A lucky escape for me today! Do not use flooded wet cell lead acid batteries!!

[cleaniac]

So today I had a very lucky escape! In the 20 years of window cleaning, using water fed poles I have never ever come across this!

Just goes to show that even after 20 years experience running equipment like this, you still have to be vigilant and careful.

The weather was a bit pants this morning, so I took my time getting ready for work, waiting for the weather to improve. So I’m sitting in bed watching a bit of Netflix, around 10am I hear this massive BANG! now next door are having some building work done, and I just assume someone dropped a large heavy wooden board or something and think to myself it’s just the builders making noise.

Weather starts to improve, so I get ready for work and have an early lunch instead with the aim to get out on the rounds for 11:30 am, I think to myself I’ll wok right through til dusk and as I have already had early lunch this would be perfect.

Get to open the van, and bellows of acrid smoke pours out, immediately stinging the nose!

I jump round to the back of the van to find the lead acid battery that powers the water fed pump has exploded; and sprayed acid everywhere!



Fortunately i wasn’t near the battery when it did go bang! It was on charge at the time so an arc probably ignited the battery!!

I had to clear it all up with bicarbonate of soda, wash the van down and it took all afternoon of carefully picking out shards of battery from the van and surrounding areas.

Imagine if that had gone off when I was near it!

Often I am close to the battery disconnecting and connecting the charger, what if it exploded a bit later, perhaps when i just go to disconnect/connect the cables?

I reckon that would have been a fatality there, the force this must of exploded with could have at the very least disfigured my face with the acid, and even severed an artery in my neck with the shards of plastic. The van was duly closed up, windows closed doors closed, and I head the loud bang in my bedroom this morning, it was loud in the bedroom!!!

I have since switched to an AGM battery as these do not explode!

 

[Deleted member 12462]

I would get yourself a lottery ticket

 

[Skxawng]

Wow. I had no idea that could happen!

 

[JohnDoeWindows]

Holy ****, glad you're okay, how does this even happen?

 

[ched999uk]

You were lucky there, could have been so much worse.

One thing of concern is your charger! Normally lead acids can explode if over charged as once fully charged there is no more chemical reaction taking place, so all the incoming charge can do is heat up the battery which then produces gas and the resultant gas can cause the battery to explode!

Before leaving your new battery unattended charging from the same charger I would double/triple check your charger actually shuts down when the battery is fully charged.

It might be worth getting the battery in a battery box. While it probably wouldn't have contained the explosion it might have helped stop the worst of it even though most of the battery boxes aren't that strong but a layer of extra plastic might offer some protection. Plus a battery box removes the potential danger of the battery terminals being shorted out by something conductive falling on them.

One other possible cause is when charging hydrogen is given off and a spark can cause it to ignite. Sparks can be caused by poor connections, brushed motors or even water tracking between the terminals!

There should be vents in each cell to prevent explosions but over time a battery without any protection against dust, dirt etc these vents can get blocked - so maybe another reason for a battery box.

I suspect over charging was the cause but I'm no battery expert.

It could be that your battery charger went faulty and didn't stop charging. So be very careful with your new battery as you might not be that lucky this time.

 

[Chris34]

Didn't you have a motorbike crash earlier this year as well? The film final destination springs to mind ?

 

[Pjj]

That’s not good mark , glad you weren’t in the van at the time , when I worked at the garage years ago the commercial vehicle department had a few batteries explode like this whilst on charge , it was usually when the battery was knackerd and it gassed and then a spark from anything can ignite it and bang . If possible I would try and mount the battery on the floor of the van and have it in a proper battery box , ime not saying that would contain all the explosion but it should help , also as has already been said I would have your charging system checked by a qualified electrician before fitting a new battery , cleaning all that acid up must have been a nightmare.

 

[Iron Giant]

Glad to hear you're ok, but the cables on your charger look like they are from something a bit bigger than required for charging a leisure battery they almost look like jump leads, I use this one Numax Battery Chargers - Battery Chargers and Testers as recommended on here years ago it goes onto a float charge once the battery is fully charged

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Thanks for posting this photo and we should all take this as a Safety Notice, I'm lucky i have AGM batteries.

 

[cleaniac]

Cheers fellas for your replies, and not being too judgmental. I do have an update, I checked the charger and it has become faulty. Turns out it dumping out around 17volts!

I have an optimate charger for the bikes, I will use that for now on the new AGM battery but it looks like I need to get a new charger!!!!

 

[spruce]

Another small point. Batteries, both flooded and maintenance free batteries should have a vent/breather elbow that pushes into the battery with the vent tube directed outside of the van through a small hole in the floor. Any flamable gases are directed outside the van.

https://www.tayna.co.uk/battery-leads-terminals/vent-pipes/vent-pipe/
They used to offer these as an add on with each new battery, but it doesn't look like they do it now.

I'm glad you are OK Cleaniac.

According to this AGM batteries also should be vented.

https://batteryknowhow.com/do-agm-batteries-need-to-be-vented-find-out/

 

[Pjj]

Another small point. Batteries, both flooded and maintenance free batteries should have a vent/breather elbow that pushes into the battery with the vent tube directed outside of the van through a small hole in the floor. Any flamable gases are directed outside the van.

https://www.tayna.co.uk/battery-leads-terminals/vent-pipes/vent-pipe/
They used to offer these as an add on with each new battery, but it doesn't look like they do it now.

I'm glad you are OK Cleaniac.

