Guys I was setting points on my 49 chevy 216 last night. I was having my son turn the car over and i had a screwdriver in th #1 plug wire and was grounding it out on the block to look for good spark. He truned it over for about 5 seconds and the top of the new Napa 6 volt battery blew up like a bomb spraying acid everywhere. After the 49's terrorist attack on me I started looking at the battery set up. It is a 6 volt negative ground setup. I saw the ground cable was going from the negative post on the battery to the block. Since i was grounding the plug wire to the block (which is also grounded to the battery) to arch the spark did this blow up the battery. I have done this on 12 volt cars for years with no problem. It was just pretty scary and i don't want to do it again. I was hoping someone could tell me if i caused this and what the proper procedure is for doing this Thanks!
hydrogen gas--which forms as a battery discharges and loses its fluid--is flammable, http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/howto/articles/43793/article.html My guess would be a loose connector inside the battery that caused a spark.
Yep I agree with the old Buzzard...Perhaps a good time for a timely reminder to turn off the battery charger as well when disconnecting...
My high school auto shop teacher had a battery blow up in his face while disconnecting it from a charger. Another instructer heard it from across the building and came to his aid. Lesson learned-disconnect the power BEFORE disconnecting the charger.
The hydrogen gas is created as the battery is being charged, not when it's being discharged. Otherwise what was said is correct. I would guess that you had been charging the battery before this happened, or while you were cranking. I've worked on electric lift trucks for 34 years and have seen (and heard and felt) this happen plenty of times. Jim S.
First of all you OK? Second concure with all the above. I have seen batteries go up before definately not a pretty sight. I am a electrician with the Coast Guard and for awhile I did maintenance on light houses in the PNW. I had a battery in one of the batteries in a rack I was working on go and man I nearly messed myself. Eric
Love learning new stuff guys. I was fine. Can wait to see how shreaded my clothes are when they get out of the washer from the acid. The top shot away from my or that could have hurt. You were all right. I had just been charging the battery (it was unhooked when cranking) so I guess that arching plug wire was enough to set it off. Happened about 9pm last night in the driveway and every light on the block came on I gues maintenance free batteries are a bit more sealed and that is why I have never had this happen to me before???? I can see how the hyrdogen could escape from the top of the three fill caps. I tried to immediately wash down the paint which i am not terribly concerned about but I didn't know if the acid would hurt chrome or stainless because all that is in good shape. Anyhow, thanks for the education and i won't let thi happen again!
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