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Exploding battery


Radioactive Man

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Words fail me...  

Nice drive to work this morning, nice drive home this afternoon.  Car seems alright.

GEt home and think just have a look under the bonnet.... to be presented with this.

IMG_3441.jpg.8e663c2ec5dbee1c22e198951baabf0e.jpg

The battery condition indicator isnt indicating much... the liberal coating of battery acid however is another story!

Not happy.

Not sure what caused it... battery or alternator.

Have given everything a spray with water to at least wash the acid away.

IMG_3442.jpg.d7a11de85d9166c3d9fd42b1686ca8e3.jpg

Any ideas / advice?

And it was such as nice drive home.

 

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Wash it it all again everywhere until you think it must surely all be gone. And then do it again.

The alternator could be overcharging due to a faulty regulator. Check the voltage it's putting out if it's more than about 14.6 volts then that is likely your problem.

It could also be a duff cell in the battery that's not accepting charge. The only way to check that is without a discharge tester is by testing each cell which is pretty much also impossible on a modern battery I think. Having said that the battery is probably toast now anyway.

But you should check the alternator output regardless.

Youtube as ever has tutorials of no doubt varying quality on the subject of testing. But this one came up with a quick search

 

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11 minutes ago, Radioactive Man said:

Alternators putting out about 18.3 volts.

Ah!

37 minutes ago, rogerguzzi said:

Wash it down/scub it with baking power/bicarbe soda to kill acid with attention to seams

This is a good idea as the acid gets absolutely everywhere and hides in the nooks and crannies. If the car was being driven it will also be all along the underside of the car, arches, rear suspension, etc as well.

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Hello Ian

              I have found the Alternator and I have a battery or 2 you can borrow until you get a new one and I would fit a bigger one than in your photo!

I would jet wash it after Bicarb soda if it happens to fetch a bit of paint so be it better than Acid lurking underneath!

Roger

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Hello Ian

              Me being flippant keep the bonnet closed or is your car fitted with one of those Automatic bonnet openers that opens the bonnet as soon as you stop and are with other Classic Cars?

All the Konkers ones have them fitted!

Roger

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2 hours ago, Radioactive Man said:

Alternators putting out about 18.3 volts.

That’ll do it..... modern maintenance-free batteries tend to respond more..... err.... dramatically due to their more restrictive gas paths.

 Lucas ACR series presumably? They do this sometimes. Especially the ones made up of repro parts of doubtful origin.

I still have one on the GT6 but it’s temporary. Modern Bosch on the others.

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1 minute ago, Nick Jones said:

That’ll do it..... modern maintenance-free batteries tend to respond more..... err.... dramatically due to their more restrictive gas paths.

 Lucas ACR series presumably? They do this sometimes. Especially the ones made up of repro parts of doubtful origin.

I still have one on the GT6 but it’s temporary. Modern Bosch on the others.

It is ACR series, origin unknown.

I dont think I have seen anything like it before, certainly never experienced it.  It was blowing up like a balloon, sides were not so battery shaped.  

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Hello Ian

               The one I have is a Lucas one and I fitted good quality bearings to it and it was working fine on Spitty but I needed more power at low revs with the EFI as the pump pulls about 7/8 amps so sitting in traffic with lights etc on would be a problem?

I like the Nippon Denso one as it is smaller so you can get a No1 plug easier! (perhaps not a valid reason to change?)

So it is here if you want it?

I would Steer well clear of the Chinse ones as I have read lots of bad reports on them not lasting long(but they are cheap) and I suppose if you only do a few hundred miles a year may be ok for years

I went with Nippon one as you can get them anywhere as they are fitted to lots of garden tractors etc so would not be a problem when we are touring somewhere Foreign!

Roger 

DSC09196.JPG

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Nick, I have those on my spit and indeed Toledo. Never had an issue, even using the Toledo on the RBRR twice. 

(are you after a bosch escort alternator? I have a good one here you are welcome to. And a mondeo version too if it takes your fancy)

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59 minutes ago, Nick Jones said:

Most of those ND ones are only 40A...... have you found a more manly one?

Hello Nick

                Yes it is a 40amp one which I thought was plenty for Spitty (no electric Power steering, air con, Boom box in the boot! etc)

Plus as I said plenty about !

Roger

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Hello Ian

                 I would buy this size battery as it has a bit more umf and capacity and are usually cheaper(common to lots of cars)

You just have to fit it with the terminal posts at the back.

As to where you buy just look for the best price on the day and how many years warranty you want!

063 – Battery Megastore

Roger

ps I have one you can borrow if you want

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7 hours ago, rogerguzzi said:

I would buy this size battery as it has a bit more umf and capacity and are usually cheaper(common to lots of cars)

You just have to fit it with the terminal posts at the back.

As to where you buy just look for the best price on the day and how many years warranty you want!

063 – Battery Megastore

Roger. Battery in the Spitfire was done and has been disposed of but pretty sure it was the smaller 038 size, to save weight of course :laugh:

There is something to be said for the bigger battery and having the terminals at the back rather than the front as well.

Did you have to put longer cables on to reach?

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