Car battery explosion destroys house

[Studebaker Wheel]

This in today's newspaper. Reminds me of a similar case involving an ASC member in Canada who lost a 1933 Studebaker convertible sedan, some other cars and a antique airplane in a similar incident. It can happen. I had one blow up in my face once. It was in my '52 Commander hardtop.

[duncan1951]

Eons ago when I worked in a gas station, we had a charger on the battery of a Ford Fairlane and doing some other things to it I think. Me and my work partner were in the office when we heard the BOOM.
Cleaned that fender off the car neater than you could do with wrenches.

[Lark Parker]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]23431[/ATTACH]

This in today's newspaper. Reminds me of a similar case involving an ASC member in Canada who lost a 1933 Studebaker convertible sedan, some other cars and a antique airplane in a similar incident. It can happen. I had one blow up in my face once. It was in my '52 Commander hardtop.

Perhaps it was terrorism by a sleeper cell.

[Roscomacaw]

Perhaps it was terrorism by a sleeper cell.

Wouldn't that be a reVOLTin' development! Remember The Life of Riley???

[unclemiltie]

I had one blow up on a 59 lark years back. I just got home from work and had to start the new toy before I changed out of the suit (working attire of the 70's). I had a new overcoat on. It did not want to start, I put the charger on and it blew up. I assume a spark ignited the gas from the battery. it ruined the coat and I was pissed but looking back it may have prevented harm to my skin. I hope it never happens again to me.

[Roscomacaw]

I had driven to a nearby town to pick up a guy that was doing some work for me (on cars). I'd gone there in my freshly painted Lark ragtop, and my friend was elated that we were gonna be riding with the top down. As he got in, I twisted the key. Instead of the engine cranking, there was a loud blast! Scared the you-know-what outta both of us. It didn't mangle anything, but it blew the top off the battery and spewed acid all over. Luckily, there was a hose nearby. Alot of rinsing stopped any real damage.

When I worked at the resto facility - many years ago - we had a '33 Rolls town car on consignment. A beauty of a car with a nicely done interior. The car's battery was kaput and needed jumping to start it every time. Said battery was under the floorboards in the rear area. My boss was in a hurry to get the car running for a prospective buyer, and hastily disconnected the charger leads while it was charging. Ruined the rear upholstery, it did!
We had a "gofer" kid working with us - a guy who could do simple errands and chores - a real doofus this guy was. This same Rolls was being moved across the facility and John had put the charger on earlier so he could start it - one of those big brutes of a charger with wheels and big, fat leads. Later, he came back, started the car and drove off pulling the battery charger behind the Rolls! LOL! We used to stop him some times and ask if he knew what the legal towing speed for a battery charger was!

[57pack]

I've been with our local Fire Dept for years, back a few years ago we had a interesting call.
A fellow had decided to change his fuel filter on his brand x car. Being March he decided to do this repair in his garage.
Now his house was a Cape Cod design connected to the garage by a enclosed breezeway. Unfortunately there was a open cellar window to the house in the breezeway. As he was working away on his car, the gasoline fumes traveled through the garage down the breezeway,through the cellar window, into the basement.
Being March a still cold here abouts, the furnace switched on and, well ,we saved the house.
Be careful with batteries AND gasoline.

[Roscomacaw]

We really DO get too damned casual in handling gasoline. I've got an aging Ford 8N tractor that whenever I put gas in it, there's always a stray drop ot two. And RIGHT below the filler neck is the battery and solenoid. If I do spill a few drops, I'll just walk away and let it evaporate before I try starting. It would only take one time and that tank - not being totally full - would have a nasty, firey response - and me sitting right there!

[rockne10]

Wouldn't that be a reVOLTin' development! Remember The Life of Riley???

I believe Jackie Gleason played Riley in the first season but, William Bendix is known for the role.

http://www.veoh.com/watch/v16956297C6SQAs8Z?h1=The+Life+of+Riley+-+Classic+TV+-+nostalgiamerchant.biz

[Blue 15G]

And if you live in a cold climate, don't try to charge a frozen battery either, as one of my parts store customers did years back. (But I'm sure you know that.) He came to buy the new one and he brought the old one, which was just shards of plastic and lead, in a bucket. Said he had to rinse his eyes out for quite awhile, but felt he was okay. People are dumb today but they were just as dumb years ago too.

Dave Bonn
'54 Champion Starliner

[dictator27]

Dumb and dumber? Years ago I knew a fellow who had a 1933 Packard sedan which had a persistent short circuit that would kill the battery very quickly. Until it was fixed, he had a trickle charger permanently mounted on the firewall and after each run he would plug it in. The battery was under the drivers seat. Accessing it meant removing the seat cushion and a small metal cover over the cell caps. Replacing the battery meant crawling under the car. While the battery was charging, he would remove the seat cushion metal cover and cell caps. He smoked cigars. After lighting a cigar one day, he decided to check the battery using the still lit match. BOOM!!! Fortunately for him, the bottom blew out of the battery - the battery tray was diamond shaped so the four corners of the battery were unsupported. All four were gone and all the acid was on the floor. After a liberal flushing with water and a heavy application of baking soda, I had to crawl under the car and remove the remains of the battery. Putting the new battery in meant pushing it under the car, crawling under, heaving the battery onto my chest, then lifting it onto the battery support. In the limited space that wasn't easy!

Terry