360 360 Battery Exploded..

Was it locked down properly? Were the terminal clamps covered? The rail that runs above the battery for the cover to fasten to is dangerously and stupidly close to the battery terminals. I swapped my clamps out to the covered Kicker clamps with the plastic cover just for this reason.

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Are there any burn marks on the metal above the battery positive?

How old is the battery? It seems odd that the positive lug would magically work its way free, sitting in the garage.

Sounds like a good idea.

 

maybe the vent was plugged and would not release the gasses down the hose and possibly the battery gave out under the pressure

 

It is so unusual to see an Interstate blown apart like this

 

Ditto. Not common at all.

Check your electrical system. A short might contribute. Any non-oem electronics?

 

I would address this to Interstate and inquire what their theory might be

Thinking of a battery letting go in the passenger compartment is quite a concern

Would really be good to know what their take is

 

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Likely blame the trickle charger for causing the battery to build up gasses.

Which charger was used?

 

*I don't think the TC does that or we'd see that on a ton more cars

 

My comment was to post#7. If I was Interstate I would ask if anything non-OEM was connected. A tc without float can create gasses and if there was a fault with the vent it has to go somewhere. Likely a series of issues happening at the same time i.e. marginal battery + excessive vibration + errant surge from wall socket to tc, etc.

 

all possible but I would like to know what Interstate would have to say about this

also possible the terminal was torqued a bit during installation causing a minor crack in the plastic which evolved slightly over time causing the fluid to leak

guess good basis to go the AGM's

 

I would bet dollars to donuts that they have NOTHING to say about it, except maybe some legal mumbo jumbo. Too much liability.

 

donuts are not healthy so we best bet on bagels!!!

what's happed with your hardtop project?

 

Easy, modify the tiedowns. You can buy J-hooks at most any auto parts store.

 

definitely tie the battery down from the front upper edge

one would be asking for big problems if that is not done!

do buy longer j hooks as mentioned

 

you understand this well

No matter what electrical you attach it is not the electrical spark what causes explosions of batteries, it is gas build up that causes explosion along with a plugged vent. This cracking looks more like something else, perhaps physical stress or being dropped or pounded?

 

well understood and stated

 

i emailed with Odyssey directly on replacing the battery in my 360. They said the vent tubes are optional and do not need to be used. they are on the batteries as some european countries require them. i measured and the odyssey battery was the same size as the interstate battery that i took out that had died. I had a mother of a time getting the battery pushed back far enough to get some threads on the hold bown strap, but i got it. When you pull the battery our, some wiring slides down behind the battery. Do the best you can to push up the harness wiring and the hold down strap works fine.

 

I'm still confused how the positive cable simply came off of the battery. Seems to me someone would have tampered with it for that to happen. Heck there is scant little clearance between the top of the battery and the battery post when the battery is in place in the car as others have pointed out.

The only time this has ever happened to me in my many years of owning many cars of all stripes is when I blew up a battery in one of my 911s on the interstate. The alternator failed (the voltage regulator circuit) and the alternator overcharge the battery when cruising at freeway speeds for hours.

So while we can all probably agree it was an overcharge incident, as to the how and why, not sure the trickle charger alone is the culprit.

 

Guys:

That must be from a serious gassing problem from a charger that has failed. It is not a good idea to leave a trickle charger connected continuously.
Even the very best brands can fail and overcharge a battery. I try to charge mine for at most 2 or 3 days then disconnect. And if you have a high current draw when parked (>40 ma), just use the battery disconnect switch. Anti-gravity makes a nice Bluetooth module that connects across the battery terminals and when your cell phone is within 25 ft, it pings your phone and tells you the state of charge and if a charge is needed. Or they have some Lithium batteries that will disconnect itself when the voltage drops to when there is just enough capacity to restart itself.
Or if your battery is worn out, just replace it with a H6 size AGM from wally world for $150.

It's not rocket surgery!

Jeff
89 348tb, 86 tr, 99 360 3-pedal