Not Bike... Caravan battery Q

[Guest]

Can anyone tell me what might cause a car battery to explode?

The battery is an old Die Hard battery that came with my Jeep in 2002, so I couldn't tell you its actual age.
I have been having trouble keeping a charge in the battery. The clamps were corroded.
I replaced the terminal clamps with clamp-only units.
I charged the battery out of the van.
I replace the battery and it didn't give me a full connection. I forced the pos clamp down further to get a better connex.
I went to start the van and BOOM. Blew the water cap off and split the whole side.

I would like to assume it was the battery, but I would also like to not blow any more batteries...

Thanks guys.

[SqDancerLynn1]

It could have been the battery BUT it soulds like you hooked it up backwards
VERY BAD

[Boondocks]

Charging a battery produces explosive hydrogen gas. If it is exposed to a spark while charging, a battery explosion can result. A hydrogen explosion is possible under some conditions (low electrolyte especially) even when starting a vehicle, as happened to you.

See the explanation at Battery Myths - A Battery Will Not Explode.

[rustybronco]

The one and only battery i had explode was when i jumped a corvette years ago, hooked up the jumper cables BACKWARDS!
follow the negative cable it's got to ground somewhere if not you probabely reversed the cable ends or connections on the battery

[bgmart450]

I double checked the connex. The clamps won't even reach if I tried if I had reveresed polarity. I thought maybe that was what I did too, but thats not the case this time.

I am leaning towards a rotten battery. It was old. It was allowed to sit for long periods of time in the cold, its on an older (milage-wise) vehicle. I couldn't tell you the batteries exact age as it was installed on our used vehicle.

Any advice to avoid the fireworks should I reinstall a new battery? Things I could test without, or before attempting to start the van?

[bgmart450]

The one and only battery i had explode was when i jumped a corvette years ago, hooked up the jumper cables BACKWARDS!
follow the negative cable it's got to ground somewhere if not you probabely reversed the cable ends or connections on the battery

We checked for ground and it is well grounded. The only thing I could have reversed is the chargers polarity, but I am 99% sure I didn't. I removed the clamps one at a time so I know they are not mixed when I installed the new ones.

[rustybronco]

just tried to give the most likely causes in my experience.

read boondocks battery link it lists a lot of possibilites.

[bgmart450]

I checked it out. Nice link. I learned a few other new things there, thanks Boondocks!

I never realized that just driving a few miles was not enought to revitalize a jump started battery, good stuff in that link.

[smithbm]

When you charge a battery for an extended period of time, you should pop open the fluid fill caps on the top so that the hydrogen gas will dissipate. If you don't, you run the risk of an explosion (as Boondocks has already mentioned)