RE: (ET) 12 volt batteries

["Joseph Rock" <joseph_rock qwest net>]

I have seen a car battery literally explode as the car was started on a hot
day.  I was working at a gas station (remember the old full-service days)
and this guy came in and declined the "Do you want me to check the oil?".
Well, we ended up "checking" more than the oil as we had to replace the
battery.  I suspect it was the buildup of hydrogen gas and then the spark
from the starter that caused it, but other theories are welcome...

- - joe
E-15
MagnaTrak Hydro 5000 (not electric, but a neat tractor)

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
[mailto:owner-elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu]On Behalf Of Jim Coate
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2002 12:45 PM
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) 12 volt batteries



An alternate scenario: One of the 3 batteries had a very dead cell in it
(fully discharged). When running the ET up the ramp, the other batteries
forced current through the bad cell, it reversed, heated up, and boom.

Driving up the ramps, assuming in low or LL, should take less than 75
amps for maybe 30 seconds... something any decent car battery should 
handle.

David or someone may know better, but I don't think hydrogen is produced
during use, but rather only during charging (and only the final phase at
that)?


"Hazen, Dwight L" wrote:
> I can guess what happened with the temporary battery tractor move. High
> current draw from a small battery produced lots of hydrogen gas and a
loose
> battery connection caused a spark. Also if the water was not covering the
> plates it would have made a larger chamber for gas to collect, blowing 
> the
> top off the battery.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: habooly earthlink net [mailto:habooly earthlink net]
>
> I used 3 old  12-volt batteries to move my tractor up a ramp and one of
the
> batteries blew apart.
> They were automobile batteries, not deep-cycle.