Exploding battery

[The Preacher]

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.

[rudolph]

Too meny cranking Amps for the battrey or a short to earth, REG not working? I hope you washed all the crap off

[danb]

Shit! - Stuffed if I know really - perhaps the gas that battery’s give off ignited?

[froggyfrenchman]

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]

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]

Shit! - 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]

Shit! - 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]

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]

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]

let alone the burnt backside

[danb]

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]

what TWR said

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

[The Preacher]

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]

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]

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