Date: Sat, 2 May 2015 12:57:58 -0700
Reply-To: Dick Wong <sailingfc@DSLEXTREME.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dick Wong <sailingfc@DSLEXTREME.COM>
Subject: Re: Boom! Started my day with a little nitric acid
In-Reply-To: <3EAE5A97-EBB2-4AC2-B109-CEE311D9ADEF@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
When charging a car battery, the outgas is oxygen and hydrogen. This is an
explosive combination. When the starter was engaged, a spark from anything
nearby (loose battery terminal, relay, starter brushes) could have ignited
the gas. That's why charger instructions tell you disconnect the charger
power or switch it off, before removing the leads at the battery.
Many years ago, I had hooked up a dead battery to a charger in the shop. My
dad went in to the shop and turned on the bench grinder. As soon as he
touched the metal to the grinder, kaboom!, the battery exploded. Luckily he
didn't get acid in his eyes and there was a water hose nearby where he
quickly washed himself down. Other than ringing ears, he was okay.
Cannot be too careful when working with batteries.
-Dick Wong-
78 Scirocco
Original Owner
87 Vanagon Syncro 2.5 (Blaze)
Third Owner
12 Golf TDI
Original Co-Owner
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Eric Caron
Sent: Saturday, May 02, 2015 11:56 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Boom! Started my day with a little nitric acid
Jim,
Please give us a update. And, why do you think this happened?
I once knelt on the back seat of a 74 super beetle and had a similar
experience. covering one of those terminals was a lesson I learned the hard
way at age 18.
funny thing is the car started and we drove that way to sears to get a new
battery! that is we did once the smoke cleared.
Eric Caron
85 GL Auto Westfalia
> On May 2, 2015, at 2:40 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> Ouch! Sulfuric acid does not evaporate! The water it's mixed with does,
leaving concentrated sulfuric acid behind, which will do incredible damage
to you and the van.
>
> Suit up in old clothes, wear a face mask and rubber gloves, remove what's
left of the battery, and wash everything down with a solution of baking soda
to neutralize the acid. Then take a shower and wash the old clothes, or
they will be full of holes the next time you see them.
>
> Stuart
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Jim Felder
> Sent: Saturday, May 02, 2015 9:27 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Boom! Started my day with a little nitric acid
>
> Charged the battery overnight in Fifty Shades of Brown in anticipation of
getting the pump primed this weekend. When I hit the key it sounded like a
> 12 gauge shotgun in the back. It literally blew the top off the battery
and sent acid all over the place. Glad I was at the switch and not back
there.
>
> Jim
-----
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