Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Battery explosions

[David Buchner <buchner@wcta.net>]

On Sunday, November 23, 2003, at 10:49 AM, Michael B Holt wrote:

> Why does this happen?
>
> I can understand hydrogen buildup in sealed compartments.
> A dead short on a 12v car battery, it seems, can rupture the
> battery case (I saw the result at Sears Automotive).
>
> Other than that, what happens?

I, too, would like to know this. I've had mechanic-types tell me their 
stories of hooking up jumper cables, making a spark, and having 
sulfuric acid and bits of plastic case all over them the next instant. 
I've never understood just what would cause that: it seems like any 
hydrogen bubbled off would be pretty quickly diffused out into the air, 
and it seems like a discharged battery, needing a jump, wouldn't have 
been bubbling hydrogen before the spark, anyway.

Hmmm. I await a wisdom-transfer.