RowdyRebel Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 So I stopped for fuel this morning, shut the truck off, and filled up just as I do once or twice every day I run the truck. After paying for the fuel, I turn the key to fire it back up and as soon as the starter engages, there was a loud explosion. It sounded like someone shot off a 10 gauge shotgun right under the cab.I released the key and removed it from the ignition before climbing out to investigate what went wrong.The liquid pouring out of my battery box was a pretty good clue what had happened.I got lucky...nothing MAJOR....only one battery self-destructed in a most spectacular fashion.So, I disconnected the one that blew up and ran the rest of the day on the remaining 2 batteries.Just got done swapping out all 3 for some brand new Mack batteries. The ones that were in there were bought 3/28/2010....Continental "X-Treme Duty" (XHD-31C)The white powder in the pics is baking soda...wanted to neutralize the acid. Spread quite a bit of it in the battery box, too. Quote When approaching a 4-way stop, the vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkobes43 Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 WOW! Glad it was nothing major! Tom Quote "Nothing Breaks Wind Like A Bulldog" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyp Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 just be proud you werent leaning over batteries at the time! randyp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhasler Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 just be proud you werent leaning over batteries at the time! randyp My dad had that happen to him once when I was a kid, lucky he was wearing goggles cause it knocked the crap out of him, scattered wrenches across the yard where he was working. No permanent damage done thankfully. Quote "Mebbe I'm too ugly and stupid to give up!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 3 years ago I had a battery blow up on me. box was off and I had jumper cables in my hand ...not even connected to a charging source yet. As soon as I touched the cable to the post it let go..luckly I had gloves and sunglasses on ..my hand hurt like hell as it took a hit from something..boy was it loud... I know a guy that almost died from a battery blowing up. He had just put 3 batterys in a starter cart had put the cables on and leaned back in his floor stool to get a wrench from his tool box. His foot bumped the cart and it must have wiggled a cable to get a spark..2 of them went off tearing holes in the carts sheet metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdyRebel Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share Posted September 16, 2011 WOW! Glad it was nothing major!TomI wasn't sure WHAT had happened...first thought was the engine seized up right as the fuel ignited and blew the side out of the block or something like that. I sure was glad to see it was JUST a battery. I probably could have got by with just replacing the one that exploded...but after this happened, I don't trust the other two (same brand, bought the same day, from the same store) and just wanted them out of the truck.Great thing about where I live is the local Mack dealer has to drive past my house any time they go to one of their other locations....so my new batteries were waiting for me at home when I got there. Not sure if they made a special trip or if they made the drop en route to somewhere else....all I know is they take good care of me. I mean heck, if I had to get home and then run to town to pick 'em up, I would have been cutting it REAL close to closing time...and by the time I got back home to swap 'em out, it'd be dark.Seems just about every time I think I couldn't be happier with the local dealer, they do something like this (which makes my life significantly easier) and prove me wrong. just be proud you werent leaning over batteries at the time! randyp Couldn't agree with ya more on that one....and after this, I think I'm going to rethink some of my bad habits while working on getting vehicles started around the house...never used to take the warnings on batteries too seriously, but I tell you what...battery acid ain't too pleasant on the skin. Wasn't much I could do on this job to avoid some mild contact with the leftover residue...no way in hell I'd want to have any real contact with the stuff. Quote When approaching a 4-way stop, the vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 When I was a kid and needed to jump a car but had no cables.. I would take a good battery out of a car and flip it upside down on the bad one..worked every time..but this was before I had ever seen one go.....ahhhh.....and I survived!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 If you ever read instructions that accompany booster cables they always state to connect the cables to the depleted source first, and the boosting source second. This is due to sudden inrush of current and rapid heating of the cell plates within the depleted batteries upon connection. The battery that exploded had a partial internal short causing the same thing with catastophic results.Lucky the battery box was covered.Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 thats happen to me twice,in my life,,one time i was leaning over it,,but my shirt got most of the juice,,,scary man.bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other dog Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 I was driving down I-79 in West Virginia the other day, minding my own binness as usual, when I too heard what sounded like a tremendous explosion come from under the hood. I knew right away what it was though- the air to hose had blown again. Pulled over to fix it, I always carry a spare and clamps, but the hose was OK, one of the clamps had broken and the hose blew off. I put it back on and put a new clamp on it and continued on with no further difficulties.Speaking of batteries, I got my secondary filter on the mixer today, had to go get one fuel line made. "Found" enough fittings at the shop to hook everything up, then when I tried to start it it wouldn't start. I jumped it off the pickup and it fired right up. I probably just need new batteries too, because these batteries have been in it since I had it, and they've been run down too many times. They were so dead one time they wouldn't light up a test light but the trickle charger brought them back to life. That was when I put the battery disconnect switches on it. Quote Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdyRebel Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share Posted September 16, 2011 If you ever read instructions that accompany booster cables they always state to connect the cables to the depleted source first, and the boosting source second. This is due to sudden inrush of current and rapid heating of the cell plates within the depleted batteries upon connection. The battery that exploded had a partial internal short causing the same thing with catastophic results.Lucky the battery box was covered.RobInstructions? Real men don't need instructions. We're hard-wired to just know how to do stuff.You should've seen the look on my friend's new bride's face when I went over to help him assemble a book shelf. First thing I did was wad up the instructions and toss 'em toward the trash bin. I had the thing put together before she understood what they were talking about in the first step. 1 Quote When approaching a 4-way stop, the vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other dog Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Instructions? Real men don't need instructions. We're hard-wired to just know how to do stuff.You should've seen the look on my friend's new bride's face when I went over to help him assemble a book shelf. First thing I did was wad up the instructions and toss 'em toward the trash bin. I had the thing put together before she understood what they were talking about in the first step. Yeah! Quote Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 If you ever read instructions that accompany booster cables they always state to connect the cables to the depleted source first, and the boosting source second. This is due to sudden inrush of current and rapid heating of the cell plates within the depleted batteries upon connection. The battery that exploded had a partial internal short causing the same thing with catastophic results.Lucky the battery box was covered.Robsometimes,its interesting to see what they have to say,on simple things,like cables..or at least you would think,,,sometimes they have some very interesting suggestions,,that a big ole fatman like myself,,,never thought of,,,if id had put the boosters on properly,,,it might not have blown up.lol.bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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