Things always seem to happen in threes

Tom Lins

Tom Lins

New member
Dec 30, 2005
939
0
1
Elkton, FL
Ever notice things (both good and bad) seem to happen in threes?

First I had issues with the FI-Tech so I have switched back to the Carb.

Next I had the friction material come off one of the brake pads

Now the house battery has basically fallen apart?

Anybody have a guess as to what happened to it.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/misc/p66845-battery.html

Hate to put a replacement in and have it do the same thing.

The buzz box is gone, I have a PD smart charger. I also have a 100 watt solar panel connected to the house battery with a charge controller. This is
the same setup I had on our previous GMC.


--
Tom Lins
St Augustine, FL
77 GM Rear Twin, Dry Bath, 455, Aluminum Radiator Quad-Bag Suspension Solar Panel
Manuals on DVD
GMC Dealer Training Tapes
http://www.bdub.net/tomlins/
 
Wow if that was gere i'd say it froze and blew up when trying to boost it....not sure at your location other than over charging
--
Rich Mondor,

Brockville, ON

77 Hughes 2600
 
Cheep battery.

--
1977 Kingsley 455 as stock as it gets except lots of Ragusa parts
 
Be sure to neutralize the acid with lots and lots of baking soda, followed
by copious amounts of water. Acid is really hard on frames and suspension
parts.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 7:16 PM Mike Hamm via Gmclist
wrote:

> Cheep battery.
>
> --
> 1977 Kingsley 455 as stock as it gets except lots of Ragusa parts
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
No idea where it is made.
It was a refurbished battery installed by the PO because he was selling it.
It is probably the cheapest thing he could find.

--
Tom Lins
St Augustine, FL
77 GM Rear Twin, Dry Bath, 455, Aluminum Radiator Quad-Bag Suspension Solar Panel
Manuals on DVD
GMC Dealer Training Tapes
http://www.bdub.net/tomlins/
 
> Be sure to neutralize the acid with lots and lots of baking soda, followed
> by copious amounts of water. Acid is really hard on frames and suspension
> parts.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem, Oregon
>
> On Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 7:16 PM Mike Hamm via Gmclist

>
> > Cheep battery.
> >
> > --
> > 1977 Kingsley 455 as stock as it gets except lots of Ragusa parts
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

Already done.
I have seen that before with a frozen battery in NJ
Strong acids and bases are not to be trifled with.

--
Tom Lins
St Augustine, FL
77 GM Rear Twin, Dry Bath, 455, Aluminum Radiator Quad-Bag Suspension Solar Panel
Manuals on DVD
GMC Dealer Training Tapes
http://www.bdub.net/tomlins/
 
From here it looks like it discharged and then froze. I'd double-check for anything which might have run it down when you replace it.

In 30-odd years in the automotive business (pump jockey to grease monkey to service manager etc) I only ONCE saw a battery explode while being
charged, and that when the mechanic left all the cell caps off while charging and working under the hood. This gave the spark and resultant flame
easy access to the hydrogen within the cells when he bumped a charger clamp. (Fortunately, he was working right by the rest room and ran to the
sink.) Anyhow, that exploded battery showed much more dramatic damage than your pictures, with pieces landing several feet away. The noise in the
next room where I was sounded like a very loud firecracker.

Remember, Murphy was an optomist!

HTH
Rick Staples

--
Rick Staples, '75 Eleganza, Johnstown, CO

"Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the Wise to the Wise, and all paths may run ill." -Tolkien
 
I have seen several batteries that blew up while being charged. They were
all nearly destroyed, and were bulged outwards, and the tops were usually
lifted up or missing altogether. Yours looks more like it froze and broke.
Just a guess on my part.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 8:01 PM Richard H Staples via Gmclist <

> From here it looks like it discharged and then froze. I'd double-check
> for anything which might have run it down when you replace it.
>
> In 30-odd years in the automotive business (pump jockey to grease monkey
> to service manager etc) I only ONCE saw a battery explode while being
> charged, and that when the mechanic left all the cell caps off while
> charging and working under the hood. This gave the spark and resultant
> flame
> easy access to the hydrogen within the cells when he bumped a charger
> clamp. (Fortunately, he was working right by the rest room and ran to the
> sink.) Anyhow, that exploded battery showed much more dramatic damage
> than your pictures, with pieces landing several feet away. The noise in the
> next room where I was sounded like a very loud firecracker.
>
> Remember, Murphy was an optomist!
>
> HTH
> Rick Staples
>
>
> --
> Rick Staples, '75 Eleganza, Johnstown, CO
>
> "Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the Wise to the Wise, and all paths
> may run ill." -Tolkien
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
Yikes! I’ve got a pair of 6v golf cart batteries that are about 10 years old. Costco has replacements for $100 a pop. I want solar too, but what do you have for a charge controller?

Larry Davick
A Mystery Machine
1976(ish) Palm Beach
Fremont, CA
Howell EFI + EBL + Electronic Distributor
 
Battery explosion.

I have seen a few of those over years. I have also seen frozen ones. Frozen ones do not have that much damage. The freezing expansion happens
slowly. They only freeze if they are completely discharged and the weather is cold enough. With your Florida location that really eliminates that
possibility. Freezing usually slowly expands the sides does not blow violently around the top down.

Explosions happen at the top where the gas (Hydrogen, oxygen, and air) accumulate. The first one of those I saw happened when I was sitting on top
of it in an 1950's vintage International PU truck. The battery was located under the driver's seat. It was an exciting even for me as a young
teenager. My daughter had one blow when she turned the key to start first thing in the morning. Roger Black had one blow in the middle of the night
at the first Amana Colonies rally. It woke up people in several coaches around including us.

Clean it up good with baking soda and lots and lots of water.




--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
 
> Ever notice things (both good and bad) seem to happen in threes?
>
> First I had issues with the FI-Tech so I have switched back to the Carb.
>
> Next I had the friction material come off one of the brake pads
>
> Now the house battery has basically fallen apart?
>
> Anybody have a guess as to what happened to it.
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/misc/p66845-battery.html
>
> Hate to put a replacement in and have it do the same thing.
>
> The buzz box is gone, I have a PD smart charger. I also have a 100 watt solar panel connected to the house battery with a charge controller. This
> is the same setup I had on our previous GMC.

When was the last time you checked water level? Maybe it was very low?
--
Christo Darsch
GMC Nor'easters
1977 Eleganza II - "The Komet"
3.50 Power Drive, Disc Brakes, Alcoas
Weymouth, MA
 
Battery explosions are usually triggered by a spark. The spark inside the case is usually from loose or broken connectors from physical bounce/jarring
fatigue. Seen it a few times and always use care around batteries with spark generation. If there was a broken internal connection the battery was
junk before the explosion. Worth $10 core either way.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
 
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