HELP, my battery just exploded, altenator problem..???
02-13-2003, 09:19 PM
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HELP, my battery just exploded, altenator problem..???PICS JUST ADDED
PICTURES JUST ADDED---SEE BELOW POSTS!!!!!!!!
i was driving down the trail and my battery literally exploded, there was a loud BOOM, and when i opened my hood there was battery acid all over everything...the top of the battery was split and i could see all the way inside of it....why????
i just replaced my altenator about a month ago and i think i put the wires on it wrong because the wire the next day were all melted.. i got a new part of my wiring loom and hooked it back up the way i thought it should have been, i also had the altenator bench tested at the laocal auto shop it was good(that was a week and a half ago) today it exploded the battery.
is it possible to explode the battery if i hooked up the wires wrong?
maybe the voltage regulator is bad?
bad ignitor?
i have a 1980 toyota pickup with 20r motor, the altenator has an external voltage regulator....
does anyone know or can look at there truck to see exactly where the wires hook up to the altenator, there is 6
there is a 3prong green plug that clips to the back of the altenator(no biggie i can figure that out) but then there are 3 other wires that go somewhere that now im not too sure about, all the wires i spoke of come off the main wireing loom along the fender from a rectangular black plug.
my chiltons and haynes manual say that when reinstalling the wires after replacing the altnator to just put them back on the way they came off, big help if you dont remember.....
thanks to anyone who can help me out on this one.
a case of beer and pizza on me to my savior
i was driving down the trail and my battery literally exploded, there was a loud BOOM, and when i opened my hood there was battery acid all over everything...the top of the battery was split and i could see all the way inside of it....why????
i just replaced my altenator about a month ago and i think i put the wires on it wrong because the wire the next day were all melted.. i got a new part of my wiring loom and hooked it back up the way i thought it should have been, i also had the altenator bench tested at the laocal auto shop it was good(that was a week and a half ago) today it exploded the battery.
is it possible to explode the battery if i hooked up the wires wrong?
maybe the voltage regulator is bad?
bad ignitor?
i have a 1980 toyota pickup with 20r motor, the altenator has an external voltage regulator....
does anyone know or can look at there truck to see exactly where the wires hook up to the altenator, there is 6
there is a 3prong green plug that clips to the back of the altenator(no biggie i can figure that out) but then there are 3 other wires that go somewhere that now im not too sure about, all the wires i spoke of come off the main wireing loom along the fender from a rectangular black plug.
my chiltons and haynes manual say that when reinstalling the wires after replacing the altnator to just put them back on the way they came off, big help if you dont remember.....
thanks to anyone who can help me out on this one.
a case of beer and pizza on me to my savior
Last edited by jjdeneen; 02-19-2003 at 08:35 PM.
02-13-2003, 09:59 PM
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That's really odd about the battery exploding. Generally if you wire batteries up incorrectly, things happen PRONTO. Ive seen 4ga wire that shorted out melt....NOT a pretty sight.
You know, now that I think about it, when was the last time you checked the fluid level in that battery that exploded? I'll betcha that pizza and beer the battery was really low on electrolyte, filled up with Hydrogen and a spark lit it off....(Hydrogen gas evolves out of the electrolyte when you charge the battery beyond ~85% fully charged.) That happens from time to time in DB drag racing where we use arrays of batteries to supply current for 16+ 1500watt amps and havent' checked on electrolyte levels.
But something you NEED to do pronto is cover up the alt, distro cap, coil, and any wires that don't like water, and hose out the engine bay before the acid starts to go nuts. The stuff you covered will have to be carefully cleaned by hand...at least that's what I'd suggest.
Also contact the place you bought the battery from as well as the battery manufacturer. Also take LOTS of dated pics, if the battery was defective, they may reimburse you for any damages that occur. Not sure on that though, but pictures for your records do not hurt at all.
Steve
You know, now that I think about it, when was the last time you checked the fluid level in that battery that exploded? I'll betcha that pizza and beer the battery was really low on electrolyte, filled up with Hydrogen and a spark lit it off....(Hydrogen gas evolves out of the electrolyte when you charge the battery beyond ~85% fully charged.) That happens from time to time in DB drag racing where we use arrays of batteries to supply current for 16+ 1500watt amps and havent' checked on electrolyte levels.
But something you NEED to do pronto is cover up the alt, distro cap, coil, and any wires that don't like water, and hose out the engine bay before the acid starts to go nuts. The stuff you covered will have to be carefully cleaned by hand...at least that's what I'd suggest.
Also contact the place you bought the battery from as well as the battery manufacturer. Also take LOTS of dated pics, if the battery was defective, they may reimburse you for any damages that occur. Not sure on that though, but pictures for your records do not hurt at all.
