When I did generator work we used to see battery explosions with some regularity. Here's why:
When the electrolyte gets low in the battery (from being constantly charged, as stationary duty batteries are) the tops of the plates get exposed. When a large load is applied to the battery, as in when the engine cranks, there can be a spark or arc across the exposed plates. Since there is most likely some hydrogen present in the cells, this ignites, causing a pretty spectacular explosion that usually rips the top of the battery off. A good reason to be checking the electrolyte levels on a regular basis. I haven't found this to be as much of an issue in automotive applications, probably because the batteries in such an application aren't on a charger 100% of the time like a stationary engine battery is. Dan --- On Mon, 7/12/10, R A Bennell <b...@mts.net> wrote: > From: R A Bennell <b...@mts.net> > Subject: Re: [MBZ] It's always something... > To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > Date: Monday, July 12, 2010, 2:48 PM > I remember shooting an old battery > with a 12 gauge shotgun back when I was a young fellow. It > was probably 50 or > more feet away from me at the time and pieces of it landed > behind me. > > Randy > > -----Original Message----- > From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com > [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com]on > Behalf Of Dieselhead > Sent: Saturday, July 10, 2010 7:48 AM > To: Mercedes Discussion List > Subject: Re: [MBZ] It's always something... > > > No. The battery that blew on me was from an external > spark. the > invisible flame went inside the battery. The battery > jumped up about > a foot to eye level as it blew up in my face. > > > >>There must have been hydrogen gas and a > spark. The hydrogen gas > >>may have been in the battery box from when she was > driving the car. > >>The spark came when she tried to start the car. > > > >H2 had to be inside the battery, as did the > spark. The box was > >just fine, but the battery case itself was fractured. > > > >-- Jim > > > > > > > >_______________________________________ > >http://www.okiebenz.com > >For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > >To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > > >To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > >http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
