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Blowing Up batteries

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Old Mar 25, 2013 | 03:46 PM
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Blowing Up batteries

Blown up 2 batteries in the past 2 days. 2003 F350 cab and chassis first started on its own, then one of the batteries blew its top off. Replaced starter and battery. On the second day it does the same thing. Didn't replace the starter second time, but had to the battery. Anybody?
 
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Old Mar 25, 2013 | 04:12 PM
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From: muskegon mi.
only thig i have had that killed batterys was a stuck voltage regulater...i would take the alt and get it tested and look for a short a big one like main cable big
 
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Old Mar 25, 2013 | 04:12 PM
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Have you had the alternator tested?
 
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Old Mar 25, 2013 | 04:46 PM
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I have heard of a few cases of batteries exploding when being jumped due to a spark. But I have never actually seen that cause a battery to blow up. And it would be some real bad luck to get 2 back to back batteries with internal problems causing it to blow up, so it must be getting over charged. Where I am most local shops or maybe auto parts stores will test your alternator for you for free. They should be able to point you in the right direction.
 
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Old Mar 25, 2013 | 05:15 PM
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I had a battery blow up in a new Camaro, back when I was a kid and working as a lot boy(Mid 1970s) . We had one that would not start. I grabbed the booster cart, hooked up the battery to the leads and told the salesman to crank. The battery blew in half, throwing acid and plate material all over. Consensus was that the battery had developed an internal short. Thankfully I had stepped so that the open hood was protecting me (strictly by accident).

I never stand by the battery when I jump another vehicle.
 
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Old Mar 25, 2013 | 06:57 PM
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Thanks guys, I have not had the alternator tested. Here is another thing, this is a powerstroke so there are 2 batteries. The one on the passenger side is the one that blows. There are two red leads that are on the positive lug; one goes to the other battery and then a smaller one goes to the cab and it runs virtually everything in the cab. We took the two leads and put them side by side, the larger one on the positive lug and when we put a multimeter to them it shows up 12 volts. Doesn't this mean that the smaller terminal has a positive ground on it somewhere?
 
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Old Mar 25, 2013 | 07:27 PM
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over charging...so therefore alternator.
 
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Old Mar 25, 2013 | 07:35 PM
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Sounds like overcharge . I have been told of frozen batteries exploding . Not likley if not tamperd with , that is too much water , though . Just a thought .
 
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Old Mar 26, 2013 | 01:33 AM
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I have a 6.0 PSD and lost a cap on the passenger side battery (closest to the alt)
Don't know if it was an over charge or me forgetting to put it back on right. But
a battery that is charging and has a cap that the vert is stuck closed will create enough
pressure to pop a cap off. In the case of over charging it will happen faster with more
violence. Most true explosions are do to shorts and hydrogen igniting anf going BOOM!

Sean
 
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Old Mar 26, 2013 | 07:20 AM
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Did anyone read the part the OP mentioned of the truck starting on its own? We had a new starter from ford do this same thing and nearly caught the truck on fire. Since you replaced the starter already and it is still doing it the short must be in the ignition module or the like.
 
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Old Mar 26, 2013 | 07:38 AM
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Originally Posted by redford
I had a battery blow up in a new Camaro, back when I was a kid and working as a lot boy(Mid 1970s) . We had one that would not start. I grabbed the booster cart, hooked up the battery to the leads and told the salesman to crank. The battery blew in half, throwing acid and plate material all over. Consensus was that the battery had developed an internal short. Thankfully I had stepped so that the open hood was protecting me (strictly by accident).

I never stand by the battery when I jump another vehicle.
sounds like you could have been in a world of hurt. I am no longer going to stand by the battery when jumping people anymore lol. Doesn't happen often, but it only takes once.
 
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