Battery Went Boom

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Sat May 10, 2014 6:19 pm

Battery from under A.G.'s companionway steps. Not sure when this happened but in the last couple weeks. What a mess.

So, battery always in a box with a lid and secured for just this reason

Chrysler20%26 · Post by **Chrysler20%26** » Sun May 11, 2014 12:11 am

Now that is scary, most have been a big boom. I have never seen one do that. I have not been using a box, but I will be now. Thank you for posting, an sorry for loss.

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Sun May 11, 2014 4:40 am

Chrysler20%26 wrote: I have not been using a box

Me either sometimes. This was in a box but I had taken it out because I made the steps less wide to try and squeeze a fridge in the galley. And the box no longer fit, so I got lazy, turned it sideways and just strapped it in place. Bad idea, and lucky no one was there when it blew.

We had a bad lightning storm in that week, with tornados in the area, and the guy next to me said it was really rough one night. Rough enough he left his boat. Battery may have bounced around and shorted the plates or such.

So (again) wrap it and strap it !!

Chrysler20%26 · Post by **Chrysler20%26** » Sun May 11, 2014 6:31 am

Thanks for the up date, I do not have a galley. I but my fridge under the cockpit to add support to the cockpit deck. An my spar battery in front an below the fridge. The main battery is on the port side of the stern, used only to start the outboard. All other power is taken off the spar, radio lights an what ever.

Windwalker · Post by **Windwalker** » Sun May 11, 2014 8:21 am

Check your charger voltage. Contrary to common knowledge, 12V batteries should be charged at 13.3V, not the 14.4V a lot of chargers (cheep) use. 14.4V is for quick charging of a automotive battery. If too much voltage is used the battery will produce more hydrogen as a byproduct. (Hydrogen is produced in any case since the chemical reaction is never perfect, hence the why batteries wear out)

Since hydrogen is always produced with battery charging, the battery box should be ventilated. From the picture, just the hydrogen in the battery was ignited, not very much but still powerful. Fortunately hydrogen diffuses very quickly in free air and so is not usually dangerous, unlike propane. I'm glad you had yours in a battery box since that probably contained the acid.

Sealed batteries (VRLA, gel, absorbed glass mat) also produce hydrogen, the venting is regulated by a valve (VRLA = Valve Regulated Lead Acid) so are not immune to the problem of explosion, but since a very limited amount of oxygen is present inside the battery, if any, it is much less of a problem. Outside ignition sources cannot, or should not, be able to produce and explosion inside a VRLA battery. Wet cell batteries of the type shown in the picture allow oxygen through the caps and so pose a hazard to ignition sources from the outside as well as inside the battery. (Ignition sources can be as plates short during the normal wear or damage from shock).

I'm glad the damage was minimal.

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Mon May 12, 2014 3:43 am

Charger was a small solar panel with controller built in and that could have failed allowing an overcharge. Although the panel was so weak it was just there to maintain the battery anyway.

Wish it had been in a box - actually it was at one point but I had removed it temporarily for space. Carpet was soaked;some of it was rain water from the storm, but when I started sprinkling baking soda to neutralize it was reacting all over the area up past the keel trunk !!

Wound up at the store buying the blue box in the pic, as well as long acid proof gloves, goggles, bicarb, cleaning stuff, rags, etc.

Finished the neutralizing/cleanup of the battery and the blue box at home..think I should take it back to the store LOL ??

Hopefully I have learned this lesson for the rest of you guys so you don't have to !

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Mon May 12, 2014 7:16 am

WOW EE!

This is the second time in all my boating where I've seen a battery fail other than just go dead. We had one of our 6v batteries on Destiny internally short out. Spewed nasty gases and even nastier liquids. Did not explode like yours though!

Good for you for having a battery box!!!

I highly recommend anyone who does not have a proper battery box that they plan on adding one some day.

It really is very cheap insurance!!

Scott

Windwalker · Post by **Windwalker** » Mon May 12, 2014 12:32 pm

Solar panels can definitely overcharge a battery if the charge controller fails, even small ones. Cheep solar controllers simply connect the panels to the batteries until a voltage is reached, and then disconnect the panel. Unfortunately, the primary failure mode for solar chargers is to short, leaving the solar panels on the battery all the time.

One of the most important items on Windwalker is a small digital voltmeter connected to the batteries. I always check it when coming aboard and when leaving. I have it mounted in the electrical panel. You should be able to find one for less the $10.

Chrysler20%26 · Post by **Chrysler20%26** » Mon May 12, 2014 10:27 pm

That is all great info, thank you all No more post//? I wonder if a battery blows up, an if there is no one around to hear it does it go Boom?

Padiunka · Post by **Padiunka** » Tue May 27, 2014 7:12 am

You touch on a good point EE. I feel it is a good idea to keep a decent supply of baking soda on board incase of battery acid spillage. Quite the picture you have there. Glad no one was hurt.