteries make a nice hydrogen bomb, glad no one got hurt.

**0rion** · 02-11-2010, 09:32 PM

I had a 48volt forklift battery blow up one time right next to me. Something I'll never forget as long as I live.

**Smittro** · 02-11-2010, 09:33 PM

What engine? TDC? Not to be a D*(k but did you make sure red was connected to the (+) and the black was connected to the (-)? Spilling anti freeze would not cause the battery to pop..But a miss connected batt sure will. Sounds dumb but it still happens..

**Smittro** · 02-11-2010, 09:41 PM

Or the battery hot wire may have a spot that is worn through from rubbing against something causing a close to source short. She is getting up in years..

**Cutlass** · 02-12-2010, 03:14 AM

^^^thats what I'm thinking

**V8MUSCLE** · 02-12-2010, 06:16 AM

the engine is the 3800. yes positive was to positive, ive jumped a few cars before and know to make sure of that. it almost has to be a short somewhere else. im getting ready to head up there and see what i can figure out.

**SMWS6TA** · 02-12-2010, 08:23 AM

Better get that acid off fast before paint goes bye bye.

Glad no one was hurt, lesson learn

**KMdef9** · 02-12-2010, 10:33 AM

I've heard of people blowing up 6v batteries when hooking up a 12v charger.

**Smittro** · 02-12-2010, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by V8MUSCLE

the engine is the 3800. yes positive was to positive, ive jumped a few cars before and know to make sure of that. it almost has to be a short somewhere else. im getting ready to head up there and see what i can figure out.

I imagine you have, the premise was not provided to insult you. Simple mistakes get made..

**pajeff02** · 02-12-2010, 04:50 PM

Agree. Sounds like a charging issue may have caused excess hydrogen gas to build up, hence the bulging case. Here's more info for the OP to consider in his search for the cause:

With car batteries, explosions are most likely to occur when a short circuit generates very large currents. In addition, car batteries liberate hydrogen when they are overcharged (because of electrolysis of the water in the electrolyte). Normally the amount of overcharging is very small, as is the amount of explosive gas developed, and the gas dissipates quickly. However, when "jumping" a car battery, the high current can cause the rapid release of large volumes of hydrogen, which can be ignited by a nearby spark (for example, when removing the jumper cables).

When a battery is recharged at an excessive rate, an explosive gas mixture of hydrogen and oxygen may be produced faster than it can escape from within the walls of the battery, leading to pressure build-up and the possibility of the battery case bursting. In extreme cases, the battery acid may spray violently from the casing of the battery and cause injury. Overcharging—that is, attempting to charge a battery beyond its electrical capacity—can also lead to a battery explosion, leakage, or irreversible damage to the battery. It may also cause damage to the charger or device in which the overcharged battery is later used.

- Wikipedia

**cammed goat** · 02-13-2010, 04:25 PM

When I worked for Sears years ago, we had a customer come in with an older Dodge Ram for a battery. My coworker tested the battery and it was weak. The customer wanted a replacement, but when the new battery was installed, the customer changed his mind and wanted the old battery reinstalled. Myself and a few other employees were in another room chatting when we all heard a loud "BOOOOOOOOOM" and we all hauled @$$ to see what had happened. Turned out the old battery had been leaking and when my coworker reconnected the terminals, an arc ignited the acid/gasses causing the explosion. The customer had no other choice than to buy the new battery and my coworker had to go to the wash station to get the acid off his face and hands and he had to change his uniform. The customer became nasty and blamed my coworker for the explosion and acid on the paint(ORLY?). I along with the store manager quickly informed the customer that
1-our coworker could have been seriously injured
2-the original battery was bad/faulty.