According to this AGM batteries also should be vented.

https://batteryknowhow.com/do-agm-batteries-need-to-be-vented-find-out/

Some AGM batteries aren’t vented as they are designed to be installed laying on there side or Evan upside down , I was very supprised when my electrician said this , I have this type in my vans but they are mounted normally, apparently they are designed for boats ware it’s not always possible to mount them upright .

 

[spruce]

Some AGM batteries aren’t vented as they are designed to be installed laying on there side or Evan upside down , I was very supprised when my electrician said this , I have this type in my vans but they are mounted normally, apparently they are designed for boats ware it’s not always possible to mount them upright .

This is true regarding installation options. But the vent in the battery should be a pressure regulated valve that opens at a specific pressure.

https://rvnerds.com/2017/11/01/electrical-myths-part-4-agm-batteries-dont-need-venting/

 

[Pjj]

This is true regarding installation options. But the vent in the battery should be a pressure regulated valve that opens at a specific pressure.

https://rvnerds.com/2017/11/01/electrical-myths-part-4-agm-batteries-dont-need-venting/

My batteries dont have a vent, you probably understand it better than me but do gel AGM batteries produce gas when charging?

 

[Pjj]

This is true regarding installation options. But the vent in the battery should be a pressure regulated valve that opens at a specific pressure.

https://rvnerds.com/2017/11/01/electrical-myths-part-4-agm-batteries-dont-need-venting/

Thats interesting spruce I will ask mark my electrician he works on super yachts and is very good with all this type of thing , I don’t understand it at all, he fitted out all my vans .

 

[spruce]

My batteries dont have a vent, you probably understand it better than me but do gel AGM batteries produce gas when charging?

Yes, but when charged correctly the gas is absorbed within the battery. Its the same with a lead acid maintenance free battery. All the gas are recycled within the battery unless something goes very wrong. When charged correctly there is no problem. My previous flooded leisure battery was 5 years old when it gave up. In 5 years, I never topped up the battery cells once. They were checked every few months, but the water was always well above the plates.

When bench charging a flooded lead acid battery, the recommendation is to unscrew each cell cap to release any gas caused by charging and only charge the battery in a well ventilated area. It was just another precaution. Basically a battery is a dangerous bit of equipment. Most of us thankfully won't experience what Cleaniac did. What happened is a rare occurrance and had it not been for a faulty battery charger, he would not have been a statistic.

We can't charge an ordinary lead acid battery at 17v.

My starter battery of my Peugeot Boxer van is situated in the floor of the driver's cabin with a vent pipe outside. The alternator will only charge my starter battery at 13.9v. My previous Citroen Relay had the starter battery in the engine compartment. That charge voltage was 14.6v. Fiat was taking no chances with moving the battery into the cabin area. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

So today I had a very lucky escape! In the 20 years of window cleaning, using water fed poles I have never ever come across this!

Just goes to show that even after 20 years experience running equipment like this, you still have to be vigilant and careful.

The weather was a bit pants this morning, so I took my time getting ready for work, waiting for the weather to improve. So I’m sitting in bed watching a bit of Netflix, around 10am I hear this massive BANG! now next door are having some building work done, and I just assume someone dropped a large heavy wooden board or something and think to myself it’s just the builders making noise.

Weather starts to improve, so I get ready for work and have an early lunch instead with the aim to get out on the rounds for 11:30 am, I think to myself I’ll wok right through til dusk and as I have already had early lunch this would be perfect.

Get to open the van, and bellows of acrid smoke pours out, immediately stinging the nose!

I jump round to the back of the van to find the lead acid battery that powers the water fed pump has exploded; and sprayed acid everywhere!

View attachment 27498

Fortunately i wasn’t near the battery when it did go bang! It was on charge at the time so an arc probably ignited the battery!!

I had to clear it all up with bicarbonate of soda, wash the van down and it took all afternoon of carefully picking out shards of battery from the van and surrounding areas.

Imagine if that had gone off when I was near it!

Often I am close to the battery disconnecting and connecting the charger, what if it exploded a bit later, perhaps when i just go to disconnect/connect the cables?

I reckon that would have been a fatality there, the force this must of exploded with could have at the very least disfigured my face with the acid, and even severed an artery in my neck with the shards of plastic. The van was duly closed up, windows closed doors closed, and I head the loud bang in my bedroom this morning, it was loud in the bedroom!!!

I have since switched to an AGM battery as these do not explode!

Hey mate. So sorry this happened! Glad you are alright. I wonder, would you consider getting a bulk head put in place to shield the drivers cabin from this sort of thing? Wouldn’t help if you were in the back when it happened, but if you were driving the bulkhead should absorb the impact & protect you.

 

[cleaniac]

Hey mate. So sorry this happened! Glad you are alright. I wonder, would you consider getting a bulk head put in place to shield the drivers cabin from this sort of thing? Wouldn’t help if you were in the back when it happened, but if you were driving the bulkhead should absorb the impact & protect you.

Yeah a bulkhead would be best, but i honestly don’t think I’ll be holding onto this van for much longer anyway!

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Yeah a bulkhead would be best, but i honestly don’t think I’ll be holding onto this van for much longer anyway!

No, probably a good time to invest in new system and new van and put it down to a blessing in disguise.

 

[THL4KEL]

If the Gardiners Backpack is left on charge too long can that explode?

 

[ched999uk]

If the Gardiners Backpack is left on charge too long can that explode?

As long as the battery charger doesn't fail and give it too much voltage you will be fine.
Just to put this into context, you could have a fault charging a mobile phone battery and that will cause quite a nasty fire!

Charging batteries always has a risk!