Battery Precautions
Thread Starter
Super Moderator
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,288
From: Amityville, New York
BEWARE WHEN CHARGING BATTERIES!
This morning we have a 33' Sea Ray in the shop and we had to run the anchor up and open the engine hatch and the batteries were dead. So I hooked a charger up to one battery for a hour, then I went to hook the charger up to another battery.
When I did I noticed a faint smell of sulfer, the smell when a battery charges, a battery emits gasses when they charge and Im sure some of you have smelled this smell before. I had the charger on trickle charge and everything seemed fine, before I went to get off the boat I wanted to make sure the charger was making contact with the terminals so I went to wiggle the negative clamp to insure it was making contact because the post was partially underneath a portion of the deck.
All I remember then is a flash of fire and smoke and acid coming in my face. The ******* thing blew up right in my face and on my hand.
Reason was the faintest spark ignited the hydrogen fumes that the battery emits when it charges, and a little spark is all it takes! Thankfully I didnt get any in my eyes, at least I dont think I did, and just had acid all over my face and hand.
Be very cautious this time of year, I know alot of us dont drive our cars over the winter and charge our batteries when we need to start them so be carefull.
This morning we have a 33' Sea Ray in the shop and we had to run the anchor up and open the engine hatch and the batteries were dead. So I hooked a charger up to one battery for a hour, then I went to hook the charger up to another battery.
When I did I noticed a faint smell of sulfer, the smell when a battery charges, a battery emits gasses when they charge and Im sure some of you have smelled this smell before. I had the charger on trickle charge and everything seemed fine, before I went to get off the boat I wanted to make sure the charger was making contact with the terminals so I went to wiggle the negative clamp to insure it was making contact because the post was partially underneath a portion of the deck.
All I remember then is a flash of fire and smoke and acid coming in my face. The ******* thing blew up right in my face and on my hand.
Reason was the faintest spark ignited the hydrogen fumes that the battery emits when it charges, and a little spark is all it takes! Thankfully I didnt get any in my eyes, at least I dont think I did, and just had acid all over my face and hand.
Be very cautious this time of year, I know alot of us dont drive our cars over the winter and charge our batteries when we need to start them so be carefull.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,981
From: NJ
Damn!! Glad you are OK Just another little warning for winter time. If you are going to charge a dead battery in winter, pull the vent caps off and make sure the water did not freeze. A frozen battery will explode when charged becouse the expanded frozen water will short out the plates inside!!
Senior Member
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 22,465
From: California
i hope you are ok rob. yes batteries emit gasses when they are charged, the best thing to do is charge it in a well ventilated area, even so you run a risk. i personally hate batteries and try to stay as far away as i can.
mike
mike
