Topic: What would cause a CB750K3 battery to explode?

[birdmannn101]

The CB750 I purchased has a new battery because the old battery exploded and blew battery acid all over the frame and battery box.  Now that I have all that cleaned up and re-painted I am curious as to what would cause that to happen and should I be checking voltages to make sure it will not happen again?

[Deltarider]

From 14,5 Volts a battery starts 'gassing'. This is highly explosive. If breather tube was not attached, a spark (like whilst connecting or disconnecting battery) close enough to that exiting gas can cause the battery to explode. I know somebody that got wounded this way in the engineroom of a ship and still has the scars in his face.

[Markcb750]

Batteries will release hydrogen, if the gas can accumulate it can ignite and explode.

They also can freeze and split open, looks like it exploded. must be really cold or the battery must be very dead.

They also can be charged too quickly which again generates a lot of hydrogen and if the gas can accumulate (plugged drain?) pressure can crack case.


How was it stored?  

What time of year did it explode?

Is the drain connected?

Was it fully charged or dead from long storage.

Where the caps in place?

[Terry in Australia]

I blew up a new battery in my old F2 years ago when testing the new Dyna 3 ignition I was installing. I'd been checking the spark and I forgot that I'd left a plug attached to a plug lead and it was sitting in the tool tray. Anyway, I just switched the ignition on and "BANG"!

A mate of mine exploded the battery on his (then new-ish) 1988 Suzuki GSXR1100, apparently the regulator crapped out and allowed 20 (+) volts back into the battery, and up it went, ruining the paint on the top of his engine in the process. Cheers, Terry.