Exploding battery!

[philbyford]

G’day
I’m in a 16 year old dethless globebus
I’m in a field on my own , nobody about.
My leisure battery just went off like a shotgun. Bits and acid everywhere, nobody hurt. I’ve cleaned everything up and poured water on the acid, pulled out 240supply put the fridge on gas.
I don’t suppose anything can be done until I can find a professional in the morning.
Information only then; what would cause a battery to explode, it was hab.checked about 4 weeks ago, would any sought of fault be spotted then.
I think everything is safe , bit smelly and dark
Phil

 

[68c]

I second those suggestions to make syre all the spilt acid has been neutralised. I would even go so far as to get some litmus strips for testing. Even if the acid dries out the remaining crystals can reactivate it made damp in the future. Really go to town using the bicarb and retest again. I once blew a car battery up fitting jumoer leads, a loud bang and shock, at first I thought the bonnet had dropped on my head! Tried many ways to decontaminate the engine bay. The, admittedly old, car scrapped within the year as so many relay sockets corroded.

 

[rod_vw]

These hadn't blown up - just on charge was enough. I did blow up a battery on my last MH though. It was under the seat on my Hymer & I had the seat undone and slid forward onto the steering wheel. All the cell caps were off for topping up and in an act of sheer stupidity I caught the unguarded +ve terminal with the battery hold down clamp. That ignited the hydrogen in the first two cells blowing the side out of the battery and covering me and the immediate area with acid. I rushed indoors and filled a spray bottle with bicarb & water and sprayed me and the whole affected area with it. If a spot fizzed I sprayed until it stopped. The result was no holes in fabric or furnishings and no resultant damage. A very lucky escape I think.

You're a lucky person, don't push it you may not be so lucky next time!

 

[philbyford]

Big shout to Steve of LetsGoTourers near Kings Lynn who sorted me out with a new battery and tested charger this morning.
Phil