fairhurst Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 So my wife calls... and says I went to start "Ruby"... that's our 2000 OB... and she hears a loud explosion. She goes on to say she looks under the hood and the battery is smoking.So I went to Sears and bought a Die-Hard. When I got home I opened Ruby"s hood and OH MY... did it Explode! It's been really hot today 96.. And the battery is 5 years old. So I ask..Please... any Advice? I removed the dead battery... Should I vacuum out the old dried acid...Should I worry about all the wires and belts and hoses in trouble from the acid bath?Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Outback Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Well, first get some baking soda and water and wash the acid away throughly. You can't use to much. Battery acid is very corosive. I would inspect the wiring that was hit by the acid very carefully. You should find the reason the battery exploded. It could be the voltage regulator in your alternator has failed and overcharged the battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 If nothing else rinse out the engine compartment thoroughly with a garden hose. Do it in an area where you're comfortable with the run off. Next prepare a bucket of water with baking soda added to further rinse off the insides. The baking soda will help neutralize the rest of the battery acid. Five years old or not, batteries are not supposed to explode. Sounds like some of the vents were clogged or non-existent; I would suspect this is a "maintainence free" battery which may not allow for venting of gases. Lastly I would check on your alternator and see what the charging voltage/current is; if it's too high, it would form hydrogen gas and if it can't be vented out might cause the battery to explode....or any little spark could set off the hydrogen. Five years old on a 2000 Outback...sounds like the original battery. I would report that to the dealer or to SOA since that is a potential safety hazard.....Imagine if it had exploded while you were checking the oil!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkoepp Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 You should check the water level in the battery twice a year, a battery low on water has more gas in it than a battery that has had regular maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howards11 Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Glad you or your wife were not injured. I would contact Sears not only for a replacement battery but a claim if you have to replace wiring, etc. Please let us know how you make out. ~Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Sadly, you can't check the level in a "maintenance free" battery. That's why I never buy them. You should check the water level in the battery twice a year, a battery low on water has more gas in it than a battery that has had regular maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friendly_jacek Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 My 00 legacy came with low maintenance (not maintenance free) battery made by Jonhson controls. I hated that thing since it leaked electrolyte through the gas vents. Finally it died after 5 years and I replaced it by Everstart. If it exploded during cranking, you could bet on sparks igniting hydrogen and some cells being dry and filled by gas. If it exploded itself, it could be an internal short. I know someone almost blinded by exploded car battery. These things are dangerous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet82 Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Welcome to the board! The only time I heard of a battery blowing up is when it's hooked up wrong? The acid is going to take some time to show its damage. I'd continue to wash the area over the next few weeks and look for signs of corrosion. Good Luck, Glenn 82 SubaruHummer 01 Forester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoPete Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Sadly, you can't check the level in a "maintenance free" battery. That's why I never buy them. Actually, that isn't always true. I have a Die-Hard maintenance free battery and I was able to pry off the battery caps without causing any damage. Then you can see into the cells just like on a regular battery, and add water if you like. The battery looks like it is designed with extra electrolyte capacity so that adding water shouldn't be necessary. The cell caps have a detent action that makes a "snap" sound when they are pried off or reinstaled. They probably weren't intended to be removed by the customer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forester2002s Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 This reminds me of a safety tip that I learnt: - When using jumper cables, ALWAYS TURN YOUR HEAD AWAY when making the last connection to the battery. All it takes is some errant hydrogen gas, and then a small spark, and BOOM. At least if you look away, you might save your eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swi66 Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Speaking as a mechanic, and as a person who should know better. I have had 4 battery explosions. Only once was it in a car when the hood was shut! that one I figured was caused by a loose terminal which sparked. In any event, baking soda is cheap, buy a LOT of it and wash everything down. several buckets full, and let it flow everywhere. then rinse out with garden hose. Blew one up on one of my "show" cars. motor compartment was awful. Had to pull the motor out to refinish the red color on my 66 Dodge. Acid discolored everything, and ate right through the paint in some areas. swi66 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Once is all is said and done with the flushing and neutralizing, use a can of battery acid detector/neutralizer to look for spots that are still "hot" with acid. As others have stated, it is hard to overdo the flushing and neutralizing. Especially the flushing, as the neutralizing process produces salts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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