Steve
02-14-2003, 02:28 PM
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Sounds like you didnt keep the water level proper in the battery. this happened to a customer at my work... her battery exploded. the thing was DRY as a bone
02-14-2003, 03:25 PM
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If your alternator is overcharging the battery the internal temperature will be very high - eventually all the fluid will evaporate and then at some point the explosion can happen. I actually had a patient once who had a battery explode while he was working under the hood - had pieces lodged in his face and was blind afterwards. Make sure you really clean under there well - the acid will eat up anything it touches...ruber, metal, paint, etc.
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02-14-2003, 03:42 PM
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here are the pictures of my battery and a few of my truck i took also...enjoy
if anyone can take a look at there altenator and tell me which wires go to which posts it would be greatly appreciated...i obviosly hooked it up wrong
if anyone can take a look at there altenator and tell me which wires go to which posts it would be greatly appreciated...i obviosly hooked it up wrong
02-14-2003, 04:24 PM
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im pretty sure there was water in it, but like one of you guys said that if i hooked up the altnator wrong or voltage regulator was bad then i would be basically cooking my battery and when it dried up it would explode
when it happened i was driveing throgh some trails after it rained and was splashing enormous amounts of water everywhere including my engine compartment.....
to make matters worse after it happened i took a jug i had and ran to the nearby creek(only 20 yards away) a driver came up and said that the brush i was going through was poison oak!!!!
luckely i had pants on and it didnt get on my skin
it couldnt have been any worse.....
i did drive it home that night and today i was driving around town with a split battery, in the pics it shows the sides are all split half way down the battery
when it happened i was driveing throgh some trails after it rained and was splashing enormous amounts of water everywhere including my engine compartment.....
to make matters worse after it happened i took a jug i had and ran to the nearby creek(only 20 yards away) a driver came up and said that the brush i was going through was poison oak!!!!
luckely i had pants on and it didnt get on my skin
it couldnt have been any worse.....
i did drive it home that night and today i was driving around town with a split battery, in the pics it shows the sides are all split half way down the battery
02-19-2003, 01:07 PM
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nobaody has a first gen toyota that can check to see how there altenator is wires up??????
will be going to test the voltage regulator today...i,ll let you all know if that is the problem but i still think i dont have my altenator hooked up right
i really cant afford to take this to a repair shop to get the altenator hooked up right please someone out there tell me how this altenator goes together.................
will be going to test the voltage regulator today...i,ll let you all know if that is the problem but i still think i dont have my altenator hooked up right
i really cant afford to take this to a repair shop to get the altenator hooked up right please someone out there tell me how this altenator goes together.................
02-19-2003, 03:15 PM
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Try posting to the Toyota section of pirate4x4.com there are a lot more people with 1st gens over there. You could also try 4x4wire.com in the wheeling section. I'd look, but my 82 has a 4.3 TBI in it.
Good luck
Good luck
02-19-2003, 05:35 PM
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My battery exploded on my 98LTD. Its caused by the water level getting below the lead plates, gas builds up in high temperature, and then an arc occurs, igniting the gas and blowing the battery.
That sulfuric acid is nasty, it ate all the paint around the battery, and ate holes in the master cyl reservior.
That sulfuric acid is nasty, it ate all the paint around the battery, and ate holes in the master cyl reservior.
02-20-2003, 07:59 AM
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Assuming you had water in there...
Where did you get the alternator? Is it Toyota OEM or one of those NAPA type things? I ask because it's not unheard of for one of those cheaper alternators to fritz out and melt wiring harnesses, eat batteries, etc.
If it was wired wrong it wouldn't last a month. I'd be surprised if you lasted 30 seconds without melting your wires.
Where did you get the alternator? Is it Toyota OEM or one of those NAPA type things? I ask because it's not unheard of for one of those cheaper alternators to fritz out and melt wiring harnesses, eat batteries, etc.
If it was wired wrong it wouldn't last a month. I'd be surprised if you lasted 30 seconds without melting your wires.
02-20-2003, 02:02 PM
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i got the altenator from a local parts shop. its rebuilt with a lifetime warrenty.
i just had my voltage regulator tested last night and it was bad which means that my altenator was basically cooking my battery until all the water boiled out of it probably, i got a new volt regulator and will be getting a new battery this evening. i will be installing it tommorrow morning, i,ll let you know how it goes tommorrow afternoon when i get to work(hopefully i wont have to ride my bike again)
i just had my voltage regulator tested last night and it was bad which means that my altenator was basically cooking my battery until all the water boiled out of it probably, i got a new volt regulator and will be getting a new battery this evening. i will be installing it tommorrow morning, i,ll let you know how it goes tommorrow afternoon when i get to work(hopefully i wont have to ride my bike again)
