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The Preacher
1st January 2006, 20:41
I had only travelled 11kms on the mighty Virago, I stopped to fill up with petrol. Turned the ingition on, pushed the start button and there was an almighty bang. The bike was dead and smoke was coming out from under the seat. I removed the side cover and the end of the battery was completey blown out.

When I had the bike back home and the old battery removed, I connected my car battery to the bike for a test. Turned the ingition on and everything is working.

Question: What would cause the battery to explode like that. :argh:

rudolph
1st January 2006, 20:49
Too meny cranking Amps for the battrey or a short to earth, REG not working? I hope you washed all the crap off

danb
1st January 2006, 20:50
Shit! :wacko: - Stuffed if I know really - perhaps the gas that battery’s give off ignited?

froggyfrenchman
1st January 2006, 20:53
make sure you wash wash wash wash wash your bike, that shit'll eat your paint and rust everything in no time at all!

The Preacher
1st January 2006, 20:56
Too meny cranking Amps for the battrey or a short to earth, REG not working? I hope you washed all the crap off

40 galls of water went over battery compartment.

When I pick up the new battery on Wed I will ask if they have heard of a something like this before.

The Preacher
1st January 2006, 20:57
Shit! :wacko: - Stuffed if I know really - perhaps the gas that battery’s give off ignited?

I was talking to a fella who part-time repairs bikes and he came up with the same thought

Kickaha
1st January 2006, 21:01
Shit! :wacko: - Stuffed if I know really - perhaps the gas that battery’s give off ignited?

Thats what I would bet on,saw the same thing happen with one of the sidecars at Ruapuna last year, guy was connecting the battery as the dropkick riding it hit the switch, sparked and exploded and blew one end out of it

T.W.R
1st January 2006, 21:04
Use warm water with baking soda in it (plenty of water & B/soda) & wash the F$%# out of everywhere from the battery box down!, swingarm, frame,engine etc
possibly it was caused by the Alternator, cranked out to much juice over time & has cooked the battery

The Preacher
1st January 2006, 21:04
Thats what I would bet on,saw the same thing happen with one of the sidecars at Ruapuna last year, guy was connecting the battery as the dropkick riding it hit the switch, sparked and exploded and blew one end out of it

Mrs Preacher said that my arse lifted clean off the seat with the force of it

danb
1st January 2006, 21:23
let alone the burnt backside :rofl:

danb
1st January 2006, 21:27
Just had my father come in wonder why I was laughing (sorry) and showed him this thread - he recommends getting the regulator checked as if its overcharging it could be creating excessive gas and it could happen again!

thehollowmen
1st January 2006, 21:35
what TWR said

was it an open battery and could hydrogen gas have built up?

The Preacher
2nd January 2006, 08:09
Just had my father come in wonder why I was laughing (sorry) and showed him this thread - he recommends getting the regulator checked as if its overcharging it could be creating excessive gas and it could happen again!

Thanks danb, will do that, last thing I need is the bloody exploding again

The Preacher
2nd January 2006, 08:10
what TWR said

was it an open battery and could hydrogen gas have built up?

I checked the breather hose and it was ok

Eurodave
2nd January 2006, 09:25
Make sure the breather hose on the new battery is routed correctly & not kinked ,pinched in or obstructed, I suspect this may have caused a gas buildup in your last battery.Obviously [to some] dont smoke anywhere near a battery

Firefight
2nd January 2006, 09:31
Shit! :wacko: - Stuffed if I know really - perhaps the gas that battery’s give off ignited?


Most likely .

F/F

The Preacher
4th January 2006, 09:17
The mighty Yama is back on the road.

Problem sorted: internal short in the battery

Thanks for all the help :niceone:

beyond
4th January 2006, 09:55
Battery exploding happened to me too.
25 years ago maybe more, had a Suzuki 250 hustler (great bike) and was riding at around 130kmh on the southern motorway Auckland when there was a huge bang under my seat. Couldn't see anything wrong and the bike was still going, so rode home about 10kms away and found the Chrome disappearing off both exhaust pipes. :(

End off the battery had blown off and acid was eating away at everything. Washed and cleaned it all best I could and bought a new battery. never found out what it was but it didn't happen again thank goodness.

Arthur Wright
5th March 2007, 07:10
I just had the same prob (almost) with my VF750F. Stopped for coffee and investigated a high-pitched whistle. Air screaming out of the battery outlet. The battery had blown up like a balloon. Disconnected and insulated the thick cable from the motor, pushed-started the bike and scuttled home.

Now trying to fault-find with a fully charged battery but the Oil LED is only a glimmer. Tested a few leads and I only have 2.4V DC after the ignition switch. Think it's the regulator/rectifier overcharging the battery.

Seems to be common according to the VFR forum pages and the Fireblades at fireblade.org.

Anyhoo, anyone got a wiring diagram for the VF750? Gotta start somewhere, cycling till I fix it. (Or find someone else who can) I can ride the bike OK, but can fix PC's not bikes.

See ya

dickytoo
5th March 2007, 09:32
If the battery vent is blocked, it could lead to a build up of gases which could lead to a bang in situation such as yours.

I had that happen to me in the company sierra many years ago. it was one of those maintenance free batteries but i think the vent got blocked. when i started the car up, it exploded.