Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion

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Thu 11 Apr 2019 18:34
Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion - John Codsall

On Saturday 6th we had a vehicle with a flat battery- so my wife fetched me a spare, recently charged battery in a wheel barrow. We connected it up and left it for 10 minutes. then I turned the ignition on and watched as all functions came up, turned off the radio, and after a wait of perhaps a minute, as I had asked my wife to fetch a 13mm spanner from the workshop, I turned the key.

Immediate explosion of battery in wheel barrow. a sharp crack like a detonator being initiated.

The sides of the battery shattered-one bit getting 25 metres and lots of acid in the wheelbarrow. But no injury.

I have a fair idea how this sealed - maintenance free battery failed- but I have never experienced this in 44 years of motoring.

Question: Is this a more likely occurrence with sealed batteries?

Edited by John Codsall on 11/04/2019 at 18:38

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Thu 11 Apr 2019 19:22
Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion - Andrew-T

The only explanation I can think of is hydrogen from the charging ignited by a spark. What is yours?

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Thu 11 Apr 2019 19:43
Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion - gordonbennet

The only time i've known a battery explode was, as Andrew-T, a lorry battery just off charge and the clot putting it back on created a spark by clumsy spanner use, luckily for him as he took the full force in the face he was wearing glasses, so washed him down and he was ok.

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Thu 11 Apr 2019 20:11
Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion - RT

Sealed maintenance-free batteries aren't sealed! They have a pressure release valve - which in the OP's case probably got blocked somehow.

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Thu 11 Apr 2019 21:19
Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion - Andrew-T

They have a pressure release valve - which in the OP's case probably got blocked somehow.

I don't think a blocked valve was the cause. Hydrogen ignition (probably issuing from the relief) would be enough.

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Thu 11 Apr 2019 21:29
Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion - Brit_in_Germany

The gas mix in the battery would be almost pure hydrogen so no explosive power. Released gas would be in a stream and so would only burn. I would go with the high-pressure gas explanation.

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Fri 12 Apr 2019 00:12
Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion - Andrew-T

Released gas would be in a stream and so would only burn. I would go with the high-pressure gas explanation.

Hydrogen doesn't work like that. If there was a hydrogen/air mixture within the explosive limits (proportion) you will get an explosion with the least spark. The shock wave could shatter the battery casing - and explain why the acid didn't travel very far.

Edited by Andrew-T on 12/04/2019 at 00:14

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Thu 11 Apr 2019 21:32
Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion - elekie&a/c doctor
Some of the story missing here. How was the battery in the wheelbarrow connected to the car. ? Probably jump leads that were not connected adequately when the load was powered on. Spark from bad connections??
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Thu 11 Apr 2019 21:53
Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion - focussed

I've seen the top blown off a battery as it was taken off charge, removing the charger clips without turning the charger off.

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Fri 12 Apr 2019 14:21
Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion - Bolt

I've seen the top blown off a battery as it was taken off charge, removing the charger clips without turning the charger off.

Ive seen a battery explode after a full charge and connect to car, the starting caused the plates to bend and cause a spark which blew the side off the battery

even an industrial charger can cause a battery to explode if the ampage is set too high

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Fri 12 Apr 2019 02:13
Volvo 440/460 - Battery explosion - Avant

Another possible missing link is regarding the miraculous Mrs Codsall producing a car battery in a wheelbarrow. My wife has many talents, but wouldn't claim that as being one of them.

Seriously, how long had the 'spare' battery been sitting in the garage until you had need of it and charged it? Might it have deteriorated with years of inactivity so as to meet such a sudden end?

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